Kinematic analysis of the sprint start © by IAAF

21:3; 23-33 2006

and acceleration from the blocks

By Milan Coh, Katja Tomazin

AUTHORS
The start and acceleration from
the blocks directly affect results in
the sprint events. In this study, the
major kinematic parameters of
Milan Coh is a professor of Track
these phases of the race were
and Field in the Faculty of Sport at
analysed. The subject of the study
the University of Ljubljana,
was the best Slovenian male
ABSTRACT
Slovenia.
sprinter, who was making his
preparations for the 2006 IAAF Katja Tomazin is an assistant for
World Indoor Championships. The Track and Field in the Faculty of
study showed the following to be Sport at the University of
the key factors for performance in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
the two phases: the distance
between the starting blocks, block
velocity, block face angle, the
length of the first step, the path of
the vertical rise in the body’ centre
of mass in the first three metres,
the contact phase/flight phase
index in the first ten steps and the
ty (HOSTER 1981; MERO, LUHTANEN, KOMI
ratio between the length and fre-
1983; MORAVEC, RUZICKA, SUSANKA,
quency of steps. As the study was
NOSEK 1988; TELLEZ, DOOLITTLE 1984;
on only one athlete, the results
MERO 1988; COPPENOLLE, DELECLUSE 1989;
cannot be generalised. However,
COPPENOLLE, DELECLUSE, GORIS, DIELS,
they may contribute to explaining
KRAAYENHOF 1990; BRÜGGEMANN, GLAD
phenomena related to sprinting at
1990; MERO, KOMI 1990; GUISSARD,
the highest level.
DUCHATEAU, HAINAUT 1992; DELECLUSE,
COPPENOLLE, DIELS, GORIS 1992;
KORCHEMNY 1992; SCHOT, KNUTZEN 1992;
MCCLEMENTS, SANDERS, GANDER 1996;
Introduction HARLAND, STEELE 1997). The results of the
studies and their applicability depend on the
he sprint start and acceleration relevance of the sample of subjects, the
New Studies in Athletics • no. 3/2006

T from the blocks are two extremely

important phases directly affecting
research technology used and a critical eval-
uation of the findings. The development of
results in the 60m, 100m, 200m and 400m modern biomechanical technologies adds to
events. It is no coincidence that many the accuracy of measuring and analysing the
authors have delved into the biomechanical key performance factors in sprint velocity.
factors of these two race phases in an effort The sprint start and acceleration from the
to explain the phenomenon of sprint veloci- blocks are the first two derivatives of sprint
23
 Kinematic analysis of the sprint start and acceleration from the blocks

