How to Attach Starting Blocks & Track Equipment

Setting the starting blocks properly is an important first step in any sprinting event.

In track and field, setting up the starting blocks can be the difference between winning and losing in any event that is 400 meters or less in distance. You must have proper technique and quick acceleration once the race begins, but you also need to know how to set your blocks before the race. While you don't want to be too comfortable in the blocks, improper settings can lead to distraction and a poor start.

Instructions

1. Pick up the starting blocks and walk to the starting line. Use one of your feet to measure how far the starting blocks should be behind the line and place it on the track.

2. Set the front block two foot lengths from the starting line. The front block---the one from which you will power out---should correspond to your dominant leg. If you are uncertain of which leg is your dominant one, ask a friend or your coach to shove you in the back. Whichever leg you use to brace yourself is the dominant one. Often this corresponds with your dominant hand.

3. Set the rear block one foot length behind the front block.

4. Try out the settings. You should feel a bit of unease because you want your body to feel as if it needs to get out of the blocks quickly. When you are in the set position, you should feel as if you are about to fall forward. However, if you are cramped or too settled, you can adjust the blocks forward or backward from these settings.

Tips & Warnings

• There are several ways to start out of blocks and the way that you choose will alter how you set them. Choosing one is a matter of preference and comfort. The medium start is used by nearly all sprinters and was discussed in this article. In a bunch start, your feet would be closer together and closer to the line. In this start, place the first block one-and-a-half foot lengths behind the line and the second block another half a foot length back. In an elongated start, your front foot remains the same as in a medium start, but your back foot would be one-and-a-half foot lengths behind it.

• Never practice starts without track spikes. You can't simulate the starts in trainers.

References

• "Fundamentals of Track and Field"; Gerry Carr; 1999
• "Coaching Track & Field Successfully"; Mark Guthrie; 2003