Noticing more frequent use of grab starts in Beijing...
Former Member
Notably by the Chinese female swimmer, and it's combined with tremendous water entries and SDK's ... I'd say almost Coughlin caliber underwaters and theyr'e coming up on the fielkd, but no one is talking about it.
Look at their entries in the 200 free. In the 100, Pang jumped so take her slight reaction time out of it and she still is well up after the SDK's.
Notice also that Lenton of Australia used the conventional grab start, as do several other of her country women.
In one particular Chinese sprinter (Le?), she squats with her but down quite low for her stance, which would seem very slow off the block. At 15 meters though she is ahead.
Any thoughts?
Parents
Former Member
Can you or anyone else describe the keyhole-dive grab start? Or better yet, point to any online instructions or videos?
Here's my questions:
1. What pushoff/lift angle should you be aiming for as you leave the blocks relative to the water line? Up (+ degrees)? Parallel (0)? Down (-)?
2. After the initial hand grab and feet push, do you immediately throw your hands forward? Or do you them leave them back a little initially and then come forward? (This seems to help keep my center of gravity lower in my body to help get me into a pike - see #3.)
3. So, the purpose of the pike is to set up the keyhole entry (IMO), right? I really struggle getting into that pike...Any tips or tricks to help. I've been told to throw your butt up, but anything else you teach to get it there?
4. Once your past the pike into a keyhole entry, what angle should you be at relative to the water line? (-45 degrees, -30 degrees - 0 degrees being parallel to the water)
5. What tips, tricks, thought processes do you have to do the scoop to get that extra little "kick" in?
I'd love some feedback, because I always seem to come up a half body-length behind the good ones on a breaststroke start...
Absolutely agree....I still teach a type of the Keyhole drive with a two footed start....specially for BR and FL......it's not how fast you get off the blocks it's your time to 15 M that matters.......
I prove it to the kids in practice by doing it with them...very few can beat me off the start.....
Can you or anyone else describe the keyhole-dive grab start? Or better yet, point to any online instructions or videos?
Here's my questions:
1. What pushoff/lift angle should you be aiming for as you leave the blocks relative to the water line? Up (+ degrees)? Parallel (0)? Down (-)?
2. After the initial hand grab and feet push, do you immediately throw your hands forward? Or do you them leave them back a little initially and then come forward? (This seems to help keep my center of gravity lower in my body to help get me into a pike - see #3.)
3. So, the purpose of the pike is to set up the keyhole entry (IMO), right? I really struggle getting into that pike...Any tips or tricks to help. I've been told to throw your butt up, but anything else you teach to get it there?
4. Once your past the pike into a keyhole entry, what angle should you be at relative to the water line? (-45 degrees, -30 degrees - 0 degrees being parallel to the water)
5. What tips, tricks, thought processes do you have to do the scoop to get that extra little "kick" in?
I'd love some feedback, because I always seem to come up a half body-length behind the good ones on a breaststroke start...
Absolutely agree....I still teach a type of the Keyhole drive with a two footed start....specially for BR and FL......it's not how fast you get off the blocks it's your time to 15 M that matters.......
I prove it to the kids in practice by doing it with them...very few can beat me off the start.....