velocity. TELLEZ and DOOLITTLE (1984) activity index (contact time/flight time) also
showed that the two phases account for 64% changes during this phase: total ground
of the total result in the 100m. contact times decrease and flight phases
increase. Stride length depends on body
Studies (TELLEZ, DOOLITTLE 1984; MERO height and/or leg length and the force
1988; COOPENOLLE 1989; COPPENOLLE ET developed by the extensor muscles of the
AL. 1990; SCHOT, KNUTZEN 1992; hip (m. gluteus maximus), knee (m. vastus
KORCHEMNY 1992; GUISSARD, DUCHATEAU, lateralis, m. rectus femoris) and ankle joint
HAINAUT 1992; HARLAND, STEELE 1997) (m. gastrocnemius) in the contact phase.
concur that the efficiency of the sprint start Execution of the contact phase is one of the
depends primarily on the block positioning, most important generators of sprint veloci-
the body’s centre of mass (CM) in the set ty efficiency (MERO, KOMI 1987; LEHMANN,
position, the reaction time and the block VOSS 1997). The contact of each stride has
velocity (defined as the resultant velocity of to be as short as possible and have an opti-
the body’s CM at the moment the foot brakes mal ratio between the braking phase and
contact with the front block) leading to the the propulsion phase. Stride frequency
acceleration from the blocks. The optimal depends on the functioning of the central
relationship between the sprint start and nervous system and is largely genetically
acceleration is a specific motor problem in predetermined (MERO, KOMI, GREGOR
which the athlete has to integrate – in terms 1992). The higher the frequency, the shorter
of space and time – an acyclic movement the stride length, and vice versa. The effi-
into a cyclic movement. ciency of the acceleration from the blocks
is, in fact, defined by an optimal ratio
Acceleration is the phase of sprint races between the length and frequency of the
where the kinematic parameters of the stride athlete’s strides.
are changing most dynamically. Owing to
these changes, the velocity of the athlete’s The aim of our study was to identify and
body’s CM increases. This phase is a complex analyse the most relevant kinematic
cyclic movement defined predominantly by parameters that positively contribute to the
the increase of the frequency and length of efficiency of the start and acceleration
strides, the duration of the contact and flight from the blocks in one selected athlete, a
phases and the position of the body’s CM at world-class sprinter. Cutting-edge biome-
the moments of ground contact. All of the chanical technology was used for analysing
above parameters are interdependent and this phenomenon. The objects of the study
each is conditional on the central movement were the set position from the point of view
regulation processes, biomotor abilities, of the height of total body CM, the reaction
energetic processes and morphological char- time at the front and rear blocks, the block
acteristics of the athlete (CAVAGNA, velocity, the block face angle, the velocity
KOMAREK, MAZZOLENI 1971; MANN, of the total body CM in the first three
SPRAGUE 1980; BUHRLE ET AL. 1983; metres and the kinematic parameters of the
MORAVEC ET AL. 1988; MERO, KOMI 1990; acceleration in the first ten steps. A 20m
COPPENOLLE ET AL. 1990; MERO, KOMI, GRE- block-start sprint test was carried out to
GOR 1992; LOCATELLI, ARSAC 1995; MÜLLER, assess acceleration efficiency. The kinemat-
HOMMEL 1997). ic parameters of the start were analysed by
New Studies in Athletics • no. 3/2006

means of a high-speed digital camera with

LUHTANEN and KOMI (1980) divided the a frequency of 200 frames/sec. The meas-
contact phase of the sprint stride during urements of the acceleration parameters
acceleration into a braking phase and a were made by means of the Opto Track
propulsion phase. The sum of the two parts technology and an infra-red photo cell sys-
constitutes the total contact time. Owing to tem. This enabled the quantification of the
the changing biomechanical conditions, the key biomechanical parameters of move-
24
 Kinematic analysis of the sprint start and acceleration from the blocks

ment in the start and acceleration, the pometric model (foot, shank, thigh, trunk,
identification of potential errors based on upper arm, forearm and head – according to
these data and the search for optimal solu- DEMPSTER via MILLER and NELSON: Biome-
tions. chanics of Sport, Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia,
1973) was also used. The co-ordinates of the
The study is based on the measurements of nine digitised points thus obtained and a
one sprinter who is presently in the world’s tenth point that was calculated on their basis
top class. Owing to the sophisticated (the total body CM) were smoothed with a
methodology and technology of the meas- digital filter set at 12Hz.
urement procedure, there are relatively few
biomechanical studies of this type in the pro- The new technology OPTO-TRACK Micro-
fessional literature. The findings of the study gate was applied for analysing the kinemat-
cannot be generalised; nevertheless, the ic parameters of the acceleration. The meas-
results have an influential cognitive value in uring system is based on interconnected
the objectification of two key phases of rods (100cm x 4cm x 3cm) fitted with opti-
sprint races. cal sensors and a computer program for
data storage and processing. Each rod is fit-
Methods ted with 32 sensors – photocells, arranged
at a 4cm distance from another and 0.2cm
The study subject was M.O., a member of above the ground. The length of the inter-
the national team of the Republic of Slovenia connected rods was 20m. The rods were dis-
competing in the 100m (age: 27, body tributed along the width of the athletic
weight: 76.7kg, personal record: 10.15s). The track (1.22m). The measuring chain enabled
biomechanical measurements were carried the measurement of the following sprint
out in February 2006 during which period the parameters: contact time, flight time, stride
athlete was preparing for the 11th IAAF length, stride frequency, velocity in each
World Indoor Championship in Moscow. At stride and change of velocity. In addition to
the said championship M.O. placed an excel- the OPTO-TRACK measuring system, the
lent fourth in the 60m final and set a new infrared photocell timing system (BROWER)
national record of 6.58s. was also used to time the performance. The
subject performed the 20m block-start
The kinematic measurements of the start sprint test five times, with 12-minute
and acceleration phase were carried out in breaks between each effort. The SPSS soft-
the sports hall of the Track and Field Centre ware package was used for statistical data
of Slovenia in Siska, Ljubljana, under con- processing.
stant and optimal climatic conditions. The 2-
D kinematic analysis of the start was per- Results and interpretation
formed with the high-speed camera Mikro-
tron Motion Blitz Cube Eco-1 and the Digital The figures outlined in Table 1 suggest that
Motion Analysis Recorder, which is able to the height of the total body CM in the set
capture 6 seconds of movements at a fre- position was 54 ± 0.01cm. The horizontal dis-
quency of 1,000 frames/second with a reso- tance of the projection of the total body CM
lution of 640 x 512 pixels. This study was from the start line was 32cm. SCHOT and
made using a frequency of 200 frames/sec. KNUTZEN (1992) defined this set position as
New Studies in Athletics • no. 3/2006

