THE ART OF STARTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 55

THE ART OF STARTING.

By C. B. Fby.

The art of starting, as Mr Duffey says in his article, is all-important to the sprinter. But tho 'famous runner left his manuscript and for America in the same stride, so I (<\ B. Fry) illustrate his points myself —with apologies, and shoes off to clarify detail. A. good method of starting has to satisfy several conditions : it must enable the sprinter to up his position accurately on the mark at the command "Get on your marks" ; and it must allow him to maintain this position without any strain or tension until the command " Set " ; it must be such that between the word "Set" and the bang of the pistol he can strain forward to the utmost limit of not moving, and yet be perfectly steady; it must allow him, at. or rather with, the bang of the pistol, to spring direct ly forward into his full stride with tho maximum of impetus.

Tho "old uprignt" start which Mr Duffey condemns as obsolete, satisfies none of the aforesaid requirements of a good method. It is often used by the inexperienced, and is almost universal among schoolboys. It is a natural position, and looks all right; but it is very unsteady, gives no impetus, and has a real and' literal drawback. Since the runner stands on the mark with his legs straight, he has to draw (or screw) back on to his rear kg in order to gather any power to spring forward. Thus at the bang of the pistol, his first movement is not forward at all, but backward, and is all to the bad ; in fact, it loses a yard or so as against a direct forward spring. This, combin&rl -n ith the entire lack of impet\is, puts the method out of court. Moreover, no runner who starts thus ever runs quickly into his stride ; he takes four or five strides to get up steam. But no point in this method is worse than its unsteadiness. If the upright starter when set is not straining forward, he is bound to be very slow from the mark ; but if he is straining forward' he is almost certain to topple forward into a false etait. Even it th-e legs are bent instead of straight the "screw back"' happens all the same. Between the all-fours crouching method and the all-wrong upright method thore is another — namely, the "dab" method', <"<f which Harry Hutchens was the original exponent. As Hutchene probably ran sprints faster even than Duffey, he must have- been a quick starter. Personally, I used this method, and found it answer to perfection. The runner, after digging a hole to take his rear foot, stands on the mark, and _ waits for the word '"Set," except that he is "afc ease," with his arms by his side, and his body quite erect. At the word "Sct"_ he throws himself downward and forward into a peculiar position. This position depends entirely for maintenance on the downward pressure of the left heel /iat to tho groandj

the whole weight is thrown forward over the left kuoe ; and if thr hr-cl is allowed to ri=e. the. runner i< obliged immediaLely to '"dab" forward with tho left toe. This i o what happf-ns at tho phtol-bang. Ti.-o report startle? the runner into tho "dab,"' and as he simultaneously pushes off rtitb il'o right foot, he finds himself impelled forward into his stride. The whole secret is to stand, with the weight thrown »o fir as possible over tho left knee, and with that knee forced forward as far as possible ovor the left foot — these two strains oeing Ik 1 J

in by the piessure downwards flat of he?l. If your position is right you cannot help j "dabbing' afc the pistol-bang, and if you i "ilab" you arc off, and off quick.