With the Olympics fresh in our minds, we will have seen the fastest of the fast – Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Grant Holloway et al set the track on fire. These men and women are incredibly fast and that’s from the get-go, from the moment the gun sounds. A fast start is a must if you want to win Olympic gold in the sprints and hurdles and it's the same for you no matter your level of performance or sport. Gaining a yard on your opponent will make all the difference. Let's get into how to get a lightening fast first step using your Antepes Muscle Runners.
It's how you apply force
The first step is crucial to acceleration. You have to achieve the right angles and foot positions to maximise that step. Elite sprinters rocket their bodies from the starting blocks – they are able to generate incredible power levels in very short time-frames.
The key technical requirements of the first step are:
1: Angled body
On exploding from the blocks the pros achieve about a 40-degree angle across their body. That’s through the ankle, hips, torso and shoulders. Coaches refer to this as the “projection angle”. They don't want their sprinters folded at the waist – this is a common fault with beginners who hinge at the hips.
2: Negative shin angles
This simply means that the shin on first steps of acceleration are angled back toward to the ground. This coupled with the angled body position allows force to be directed into the track in an optimised pushing motion.
3: Low heel recovery and specific heel recovery mechanics
If you’re in the air, you can’t apply force. This becomes incredibly important when accelerating. So, if you look closely as a top sprinter leaving the blocks and particularly their first two steps of acceleration you will see that their toes are very close to the track surface as they move from step to step.
4: Powerful arm drive
Although your legs produce the lion’s share of the power needed to get away fast, the arms guide and shape acceleration. You’ll see some variation in sprint start arm action but what will be common is a powerful counter-swing to the leg action.
Muscle Runners will be your get-away driver
Muscle Runners' unique design will help achieve the key sprint acceleration positions. These sprint shoes' negative heel drop (31.5mm - 10mm) plus their Forespring ™ carbon fibre plate with specifically placed dual density TPE foam will turbo boost your acceleration. Indeed, these fast trainers are designed to mimic what track spikes do. They "throw" your weight forwards and provide the power base necessary for devastating speed.
They throw your weight forwards and provide the power base necessary for devastating speed.
We talk about a forefoot strike and a toes up position regularly in our blog posts and in regard to our Muscle Runners – this is crucial when it comes to optimising maximum velocity i.e. when sprinting upright post acceleration. However, for acceleration you need a toes down foot contact. This is needed to achieve the negative shin angles of the first accelerative step contacts.
You may see some pros “toe-drag” on the first step – that’s brush the track with the toes of the foot which leaves the back starting block as they dynamically pull it to the front into step 1. The foot is kept so low to minimise airtime and to get it into the optimum pushing position for the step contact beyond the start line.
Indeed, the heels are kept very low for the first 1-10 steps dependent on the sprinter. These steps increase in their cyclical nature (heel lift) and length as the sprinter moves further down the track. As these changes occur the work done by the sprinter transfers more from behind to in-front of the hips.
Train Devastating Acceleration
Of course you need to train appropriately to develop opponent destroying acceleration and your Antepes’ Muscle Runners will guide you on you journey. They are the right fast shoe for the job. Here are some drills you can do to improve your first steps.
1: Lean start to accelerate
Stand in a short, staggered stance position. Have the heel of your front foot off the ground and your rear foot flexed at the ankle with your weight on your toes. Fold at the waist. Both knees will be bent. Hang your arms down in front to you by your sides keeping them straight.
Lean/tip forwards so that you slowly lose balance and at this point power away. Try to achieve some of the key position identified above. Negative shin angles will really help as will a short, quick first step.
Do: 4-6 x 10m
2: Push-up to accelerate
Lie prone on the track with your hands either side of your head with upper arms at right angles to your torso. Ideally you want a training buddy to shout “go”. Upon the command pull your arms in and drive your hands down into the track to lift your body into a type of push-up position and then bring one leg in under your hips to then dynamically push back into the track to launch your body forwards to accelerate. (Make sure you know which leg you are going to use before you start!)
Again, try to achieve some of the key position identified above.
Do: 4-6 x 10m
3: On your marks position to start
This is a progression of the above drill. Get into a type of on your marks position you’ll see sprinters achieve (don’t use blocks). There will be a near right-angle at the front knee with the toes slightly behind the knee. The rear knee will be on the track surface. Hang your arms down by your hips. Ideally as with the previous drill you'll want a training buddy to shout “go”. React and push as hard as you can through your front leg to project your body from the start. Get your rear foot through as quickly as you can to the front and make that negative first shin angle contact. Power away!
Do: 4-6 x 10m
