LISLE TRACK
STARTING BLOCK
PHILOSOPHY
Nothing confuses young sprinters
more than starting blocks.
They often don’t know how they
“work,” how to set them, or why a
specific setting is best for them.
It’s not all that complicated. Even
parlympians without feet can figure it
out!
Years ago when tracks were dirt,
sprinters used trowels to dig out holes
for their feet.
As track surfaces improved, digging
holes was no longer practical.
Starting blocks “work” by giving the
sprinter a means to apply horizontal
force against a fixed surface—that
surface being the PEDALS of the
blocks, which are fixed by spikes to
the track.
 Setting the pedals involves
nothing more than determining
the right spacing that will help
each sprinter achieve the
proper angles at the knee and
hip to achieve the best possible
start.
 This needs to be different for
each sprinter, because each
sprinter has different limb
lengths.
 We determine the best setting for





each sprinter by measuring five
specific points:
Back Length
Upper Leg Length
Lower Leg Length
Arm Length
Foot Length
We then put this data into a table,
which will give the athlete the
following information:
• Distance from the first pedal to the
starting line
• Distance between the first pedal and
the back pedal
• Angle to set the front pedal and the
back pedal
What we do differently:
Lisle has the best starting blocks in
track and field—the NEWTON ELITE.
These blocks have an optimal pedal
curvature, as well as an angle
adjustment feature.
Why is this important?
Even though forces seem to be
predominantly horizontal, sprinters in
a set position are still experiencing
the effects of gravity.
For example, in the start, the horizontal
forces are about 205 pounds. The
vertical forces are 277 pounds.
It’s not “all” horizontal force as many
would think.
And at top speed, it’s 50 pounds
horizontal and 367 pounds vertical.
GRAVITY--in terms of staying upright-is important even coming out of the
blocks!
 Both the curved pedals and the
ability to adjust the angles of
these pedals gives the sprinter
a better means to deal with the
effects of gravity.
 The curvature of the pedal also
allows for more of the front part
of the foot to contact the track.
 This enables the sprinter to
achieve a better “up and out”
position.
“Up and Out” means a more optimal
position to negate stumbling, a big
problem for younger sprinters.
What we teach:
• High Bridge with the fingers (no
“handcakes” (meaning palms flat on
the track.)
• Hips up in the set, head down, and
eyes down
The sprinter’s fastest reaction is
always to sound, not “sight”
No need to look up or forward. This
will immediately change the angles at
the hip and knee.
What my research going back to
the mid seventies determined.
In the traditional “crouch” start the
sprinter is too low.
But in the standing start, the
sprinter is too high.
Somehow, we need to manipulate
whatever factors we can to provide
the best start for our athletes.
NOTE THE GREEN ANGLE—UP AND OUT
This image is from testing I did for an
article entitled “Re-Evaluating the
Conventional Crouch Start”
Note one of the earlier LED electronic
stopwatches connected by wires to
sensor pads on the block pedals!
WHAT SHOULD I BE THINKING ABOUT?
THINK “BIG PICTURE” FIRST.
TO ACCELERATE WELL, YOU NEED TO
APPLY FORCE.
VERTICAL BLOCK FORCES
Remember that vertical effort in the
start is stressed because of the
GRAVITY HANDICAP.
Revising Vertical Force Requirements
because of gravity means that you
will be exerting about 277 pounds of
force.
YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR ABILITY
TO APPLY PRODUCTIVE FORCES BY
1) REDUCING YOUR BODY MASS
2) GETTING STRONGER
WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH
1) GRAVITY CONSTANT
2) DEADLIFT STRENGTH PROTOCOL