The area was calibrated with two referential a “medium start“ type, offering elite com-
cubes with 1m sides. The processing and petitors optimal conditions for generating
analysis of the data obtained were carried block velocity. The higher the force impulse
out using the Ariel Performance Analysis Sys- on the front block, the shorter the motor
tem (APAS). The method of automatic digi- reaction time and the more efficient the exe-
talisation was applied, using high-contrast cution of the first step and, consequently, the
passive markers. The seven-segment anthro- greater the acceleration from the blocks. In
25
 Kinematic analysis of the sprint start and acceleration from the blocks

Velocity TBCM (X-axis)

Figure 1: Velocity of total body CM in the first two steps of acceleration from the blocks

such a position, the weight is distributed by many researchers (TELLEZ, DOOLITTLE

evenly between the legs and arms. The set 1984; MORAVEC ET AL. 1988; COPPENOLLE
position of the sprinter in the blocks is indi- ET AL. 1990; BRÜGGEMANN, GLAD 1990;
vidually conditioned and primarily depends MERO, KOMI 1990; DELECLUSE ET AL., 1992;
on the athlete's anthropometric characteris- MARTIN, BUONCHRISTIANI 1995;
tics and motor abilities. The height of the MCCLEMENTS ET AL. 1996; FERRO ET AL.
subject’s total body CM is at 32% of his 2001). In most of these studies, no correla-
standing height. tion could be established between the reac-
tion time and the final time in a 100m. One
The time from the sound of the gun to the study found that reaction time accounts for
moment the foot leaves the rear block (i.e. only 2-3% of the total result in a 100m race
the total reaction time) is 0.29 ± 0.01s. The (BRÜGGEMANN, GLAD 1990). In the 60m,
total reaction time of the front lower reaction time is more important. The winner
extremity is 0.43 ± 0.02s. These values point of the 60m final in Moscow, L. S., recorded
to a certain deficit of the competitor. MERO the shortest reaction time in absolute terms,
and KOMI (1990) found shorter reaction 124ms. The ability to achieve a short reac-
times in elite sprinters, by 0.09s. The total tion time involves a specific, genetically
reaction time is a result of a two-compo- conditioned ability, which enables the rapid
nent ability defined by the ‘pre-motor time’ transmission of afferent and efferent nerve
(i.e. time from the sound of the gun to the impulses, and, to some extent, it depends on
beginning of the EMG muscle activation) the sprinter’s competitive experience and
New Studies in Athletics • no. 3/2006

and the ‘motor time’ (i.e. time from the anticipation.

beginning of the EMG muscle activation to
the moment the foot leaves the rear – front M.O.’s block velocity was 4.18 ± 0.19m/s-1.
block). In the final 60m final at the IAAF A comparison of the results of some other
World Indoor Championship in Moscow, studies (MERO 1988; COPPENOLLE ET AL.
M.O. had the fifth best reaction time – 1989; MERO, KOMI 1990) involving elite
155ms. Reaction time has been dealt with sprinters reveals that the block velocity of
26
 Kinematic analysis of the sprint start and acceleration from the blocks

