The experiment
New sprinters watching elite athletes explode from the blocks often think it looks simple: crouch down, wait for the gun, push hard. Then they try it themselves and either false start, wobble, or produce less power than they would have from a standing start. The problem isn't the blocks. It's that we're asking them to perform a complex motor pattern without building the foundational skills first.
The first-day sequence solves this by breaking block starts into three progressive skills, each one building on the last. Athletes don't touch actual starting blocks until they've demonstrated competency at all three levels. This approach dramatically reduces the frustration and bad habits that come from premature block use.
Skill 1: The falling start. This teaches the forward lean angle and trust in gravity. Athletes stand tall, then allow themselves to fall forward until they must step out to catch themselves. That catch step becomes their drive step. The body position at the moment of the catch - approximately 45 degrees of forward lean - is what we're building toward in blocks. Athletes who can't achieve and hold this angle have no business in blocks yet.
Skill 2: The push-up start. This introduces ground contact and hip drive from a low position. From a push-up position (hands shoulder-width, body rigid), athletes explode forward into a sprint. The push-up start develops the arm-leg coordination and aggressive hip extension that block starts require. It also reveals mobility limitations - athletes who can't get their hips through cleanly need flexibility work before progressing.
Skill 3: The 3-point stance. This is the direct precursor to blocks. One hand down, opposite leg back, weight forward over the fingertips. Athletes learn to hold tension in this position and react to a command. The 3-point stance is essentially a block start without the blocks - same angles, same drive mechanics, just without the added complexity of footplate adjustment and block pressure.
Most athletes need two to three practice sessions at each level before they're ready to progress. Rushing this sequence creates sprinters who are fast despite their start rather than because of it. Patience here pays dividends all season.
Try this at practice
Falling starts (3x15m)
Setup: Athletes line up on a straightaway. No blocks, no lines - just open space.
Execution: Stand with feet together, arms relaxed at sides. Close eyes if needed to remove visual compensation. Lean forward from the ankles (not the waist) until falling is inevitable. The instant before losing balance, drive out aggressively with the back leg, accelerating through 15m.
Coaching cues:
- "Trust the fall - don't catch yourself early"
- "First step is a push, not a reach"
- "Eyes stay down for the first three steps"
Recovery: Walk back, reset. These are about quality, not conditioning.
Push-up starts (3x20m)
Setup: Athletes in push-up position on the track or grass. Balls of feet on ground, arms locked.
Execution: On command ("set... go" or a clap), athletes drive hips forward and up while simultaneously pushing off with hands. Sprint 20m with full acceleration.
Coaching cues:
- "Hips punch through - don't stand up first"
- "Arms go to sprint position immediately - no pushing up to standing"
- "First two steps should feel violent"
Progression: Once athletes master the basic push-up start, try it with one leg staggered back (mimicking block foot placement).
Handclap starts
Setup: Partners face each other. One athlete in 3-point stance, the other standing with hands ready to clap.
Execution: The partner claps randomly (after 1 to 3 seconds of tension). The athlete in stance reacts and drives out 10m. Switch roles.
Coaching cues:
- "Stay loaded in the stance - don't relax while waiting"
- "React to the sound, don't anticipate"
- "First movement is push, not lift"
Volume: 5 to 6 reps each athlete. This drill trains reaction time and the explosive first movement simultaneously.
Coach's clipboard
- Rising hips before driving forward: Athletes who lift their hips first (rather than driving them through) lose power. The push-up starts drill corrects this by making vertical rise nearly impossible.
- Looking up too early: New sprinters want to see where they're going. Cue them to "look at your shoelaces" for the first three steps. Head position follows spine position.
- Arms stopping at the chest: The arm action in early acceleration is long and aggressive, not short and choppy. Cue "throw your hands past your hips" to get full range of motion.
- Back leg staying down: Some athletes step with the front leg instead of driving with the back leg. The falling starts drill isolates the correct pattern.
Multi-event alert
Block start practice is low-volume, high-intensity work that stresses the hip flexors and lower back. For multi-event athletes doing block work alongside jumping or throwing practice, sequence blocks early in the session when the nervous system is fresh. Never schedule block starts the day before a competition - the CNS load can compromise performance in all events.
Go deeper
Ready to progress your athletes from this beginner sequence to full block starts with proper measurements, angles, and reaction training? The Sprint Starts & Acceleration guide walks you through the complete progression from first-time block users to polished championship starters.
It is one of the Track and Field Lab Guides coming to the store.
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