Junior Varsity
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Last weekend my son was in a meet and that facility didn't have spikes in their starting blocks. Altogether he used the starting blocks four times during that meet. He weighs about a 190lbs and generates a huge amount of force when starting off. Every time the starting blocks slid backwards across the surface when he took off. Obviously one would need a very large person/object on the back of the starting block to offset 190lbs plus the force he is generating. Does anyone have a suggestion, to hold those blocks firm, if he ever runs into that situation again. Thank you.
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Junior Varsity
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I was a sprinter in college and our coach always told us no matter what kind of blocks we use the best idea is to have the person holding your blocks, to sit behind and put their feet on the back of the foot pad. Then the person that is pushing out of the blocks has to push the entire body of the person to make the blocks slide. Let me know if this answers your question?
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Varsity
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If I'm not mistaken, blocks are not always required. I'm much rather have an athlete not use them if they're not spiked. NFL combine runners don't use a block in the 40 and use the cheetah start. Here's a vid on the technique. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQjkNRV-R_g
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Junior Varsity
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Thanks for the replies but so far those suggestions aren't it.
Riverdaletrack--There was someone standing on the back of the blocks, there always is. In my initial post I didn't make that clear, but with that surface, no block spikes and his size and power, it would take one huge counterweight to keep his starting block from sliding.
Butchee20--That type of start is not allowed, for a number of different reasons, nor is it as effective.
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All American
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Blocks with out spiks or anchor pins are worthless. Don't use them, only could cause injury. Just do the standing start.
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Junior Varsity
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Pretty ineffective when he is trying to run sub 11 seconds in the 100 meter.
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All American
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dljbelle wrote:Pretty ineffective when he is trying to run sub 11 seconds in the 100 meter. Without proper blocks, no one is running under 11 anyways. find better meets with proper equipment.
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Junior Varsity
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I understand that their was someone standing on the back. If they are just standing on the back it will slide alot of the time. Like i posted in the reply have the person sit behind your son, with their feet against the back of the foot pedal, then for your son to move them he would have to completely push that person back to move the blocks. I have been in this situation before, i was about the same weight, and ran under 11 in the 100. I had a 120 pound girl holding mine and it didnt move.
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All American
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sportsfan wrote:dljbelle wrote:Pretty ineffective when he is trying to run sub 11 seconds in the 100 meter. Without proper blocks, no one is running under 11 anyways. find better meets with proper equipment. This is the best point so far, imo.
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Varsity
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spike64 wrote:sportsfan wrote:dljbelle wrote:Pretty ineffective when he is trying to run sub 11 seconds in the 100 meter. Without proper blocks, no one is running under 11 anyways. find better meets with proper equipment. This is the best point so far, imo. Yeah there are only a handfull of guys (I would estimate less than 15) that are going to go under 11 seconds here in Wisconsin. If your son is on that range that means he doesn't need to be running in meets where they are not using proper equipment. I coach the sprinters at Bradley Tech and I would pull my sprinters from the meet before I let them run on horrible blocks. "To Give Anything Less Than Your All Is To Sacrifice The Gift"
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Junior Varsity
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I'm trying not to mention the track--I didn't want to go there. However, if my son or some other kid got hurt and ruined their season, that would not be good. I did not know this was the case of course until after the meet and he was telling me about the blocks. This was not some little out of the way track meet. This was in the metro area with about twenty Schools there.
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Varsity
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It may be possible to buy a good set of blocks that he can haul to each meet. I'm not sure if he will be allowed to use his own blocks at conference, regionals and beyond though. Check the rules on that. Good luck to your son in his sub 11 goal.
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Varsity
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This was at Hale's Mondo Invite. They were worried about damaging the new track and didn't have spikes in their blocks for that one. I think they had spikes in them now.
And you can use a 3-point start in track. We did it at our Indoor conference meet where they did not allow blocks for 200 and 400. Not ideal, but better than nothing.
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Junior Varsity
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I know why they did it, I was just trying to be PC. No spikes in the starting blocks but the kids could have spikes in their shoes. Go figure! To me it is like buying a new couch and then putting an old sheet over it so it doesn't get wrecked. The problem is that while they were trying to protect their investment they were putting the kids health at risk. That track has a super tight, slick surface that contributed to the tendency of the blocks to slide. Somebody could have easily pulled a muscle
thus ruining their season. They also didn't have any problem charging entry and admission fees. Hopefully they have/do put the spikes back in their blocks. I doubt my son was the only having problems with this.
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