This document provides feedback from a coach to a sprinter, Filip, on his block start technique. The coach notes that Filip is strong but could improve his acceleration. His main areas for improvement are his setup position, first step, and first five steps out of the blocks. Specifically, the coach observes that Filip's setup rounds his back and prevents full extension. On his first step, Filip's lead arm does not extend high enough to drive his motion. By the third step, Filip has already come upright instead of maintaining his driving phase. The coach provides tips on adjusting Filip's block position and driving with power from his first step to carry his momentum farther down the track.

1. Block Starts
Filip sjövall
06/27/15

2. What does Filip do well?
▸STRONG
▸You’re a strong man!
▸You have no problem
maintaining good form
or being in proper
position AFTER you
clear the blocks.
▸TOP END SPEED
▸You took over the last
10-20m of your 60m
PB! If we can get you
accelerating well you
are more than capable
of a 6.87-6.84.60m
▸STRIDE LENGTH
▸You have great
height which helps
your stride length. You
have great turnover
with the length too!

3. What can we work on?
▸Setup routine
▸More comfortable with
your setup, no matter what
set of blocks you use, three
point stance, etc.
▸First step-fifth step
▸Getting all the strength
you have into your blocks
so you fully accelerate.
▸Being in proper position at
the fifth step.

4. 1.Setup
Let’s start with
the set position
and go from
there!

5. “Your setup should be the same.
Everytime, every practice, every race,
every meet, everywhere.
It’s a routine, a habit that never
changes once you have it right!

6. Your
current
setup

7. What
do you
see?
Look at the head in
relation to your hips
and your back.
Are they in a straight
line?
Is your head getting
held up when you
could relax it?
Is your front foot right
underneath your
hips?

8. Your setup
is setting
you up to
pop up
You have a rounded
back, your neck is
forcing your head up,
and your front foot is just
in front of the hips
instead of underneath it.

9. The Fix
A routine to get in the blocks the same way every time.

10. Front foot/pedal:
Two “feet” (your feet) heel
to toe from the starting line.
Both blocks should be on
the lowest angle setting
available.
The setup from the beginning
Back Foot/pedal:
Three “feet” heel to toe
from the starting line or one
foot from the front starting
block.

11. Having a routine for getting into the
blocks
Tuck jumps/move!
Tuck jumps help to
activate the glutes to
firing properly.
Do this before every
block start even in
practice. Keep things
consistent!
Step back into the
blocks:
Step back into each
pedal. I step back into
my front pedal then my
back pedal.
Hand Placement:
Your hands should be
slightly wider than
shoulder width apart.
You should be up on
your finger tips in the
shapes of flat U’s.

12. Your setup from the
front
Hands look good, try shifting just a
little bit wider for more stability.
Again, head/neck need to relax so
they are in line with the back and
hips.
Raise your hips up higher and have
a FLAT back. I should be able to put
a straight line through your hips
down your back and your head.

13. Your first
step

14. So what’s going on
with your first step?
What do you see that
you could fix?
Where’s your power?
You’re a strong man!
Where’d your power
go?

15. 1. Low lead
arm means
you don’t
extend fully.
You are
stealing
your own
power with
your first
step!

16. 2. Triple Extension
through the ankle,
hip, and head.
Because of your
setup and your
low arm you aren’t
extending fully.
You’re trying to be
quick instead of
fast. Be patient
and drive!
Again, fix the
setup and you’ll
be in a better
position.

17. Your first
step
Your third
step
What happened at step number three because of
your first step? Because of your setup ?
What’s the same in all of these pictures?

18. Another view

19. Where’s your head? Did you pop up? Did you get a full push?

20. Is your arm still driving anymore? Or is it too low?

21. My advice? BE THE STRONG MAN YOU ARE! DRIVE! PUSH!

22. Your third step
▸You’ve already come up
to almost vertical.
▸Your arms are too low to
give you the push down the
track you need. KEEP
DRIVING
▸Your head is down, but
your body is upright.
▸Keep driving, be patient
and be powerful instead of
quick. Think almost like
bounding out of the blocks.
That will give you the push
you need.

23. Fifth step
▸This one is better. Still
driving, good body position.
▸Your drive phase should
be 0-25/30m. In this case
you’ve almost finished it at
your fifth step!
▸Same thing. Your body is
vertical, but your head is
down.
▸A better position at the
start, a better first step, and
driving hard from the
beginning and you’ll be
here farther down the
track!

24. 1. Fix your setup
2. Fix your first step
3. Fix your first five steps
4. The times you want to hit.

25. LET’S REVIEW SOME CONCEPTS
Your setup:
You’re setup to fall forward or step
out of the blocks instead of push.
Your first step:
Passively stepping out of the
blocks. Lead arm is driven up,
but not high enough. Body isn’t
in line. Trying to be quick instead
of fast.
Your third/fifth step:
You’ve missed out on power so
you missed your drive phase and
are already upright.
The Fix:
Fix the block positions to fit your
body, hips up higher, flat back,
straight line from your hips to
your head, RELAX your
neck/head 
The Fix:
BE A STRONG, PATIENT MAN!
Drive the lead arm hard above
your head, feel your leg lock out
behind you then push hard down
and back at the ground below
you.
The Fix:
Proper starting positioning, a
powerful first step, and being fast
and strong instead of quick will
lead to a better spot here farther
down the track for your drive
phase.

26. You’re really doing well!
▸Your times are fantastic.
▸You’re a strong athlete who with a little technique
tweaks can see IMMEDIATE improvement.
▸A word of wisdom: it will feel weird/wrong at first.
Because your body is used to the positions it has been
in. Once you start pushing powerfully you’ll notice
dramatic reductions in time.

27. Where to go from here:
I’ll gladly help you with more film
analysis.
The summer months are a great time
to work on block starts and technique.
I’m more than happy to help you out
along the way.

28. FasterNotHarder
I’m looking at making a
program just for starting blocks
to help out sprinters just like
you who want to be national or
world champions.
If you’re interested give me
feedback so I can make a
better class!

29. THANKS Filip!
Any questions?
You can find me at on Twitter @NDominator or
@FasterNotHarder
On my website at www.fasternotharder.com
Through email at penntrack@gmail.com
Reddit Username: NDominator