TRACK AND FIELDSPRINTING

Drive phase or (the start)

What is sprinting

Sprinting, in athletics (track and field), is a footrace over's a short distance with an all-out or nearly all-out burst of speed.

SPRINT EVENTS FOR

INDOOR OUTDOOR

60 meter

s

200 meter

s

400 meter

s

55m hurdl

es

60m hurdl

es

100m 200m

400m4x100

m relay

Phases of the sprinting

Drive phase or

(the start) Acceleration phase

Transition phase

Maximum Velocity

Speed Maintenan

ce

Acceleration phase in terms of the drive phase

The objective of this phase is to leave the blocks and to prepare for the first stride.

Points for an effective drive phase

Drive the back leg forward keeping the heel low until the shin is approx 45° to the ground and then drive the foot down hitting the ground just behind the body's centre of massOver the next 7-8 strides (approx. 10 metres) angle the shin of the front leg, before it is driven down, will increase by 6-7 stride so that by the 7-8 stride the shin is vertical to the ground.

Over the first 7-8 strides the whole body angle will increase from 45° to approx. 30° degrees - approx

Points for an effective drive phase

Eyes focused on the track to keep low to allow the build up of speed

Forward lean of the whole body with a straight line through the head, spine and extended rear

leg

Shoulders held back and relaxed, square in the lane at all times

Arms move with a smooth forward backward action - not across the body - drive back with elbows - hands move from approx. shoulder

height to hips

Points for an effective drive phase (cont)

Elbows maintained at 90 degrees

fully extended rear leg pushing off the track with the toes - drive the leg forward with a

high knee action with the knee pointing forward On the ball of foot/toes at all times - feet pointing forward straight down the lane

The drive is maintained for first 20-30 metres (approx.16-17 strides) at the end of which the body is tall with a slight forward

lean

Biomechanics of the legs Leaving the Blocks

The aim of starting biomechanics is the

development of maximum horizontal velocity and this is

achieved by placing the body in the best

biomechanical position to apply force.

Asafa_Powell_Block_Start.mp4

The biomechanical concepts

Pushing behind centre of mass causes forward rotation around centre of mass.

Forward rotation created by push off

leg and the rear arm.

Forward rotation counterbalance by free swing led and

front arm.

Lower heel recovery during

drive phase reduces time to recover leg. This is achieved by the “piston” action

with the leg and also by sweeping the toe across the

ground

The End