The experiment
Here is something I have learned after watching thousands of sprint starts: 90% of high school sprinters lose their race in the first three steps because they do the wrong things in them.
The most common mistake is not poor reaction time or wrong block spacing. It is trying to "explode" out of the blocks.
Coaches say it all the time. "Explode out of the blocks!" It sounds right. It feels aggressive. It is also counterproductive for most developing sprinters.
Here is why. When athletes try to explode, they pop up. They straighten their torso immediately. They look down the track to see where they are going. All of these instincts are wrong.
The research on sprint starts tells a clear story. The best starts maximize horizontal external power - force directed down the track, not up toward the sky. Faster sprinters produce greater average horizontal force, higher rates of force development, and larger net horizontal impulse on the blocks, especially from the rear leg.
The first two steps after block exit are biomechanically distinct from everything that follows. Elite performers show shorter first-flight durations, longer early stance times that allow more propulsive force, and more horizontally oriented ground-reaction forces compared to slower sprinters.
In plain language: good starters stay low longer and push backward into the track longer. They do not try to get tall quickly.
For most high school athletes, the medium block position works best. This means the front block is 1.5-2 foot lengths behind the start line, and the rear block is about 1 foot length behind the front block. Some coaches use anthropometry-based formulas - shin length for the front block, slightly less than thigh length between blocks - but the medium position is a reliable default.
The set position matters too. In set, the front knee angle should be around 90 degrees, the rear knee around 120-135 degrees. Hips rise above the shoulders. Arms are straight with hands just outside shoulder width, fingers bridged behind the line.
But none of it counts if the first three steps are wrong.
Try this at practice
Wall sprints for first-step mechanics
The wall drill teaches optimal forward lean and triple flexion without the complexity of moving across the track.
Setup: Stand facing a wall, hands flat at shoulder height, body angled at 45 degrees, core braced.
Execution: Drive one knee up into triple flexion - ankle dorsiflexed, knee bent, hip flexed - while the support leg remains straight. The swing knee should reach hip height. Hold for 10 seconds, then switch.
Coaching cues: "Smash the glass with your knee." "Punch the ground away."
Common errors: Dropping the hips. Jogging in place without force application.
Progression: Start with 10-second holds per leg (Stage 1-2). Move to rapid exchanges - 4 sets of 10-second rapid switches (Stage 3+).
Why it works: This drill establishes the exact body angle and leg action needed in the first three steps. Athletes who can hold this position with good mechanics transfer it to actual acceleration.
First-step freeze
This drill isolates the initial block exit and allows position checks.
Setup: Set position in blocks. Coach or partner stands nearby to observe.
Execution: On command, execute only the first step and freeze. Hold the position for 2-3 seconds.
What to check:
- Is the back leg driving the knee forward (not stepping out)?
- Are the arms split instantly - front arm back, rear arm forward?
- Is the chin down, not looking up the track?
- Is the torso still angled forward at approximately 45 degrees?
Coaching cues: "Split the arms instantly." "Drive the hip forward, not the foot."
Reps: 5 per set. Athletes can partner up and cue each other.
Why it works: Most athletes have no idea what their first step looks like. This freeze-frame approach gives them feedback on positions they cannot otherwise see.
Coach's clipboard
Common error 1: Popping the head up
The head is first to rise when athletes try to "explode." The head goes up, the torso follows, and horizontal force production collapses. Instead: chin stays down, eyes look at the track 1-2 meters ahead, head rises gradually with the body over the first 6-8 steps.
Common error 2: Reaching with the first step
Athletes try to cover distance by reaching the front foot forward. This creates a braking force - the foot lands ahead of the center of mass and pushes backward against momentum. Instead: the first step should be relatively short and powerful, pushing the track behind while keeping ground contact under or slightly behind the hips.
Common error 3: Arm casting
Arms swing wide around the body instead of driving straight forward and back. This wastes energy and creates rotational forces the legs must counteract. Cue: "Cheek to hip pocket." The hands should drive from the face past the hip in a straight line.
Common error 4: Rear leg stepping, not driving
The rear leg should drive the knee forward aggressively. Many athletes simply step it forward like walking. The rear leg push from the blocks and the subsequent knee drive are the primary power sources for the first step.
Multi-event alert
Block start practice is neurally demanding. Athletes who are also competing in jumps or multiple sprint events should limit block work to 2-3 sessions per week with 48-72 hours between sessions.
If your athletes use both blocks and standing starts - blocks for 100m, standing starts for 200m or 400m - do not mix them in the same session. The motor patterns are different enough that switching back and forth creates confusion.
For 200m and 400m athletes using standing starts: the same principles apply. The two-point stance should still produce a forward-leaning body angle at go. The first three steps should still drive backward into the track, not reach forward. The difference is the absence of blocks, not the absence of proper mechanics.
Go deeper
The complete block start progression - from anthropometry-based settings to reaction time training to transition mechanics through the first 30 meters - is covered in detail in the Sprints Coaching Handbook.
The Sprints handbook is one of the eleven Track and Field Lab Handbooks coming to the store. The Complete Lab will bundle all eleven.
The handbook includes video analysis protocols using free tools like Kinovea, wall drill sequences, partner teaching progressions for large groups, and troubleshooting guides for the most common start problems.
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