Secrets to a Super-Fast Start

The fastest moment of any swimming race occurs before you even enter the water. When you burst off the block to commence the race, you fly through the air much faster than you can ever cruise through the much denser-than-air water. That’s reason enough to harness your start for as much propulsion and speed as it can give you, so you can start your race going as fast as you possibly can.

Here, we’ll dig into three starting block set-up secrets that Olympic swimmers use to get a jump on the competition right from the starting signal.

Secret #1: Foot Position

When you step onto the block, it may not be obvious where you should put your feet. The fastest swimmers typically plant the non-dominant foot about 12 inches behind the heel of the dominant foot.

You can check that you’ve got your feet in the fight spots by placing a fist between your lower thighs. If you can fit your fist between your thighs, your feet are set up about right.

Secret #2: Where to Grab

Once your feet are set, fold forward at the waist and grasp either the front edge of the block or the side rails. The side rails offer a slightly faster start because your arms don’t have to travel as far as they do from the edge of the block. Nevertheless, whichever feels more comfortable for you is the better option; if you've always used the front of the block like I have and you prefer that, just continue doing so.

Secret #3: Tense the Arms

The final part of the block setup is to make sure that when you take your mark, you engage your arms on the block. This means tensing up your muscles as you wait for the starter’s signal.

This tension helps you prepare your body for the big jump that you're about to make after you hear the go signal. If your muscles are too loose as you wait on the block, you're not going to be as ready to go when the time comes. But if your muscles are contracted and ready and everything is tight, you're going to be prepared for an awesome jump afterwards.