Noticing more frequent use of grab starts in Beijing...

In 2004 wrote an article " Is the Grab Start Dead" that was published in the American Swimming Magazine (ASCA Coaches magazine). basically I counted nearly every start of every race in the 2004 USA Olympics Trials. Rowdy keeps talking about the reaction time, but really what is important is NOT the reaction time but the time to 15 meters. This time is recorded in every World championship and Olympics. Many times the people and countries that use the grab start end up ahead at the 15 meters mark! The track start just is a big equalizer, no body gets a lead, except for the reaction time. A couple of thousands of reaction time does not make up for the couple of tenths loss at the 15 meter mark. Well said. When our swimmers train, we use the Hillmen Breakout Comparison Chart that objectively measures how fast they are. If we find significant best times coming from one start over another or other variables, the swimmers use what gives them the best time. You can use the chart for starts and turns.

Can someone describe the difference? I thought basically everyone was grabbing the blocks and had one foot behind the other. Wouldn't that be a grab track start? I must be missing something very obvious. S In the grab start both feet are at the front of the block, in the track start one is at the front, one at the back. Track: www.youtube.com/watch Grab: www.youtube.com/watch

I think the grad has always really been faster but no one wanted to mention that because they thought the track start was cooler. the thing that drives me crazy is when the swimmer first goes backward then pushes forward. I think almost universally most track starters do this. I think with a track start, my center of gravity is off and where I lose a lot of energy as my back leg has to catch up with my body. I'd like to hear from coaches about this.

The variables each swimmer carries with them should require coaches to objectively evaluate all aspects of swimming including the start. A grab or track start with hands placed in different positions as well as head postions are neither faster or slower unless compared to each other and by each individual swimmer. Good luck and test away. The start that is fastest for you may be the slowest for another swimmer.

I think the reason the track start got popular here is that,since you can use your arms for propulsion,it was good for guys with great upper body strength,with maybe not so good leg strength(many male 50 free sprinters.) If it was faster for the fastest swimmers I think the coaches thought it must be faster for everyone.Then they noticed that it was stable and the kids didn't false start,especially if they lean back to"slingshot"(even though that is probably the worst technique for most.)People with better leg power will be faster with the grab start.

Allen, Actually I think more like 1500 meter swimmers and 400 IMers doing a track start. Many europeans sprinters have used the 2 foot grab start with great success. Even their track start is different from the USA version. The euro/aussie track start has the swimmer exploding forwards about a 40 to 45 degree angle to the water. They go up high like the grab start, go out farther, and always have a splash free entry. The USA track start just allows the swimmer to fall into the water, at the 2004 Olympic trials the women were about 12 to 18 inches beyond the T at the bottom of the pool. That T is 6' 7" from the wall. There is no attempt to gain either heighth or distance. Just getting into the water with minimum splash. I have seen 12-15 year old boys go 14 feet off the starting blocks, at a starting clinic. Even fat, OLD me did 13 to 14 feet! Popov and Mark Foster both used the grab start, and used their great starts to have LONG swimming success. I have a great photo from the 2004 Olympic trials, it captured all 8 swimmers at the exact point they were starting to enter the water, after ALL had used the track start. No one had an advantage. Going back to Steve Lundquist, he often had a 4 to 6 FEET advantage over the other breaststrokers, due to his great start. THAT is what you can only get from the perfect GRAB start.

I feel so much better now. After watching some swimming and seeing all those track starts, thought I'd have to learn a new start. I always did the grab start - long long ago - had a great coach tell me it was the best start and I never questioned him about it. So, looking forward to learning more but think my start will stay the same. Thanks for all your wonderful opinions - its been a pleasure reading them and getting to know some of you in the meantime! JJ

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.....

Paul Biedermann used a grab start in the 200 Free.

I agree with breastroker as well. There has been research conducted that shows people who get to the 15 meter mark first have the better start. It does not necessarily matter which start you use. On the team that I coach, the swimmers use the start that works best for them. The track start seems to get you off the blocks quicker but the grab start can result in a better takeoff from the block.