Table 1: Kinematic parameters of the set position, start and first two steps of acceleration from the blocks

Variable Unit 1 2 3 4 5 AS SD

Set position
Distance between the total cm 32 33 33 32 32 32 ± 0.00
body CM and the start line
Height of total body CM cm 54 53 54 54 54 54 ± 0.01

Sprint start
Reaction time – right foot s 0.275 0.285 0.295 0.285 0.305 0.29 ± 0.01
Reaction time – left foot s 0.405 0.420 0.440 0.410 0.440 0.43 ± 0.02
Block face angle ° 41.0 39.4 41.1 42.3 39.3 40.8 ± 1.19
Vertical block velocity m/s-1 0/85 0/78 0/74 0/91 0/83 0/77 ± 0/14
Horizontal block velocity m/s-1 4/27 4/08 3/95 4/28 4/19 4/11 ± 0/17
Block velocity – resultant m/s-1 4/36 4/15 4/02 4/37 4/28 4/18 ± 0/19

Acceleration – Step 1
(Braking phase)
Vertical velocity m/s-1 -0/89 -0/89 -0/86 -0/96 -0/92 -0/89 ± 0/04
Horizontal velocity m/s-1 1/99 2/02 2/10 1/82 1/91 2/00 ± 0/12
Velocity – resultant m/s-1 2/18 2/21 2/27 2/05 2/12 2/19 ± 0/09

Acceleration – Step 1
(Propulsion phase)
Vertical velocity m/s-1 1/12 0/91 0/97 1/23 0/93 0/99 ± 0/16
Horizontal velocity m/s-1 4/48 4/39 4/45 4/22 4/59 4/41 ± 0/13
Velocity – resultant m/s-1 4/62 4/48 4/56 4/40 4/68 4/52 ± 0/12

Acceleration – Step 2
(Braking phase)
Vertical velocity m/s-1 0/31 0/35 0/36 0/36 0/32 0/33 ± 0/04
Horizontal velocity m/s-1 6/00 6/07 6/14 5/96 5/95 5/98 ± 0/12
Velocity – resultant m/s-1 6/20 6/08 6/15 5/97 5/96 6/03 ± 0/15

Acceleration – Step 2
(Propulsion phase)
Vertical velocity m/s-1 0/05 0/10 0/43 0/41 0/53 0/24 ± 0/25
Horizontal velocity m/s-1 5/75 5/91 6/15 6/06 6/21 6/00 ± 0/17
Velocity – resultant m/s-1 5/75 5/91 6/17 6/07 6/24 6/05 ± 0/18
New Studies in Athletics • no. 3/2006

TBCM acceleration
Velocity of the total m/s-1 4/49 4/60 4/41 4/47 4/56 4/52 ± 0/07
body CM at 3m
Rise of the total m 0/68 0/66 0/67 0/68 0/68 0/67 ± 0/01
body CM at 3m

