Best starting block position: left foot forward or right foot?

Put your feet where you are most comfortable. If you left foot is more comfortable in front, put it there or vice versa. There is no right/wrong with this, as it is different for each person.

Thanks for your input, everyone. My left leg is definitely my 'equilibrium' leg. I'll start with that one first and then switch to the right to see what feels the most comfortable. I guess it is just a question of practicing to find out which position is the most effective. The pool I train at, unfortunately, doesn't have starting blocks. I will have to find some soon as I have a meet on the 20th/21st of this month (my first in 24 years) and haven't practiced them for the same period of time! Starts were always my weak point, too! Syd

Which foot should be in front? Syd Doesn't it depend on the hemisphere you are in? Now my question is this, North, South, East or West? Me, I teach it with both feet forward. Might as well, might as well explode forward as one single mass. Why separate all that potential energy? Two units? Not for me. I have a hard time keeping all my masses together I guess.

The going in position from this coaches point of view is: Strongest "Leg" forward as that is the leg that will be doing the majority of the launch......the rear leg does not do a whole lot besides stabilizing your body. I myself use the 2 footed start....I can usually....not always.....but usually beat the kids that I coach to the 15 meter point even though I might not be the first off the blocks....it's all in the entry and the streamline. But the biggest thing to take away from this is that it varies a whole lot from swimmer to swimmer....Just my:2cents: of course.....

"Strengh" and "equilibrium" are in different legs. The kicking leg, as in soccer, in right handed people is the right leg, but the leg used in slalom skiing or the dominant leg when snow skiing would be the left leg. That said, I do the old style entry, basically a belly flop. But if I were going to do the track start, I would have the left leg up front. Try and stand on one foot only and figure out the dominant (equilibrium) leg is.

I do not do the grab start to far for me to reach down. Both feet at the front of the block toes over thedge slightly pidgeon toed. I still do the hands out front start then sweep the hands up and and over to get the body to follow through momentum. Videos of track start here go down the list of videos find the two great videos www.swimmingcyclingrunning.com/SwimVids.asp

Just as people are right or left handed...so they will be with their feet. But not necessarily with the same dominance. That said...the lead foot may feel most comfortable taking the forward position on the starting block. For those who have never skateboarded, surfed or been on a water ski, they may have a different enlightenment on which one is best suited to take the lead on the track start. As you said Syd...your left foot felt better taking the lead on the ski. Same should hold true on the block. (In the surfing world...the left foot first is known as regular foot...and the right foot first is called goofy foot.) Oddly enough there appear to be more regular foot riders than goofy footers. www.ehow.com/how_2574_determine-regular-goofy.html

So many options! And only a week to go. I hear what you are saying Allen: you should practice them all the time. It is just that the pool I train at doesn't even allow diving off the side (although I sneak one in every now and then) let alone diving off blocks. This time I think I might just go for both feet in front, arms hanging loose and concentrate on entering the water in one hole. It is the best I can do in such a short space of time. Then, after the meet, start trying out everyones' suggestions. George, thanks for those video clips. I downloaded them all. It seemed like the majority of swimmers had their right foots forward. Significant? As an aside check out Michael Klim's flip turn video (at the link George provided). It is quite awesome. He SDKs on his back off the wall, then on his side and then on his tummy. It looked like one of those drill videos. He was still SDKing and the other swimmers had already taken 4 strokes. Syd

You have three options for feet placement: 1 - both feet forward 2 - left foot forward 3 - right foot forward Most folks will tell you that #1 gives you the slowest reaction time, but the force of the two-feet will essentially negate any of that once you hit the water. #2 and #3 are by comfort level. You probably want to put your stronger leg as the forward leg. I am right handed, and 51% right footed, but it is the left leg that is forward for me. I think this is because of basketball. In a layup, if you're going up for a layup, your inner leg is the one you jump off. Since I am righty, I spent more time going off my left leg, therefore making it the stronger leg. Try 10 starts w/ your left leg forward; then 10 with your right. See which gives you the faster start and the better breakout. Pick that one. If you are going to do the "track" start which is one of the feet forward, you will know which of your legs is the strongest for the push-off; that's the leg that's forward for most people. I am one of those with both feet even, not staggered, and even though people say it's not a fast start, I have to disagree here. I had one of the fastest freestyle starts in over 40 races; my response time was lightning speed and I don't think it was because of my foot placement; it was my body's reaction time to a gun sound, and with both legs driving off the blocks, I always was a half-body length ahead of everyone when we surfaced. But in my favorite stroke, backstroke, I had to struggle with that same situation; my response time was less and I never figured it out. Thus, I was usually a back-half swimmer who came from behind, over and over again. Donna

I had one of the fastest freestyle starts in over 40 races; my response time was lightning speed and I don't think it was because of my foot placement; it was my body's reaction time to a gun sound, and with both legs driving off the blocks, I always was a half-body length ahead of everyone when we surfaced. I bet you were one of those kids that were good at arcade games! ;) Me, I never was. My reaction time was always clumsily slow. Even more worryingly I have to wear an earplug in my right ear because of ear problems and I wonder if that is not going to exacerbate the situation. But in my favorite stroke, backstroke, I had to struggle with that same situation; my response time was less and I never figured it out. Thus, I was usually a back-half swimmer who came from behind, over and over again. Donna That is interesting and suggests something wrong with your technique, especially considering your reaction time in the block start is so good. Syd