[tkaberna]

tkaberna on October 7, 2009 at 11:23 am #15095

This has been a topic many times and I believe in the philosophy of pushing but I have this honors athlete who is more of a beach ball than a golf ball on the ground. He knows the two philosophies of sprinting and he asked if there are better philosophies for different athletes. He said since he is on the ground longer maybe pulling suits him better because he can’t hit the ground and push back up as well as he may be able to pull because he is on the ground longer? I wonder if there is a better philosophy that works for each kind of athlete? Have you ever taught both to different athletes? I know some believe in pawing back in triple and some believe catching then pushing.

[Mike Young]

Mike Young on October 14, 2009 at 12:42 pm #90346

I personally wouldn’t treat them differently. The goal is to get everyone, no matter how untalented, to run with the optimal mechanics. I would actually think that the less talented athlete would have a harder time pulling than the more talented athlete (even if that’s what you coached them to do). Ralph Mann’s research suggests that only the very, very elite of the elite do what can be considered a pre-contact pull. The slower athlete just wouldn’t be wired to switch quickly enough from hip flexion to hip extension to benefit.

RE: the pawback vs catch and push in TJ…if you talk to the expert proponents of the seemingly opposing views you realize that much of the difference is semantical / conceptual rather than a differing of technique.

ELITETRACK Founder