27
 Kinematic analysis of the sprint start and acceleration from the blocks

Table 2: Kinematic parameters of acceleration from the blocks at 20 metres

Variable Unit 1 2 3 4 5 AS SD
20m s 3/08 2/98 3/07 3/03 3/19 3/07 ± 0/08
Step number n 12 12 12 12 12 12/00 ± 0/00
Step frequency Hz 4/5 4/4 4/6 4/6 4/6 4/54 ± 0/09
Step length cm 165 166 162 163 163 163/80 ± 1/64
Ground contact time ms 125 126 126 126 129 126/40 ± 1/52
Flight time ms 96 100 93 95 87 94/20 ± 4/76
Activity index – contact/flight 1/30 1/26 1/35 1/32 1/48 1/34 ± 0/11
Step one
Length cm 103 103 103 103 106 103/60 ± 1/34
Ground contact time ms 172 178 184 167 185 177/20 ± 7/73
Flight time ms 62 37 56 55 43 50/60 ± 10/26
Step two
Length cm 99 105 108 102 105 103/80 ± 3/42
Ground contact time ms 142 179 154 154 166 159/00 ± 9,04
Flight time ms 86 80 80 92 74 82/40 ± 6/84
Step three
Length cm 133 136 130 130 133 132/40 ± 2/51
Ground contact time ms 141 129 135 129 148 136/40 ± 8/17
Flight time ms 80 92 86 80 73 82/20 ± 7/16
Step four
Step length cm 136 140 143 136 133 137/60 ± 3/91
Ground contact time ms 130 130 130 136 130 131/20 ± 2/68
Flight time ms 110 92 104 92 98 99/20 ± 7/82
Step five
Step length cm 158 155 158 158 158 157/40 ± 1/34
Ground contact time ms 111 129 123 123 117 120/60 ± 6/84
Flight time ms 86 86 93 87 92 88/80 ± 3/42
Step six
Step length cm 155 164 164 161 158 160/40 ± 3/94
Ground contact time ms 117 130 129 123 117 123/20 ± 6/26
Flight time ms 99 98 92 98 105 98/40 ± 4/62
Step seven
Step length cm 171 177 180 174 177 175/80 ± 3/42
Ground contact time ms 129 117 117 123 117 120/60 ± 5/37
Flight time ms 86 111 111 93 105 101/20 ± 11/23
Step eight
Step length cm 177 192 186 183 183 184/20 ± 5/45
Ground contact time ms 117 111 105 117 110 112/00 ± 5/10
Flight time ms 111 117 117 104 111 112/00 ± 0/09
Step nine
Step length cm 186 189 192 189 189 189/00 ± 2/12
New Studies in Athletics • no. 3/2006

Ground contact time ms 99 98 104 111 105 103/40 ± 5/22

Flight time ms 92 111 111 105 105 104/80 ± 7/76
Step ten
Step length cm 186 196 199 196 196 194/60 ± 4/98
Ground contact time ms 117 105 111 110 110 110/60 ± 4/28
Flight time ms 104 123 123 111 117 115/60 ± 8/17

28
 Kinematic analysis of the sprint start and acceleration from the blocks

our subject was 0.18m/s-1 higher. This excep- first step, resulting in the negative reaction
tional capability for generating a high veloc- force of the ground, which is exerted in the
ity following block clearance is a conse- opposite direction of the movement.
quence of exerting high impact force in the
horizontal direction, the good co-ordination The results in Table 2 show that the aver-
of the base of support (hands), effective age result of the subject in a 20m block-
action of the rear lower extremity and low start sprint was 3.07 ± 0.08m/s-1. The aver-
block face angle, measuring only 40.8 ± age contact time in the first ten steps of the
1.19°. A low block face angle guarantees the acceleration was 126.40 ± 1.52ms and the
athlete a high horizontal start velocity and flight time 94.20 ± 4.76ms. The activity
adequate vertical block velocity used to bal- index was 1.34 ± 0.11, suggesting that the
ance the effects of gravity. An average verti- contact phases lasted 25% longer on aver-
cal rise of the total body CM in the first three age than the flight phases in the first ten
metres of block acceleration is 0.67 ± 0.01m, steps.
suggesting that the athlete's trunk is leaning
forward strongly with respect to the horizon- The acceleration phase is one of the most
tal line. Thus, the horizontal component of complex elements of the development of
velocity is maximised. running velocity, characterised by the most
manifest changes in the dynamic and kine-
The quality of the transition from the matic structure of the running technique
sprint start to acceleration is mainly seen in (MERO, LUHTANEN, KOMI 1993; LUHTANEN,
the velocity parameters of the sprinter’s KOMI 1980; DONATTI 1995; HUNTER ET AL.
total body CM in the first two steps (Table 1, 2004). The stride length and frequency
Figure 1). At the end of the first step increase, the contact phases shorten and
(propulsion phase) the horizontal velocity of the flight phases lengthen. In the first ten
the total body CM was 4.41 ± 0.13m/s-1 and steps the athlete’s stride length increased by
at the end of the second step it was 6.00 ± 46.9%. The ground contact time of the first
0.17m/s-1, showing an increase in velocity of step was 177.2 ± 7.73ms. In view of the
more than 1.5m/s-1. In the first two steps, the total step time (contact + flight times) the
projection point of the total body CM is contact phase accounted for 77.4%. Similar
located behind the foot’s ground contact values were identified in a sample of elite
point. It is not until the third and fourth sprinters (MERO 1988; MERO, KOMI 1990;
steps that the total body CM’s projection HARLAND, STEELE 1997). In the second step,
point moves in front of the foot’s ground the ground contact time represented 65.8%
contact point. The consequence of the total of the total step time. Owing to the altering
body CM position in the first two steps is biomechanical conditions and the increas-
manifested in a reduction of velocity in the ing velocity, the activity index is subject to
braking phase of the running step. In the change. The contact phases are becoming
first step, which is 103.6 ± 1.34cm long, the shorter and the flight phases longer (Tables
velocity in the braking phase is 2.00 ± 2 and 3). The athlete’s contact phase time
0.12m/s-1. Horizontal velocity decreased by equals the flight phase time in the eighth
45.3% in view of the velocity in the propul- step. This is the end of the first phase of
sive phase of the first step. The velocity of acceleration (acceleration from the blocks)
the second step is almost identical to that of and the beginning of the second phase
New Studies in Athletics • no. 3/2006

