Getting into the blocks

    Posted In: Sprints

        • Participant
          offtheblocks on November 28, 2005 at 1:06 am #11473

          Ok, since its the offseason, I spend this time testing everything, trying new things, analyzing…etc

          this particular thing is right before getting into the blocks, "on your marks". i see maurice greene and boldon doing some bounding toe touches and then squatting, jeremy wariner doing a frog leap and then hip flexor stretch behind the blocks, and many others taking a  similar yet slightly different approach. which of these give good results, how do they work, etc. feedback needed, thanks.

        • Participant
          J Kilgore on November 28, 2005 at 1:15 am #50027

          I believe they do these explosive type movements to excite or rev up the nervous system right before the race

        • Participant
          J Kilgore on November 28, 2005 at 1:16 am #50028

          I have my guys do 1 or 2 tuck jumps before settling in

        • Participant
          offtheblocks on November 28, 2005 at 3:31 am #50029

          whats a tuck jump? same as what i mentioned?

        • Participant
          J Kilgore on November 28, 2005 at 3:32 am #50030

          similar, they jump up and try and pull their knees as close to their chest as possible

        • Participant
          tkelly5 on November 28, 2005 at 9:52 am #50031

          its more a mental thing then a physical thing.

        • Participant
          swiftyer on November 29, 2005 at 7:09 am #50032

          some people use it as a ritual.
          I havea friend who is a All-Ontario Champion in the 300m hurdle. Whenever she gets into the blocks, she HAS to touch her toes andtouch each side of her lane. AFter that, she jumps into hewr blocks and she's off. I saw her not do this once and she didn't do so great. Basically, what I'm saying is that some people make it into mental prep while others are more physical.

        • Participant
          utfootball4 on November 29, 2005 at 9:05 am #50033

          tooo much thinking just run

        • Participant
          d3doitforfree on November 30, 2005 at 1:29 am #50034

          I believe they do these explosive type movements to excite or rev up the nervous system right before the race

          I agree.

          I would also tell my athletes two points to never forget . . . get in the blocks as close to last as possible and come up into the set position gradually.

        • Participant
          J Kilgore on November 30, 2005 at 2:31 am #50035

          I tell my guys the exact same thing

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on December 3, 2005 at 10:45 am #50036

          Actually the explosive movements that you see sprinters often do prior to entering the blocks helps to prime their nervous system for an explosive start. Remember, the guys you see on TV have often gone 5-10 minutes between their last warmup activities and the time they get to the start line. Their final actions are a way of getting in a final tuneup without disrupting the flow of the meet (high level meets are run on a very strictly enforced time schedule).

          ELITETRACK Founder

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