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?
Former Member
In a kind of unscientific explanation:
1. I usually have the kids aim for trying to dive over the flags.
That's the trick (at least in the swimmer's head, with a clean one-hole entry).
A trajectory of a projectile at a 45 degree angle will go farthest for the same amount of force.
My college coach would hold a broomstick out while we practiced starts and we'd have to clear it each time as he held it a little farther away every start. Guys who did track starts had a much harder time getting their feet over the stick.
If done correctly I don't think a track start is a liability, but I don't think it is an inherent advantage either. I prefer a grab start, as a track start feels like I'm just falling into the water with little forward speed.