the first step (103.8 ± 3.42m/s-1) but the (pick-up acceleration), representing the
reduction of velocity in the braking phase is transition to maximal velocity running. The
substantially lower (1.2%) compared to the step length stabilises in the ninth step
first step. The critical point is the propulsion (189.0 ± 2.12m) and the contact time
phase in the first step following clearance of (CT = 103.40 ± 5.22ms) is shorter than the
the block. It may be established that the flight phase time for the first time
subject of our study executes an overly long (FT = 104.80 ± 7.76ms).
29
 Kinematic analysis of the sprint start and acceleration from the blocks

Table 3: Ground contact and flight times during acceleration from the blocks

Variable Unit 1 2 3 4 5 A SD
20m s 3/08 2/98 3/07 3/03 3/19 3/07 ± 0/08

Ground contact time + flight time ms 221 226 219 221 216 220/60 ± 3/65
Ground contact time in % % 56/56 55/75 57/53 57/01 59/72 57/31 ± 1/50

Step one
Ground contact time + flight time ms 234 215 248 222 228 229/40 ± 12/56
Ground contact time in % % 73/50 82/79 74/19 75/22 81/14 77/37 ± 4/28

Step two
Ground contact time + flight time ms 228 259 234 246 240 241/40 ± 11/91
Ground contact time in % % 62/28 69/11 65/81 62/60 69/16 65/79 ± 3/35

Step three
Ground contact time + flight time ms 221 221 221 209 221 218/60 ± 5/37
Ground contact time in % % 63/80 58/37 61/08 61/72 66/96 62/39 ± 3/21

Step four
Ground contact time + flight time ms 240 222 234 228 228 230/40 ± 6/84
Ground contact time in % % 54/16 58/55 55/55 59/64 67/01 58/98 ± 5/00

Step five
Ground contact time + flight time ms 197 215 216 210 209 209/40 ± 7/57
Ground contact time in % % 56/34 60/00 56/94 58/57 55/98 57/57 ± 1/68

Step six
Ground contact time + flight time ms 216 228 221 221 222 221/60 ± 4/28
Ground contact time in % % 54/16 57/01 58/37 55/65 52/70 55/58 ± 2/24

Step seven
Ground contact time + flight time ms 215 228 228 216 222 221/80 ± 6/26
Ground contact time in % % 60/00 51/31 51/31 56/94 52/70 54/45 ± 3/87

Step eight
Ground contact time + flight time ms 228 228 222 221 221 224/00 ± 3/67
Ground contact time in % % 51/31 48/68 47/29 52/94 49/77 50/00 ± 2/21

Step nine
Ground contact time + flight time ms 191 209 215 216 210 208/20 ± 10/08
New Studies in Athletics • no. 3/2006

Ground contact time in % % 51/83 46/88 48/37 51/38 50/00 49/69 ± 2/07

Step ten
Ground contact time + flight time ms 221 228 234 221 227 226/20 ± 5/45
Ground contact time in % % 52/94 46/05 47/43 49/77 48/45 48/93 ± 2/62

30
 Kinematic analysis of the sprint start and acceleration from the blocks

Table 4: Dynamics of contact-flight phases, frequency and length of steps and velocity in block acceleration in a 20m run
(2.98s)

Step Ground contact Flight time (Step) frequency Step length Velocity of the total
time [s] [s] [Hz] [cm] body CM [m/s]

1 --- --- 103 ---

2 0/178 0/037 4/7 105 4/88
3 0/179 0/080 3/9 136 5/25
4 0/129 0/092 4/5 140 6/33
5 0/13 0/092 4/5 155 6/98
6 0/129 0/086 4/7 164 7/63
7 0/13 0/098 4/4 177 7/76
8 0/117 0/111 4/4 192 8/42
9 0/111 0/117 4/4 189 8/29
10 0/098 0/111 4/8 196 9/38
11 0/105 0/123 4/4 208 9/12
12 0/104 0/111 4/7 214 9/95
13 0/105 --- --- --- ---

A 0/126 0/100 4/4 166 7/62

SD 0/024 0/021 0/16 39/09 1/64

The subject's best result of all five sprints nents deserves special attention. To maximise
was 2.98s. In this effort he took 12 steps at an the efficiency of training, the structure of
average frequency of 4.4Hz with an average these two phases has to be examined in
step length of 166cm (Table 4). Compared to detail. Both phases are strongly dependent on
other sprints, the average step length was the genetic, motor and biomechanical factors.
highest, the flight phase the longest and the The aim of this study was to explain the most
frequency the lowest. The activity index was important biomechanical parameters gener-
1.26. The contact phase time already equalled ating an efficient performance of the start
the flight phase time by the seventh step (Fig- and block acceleration. So far, such studies
ure 2). From the eighth step onward the have usually been performed on samples of
length of the step stabilised and the contact sprinters of medium quality and, in some
phase times were shorter than those of the cases, with inadequate accuracy of the meas-
flight phases. The transition from acceleration urement procedures. What we have here is a
to the maximal velocity phase occurred in biomechanical analysis of one current world-
passing from the seventh to the eighth step. class sprinter made on the basis of technolo-
In his least successful attempt (3.19s), this gy that meets the highest standards of bio-
transition was only executed between the mechanical research.
New Studies in Athletics • no. 3/2006

tenth and the eleventh steps.

This study pointed to the indisputable cor-
Conclusion relation between the start and acceleration.
The practical aim for coaches and athletes is
The start and acceleration are two indis- to achieve an optimal set position, which
putably important phases of sprint races, guarantees the maximal block velocity of the
which is why training for these two compo- sprinter. The transition from the blocks to
31
 Kinematic analysis of the sprint start and acceleration from the blocks

Figure 2: Activity Index (ground contact time / flight time) during acceleration from the blocks

acceleration depends on the execution of maximisation of the horizontal component

the first step, particularly the length of the of block velocity.
step and positioning of the foot in the brak-
ing phase. The efficiency of the acceleration The results of this study cannot be gener-
generates the time aspect of the activity alised, however, they may contribute valuably
index in the first ten steps. Stride length and to explaining phenomena of sprinting at the
frequency have to be co-ordinated to such highest level of competitive performance.
an extent as to enable ground contact times
to equal those of the flight phases within
the shortest time possible. In the first three Please send all correspondence to:
steps, the total body CM has to rise gradual- Milan Coh
ly in a vertical direction so as to enable the [email protected]

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analysis of the sprint events. Scientific nology and development of speed. Athletics
Research Project at the Games of the XXXIV Coach, 23 (1) pp. 82-90.
Olympiad Seoul 1988, IAAF, New Studies in COPPENOLLE, H.; DELECLUSE, C.; GORIS, M.;
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