• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Click here to download the  free ebook of Alberto Juantorena’s  detailed training workouts leading up to the 1976 Montreal Olympics

SpeedEndurance.com

Success in Track & Field ... and Life

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Track & Field
    • 400 meters
    • 800m & Mile
    • 1/2 & Full Marathons
    • Long & Triple Jump
    • Hurdles
  • Training
    • Weight Training
    • Abs & Core
    • Injury Prevention
    • Shoes & Spikes
    • Masters
  • Coaching
    • Freelap Friday Five
    • Interviews
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Sport Psychology
  • Archives
  • Shop
    • My account
    • Checkout
    • Basket

Starting Blocks are Overrated!

You are here: Home / Coaching / Starting Blocks are Overrated!
18
SHARES
FacebookTwitter

March 28, 2011 by Jimson Lee 2 Comments

Last Updated on June 6, 2014

Here are some vintage footage in HQ of Allan Wells, Pietro Mennea, and Valery Borzov past his prime.

You get a chance to see both semi final races and the finals at the 1978 European Outdoor Championships in Prague, Czech Republic..  The footage is amazingly clear so you get a good view of technique.

Take a look at the physiques of these men.  They look skinny compared to today.  And this was only 33 years ago since 1978.  Granted, the winning time was 10.26 and not 9.58 or even 9.76.  This simply shows the technical advancements in spikes, harder track surfaces, training methods, recovery modalities, and nutrition over the past 30 years.

But one item that may be overrated is starting blocks.

Even without blocks, Allan Wells gets a great start in both Semi-finals and Finals.  In fact, take a look at his foot placements and leg angles, and you can see the similarities of Asafa Powell in a time trial with no starting blocks, or even Adarian Barr’s Cheetah Start.

Older Masters athletes and Youth athletes should not use conventional starting blocks.  I covered that topic here.

So the next time they won’t let you use starting blocks on an brand new track or indoor 400 meters like Dartmouth College, think of Allan Wells!  Maybe it was all his speedbag workouts?

Of course, the eventual winner at the 1978 European Championships was Pietro Mennea, who is an icon here in Italy!  The average Italian citizen may not know who Usain Bolt is, but they all know Pietro Mennea, and to some extent, Livio Berruti.

READ  Ties in Sprinting History: 1982 Commonwealth 200m

Here is the video on YouTube:

  • Bio
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Latest Posts
Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com
I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.
Jimson Lee

@speedendurance

Jimson Lee
Jimson Lee
Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Jimson Lee

Latest posts by Jimson Lee (see all)

  • Jana Pittman – 400mH World Champion, Bobsleigh, and now Doctor - December 8, 2020
  • Autogenic/Parasympathetic Breathing Techniques for Recovery & Regeneration – Episode 3 - May 22, 2020
  • PART 2: Viewing the Bio-Motor Abilities of 400m Hurdlers Relative to 800m Runners - May 13, 2020
Jimson Lee

Category iconCoaching,  Track & Field,  Videos Tag iconAllan Wells,  Pietro Mennea,  Valery Borzov

About Jimson Lee

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. octopusmagnificens says

    March 28, 2011 at 1:58 am

    Great video! Mennea was a natural talent.

    Reply
  2. Harry says

    March 28, 2011 at 2:03 pm

    Mennea is still a natural talent, in politics nowadays too.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Shop Our Store

  • Bud Winter (9)
  • Championship Productions (6)
  • Clyde Hart (2)
  • Derek Hansen (1)
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation (2)
  • Jim Hiserman (5)
  • Jimson Lee (3)
  • Uncategorised (0)

Articles by Category

Products

  • SpeedEndurance Products Jim Hiserman - Developing Distance Runners Volume 2: A Systematic Approach to Developing Individual Success within a Dynamic Team Culture $34.95 $29.95
  • Feed-the-Cats-Clinic-3-Pack-701 'Feed the Cats' Clinic 3-Pack $64.99
  • Tony Holler's Feed the Cats": A Complete Sprint Training Program Tony Holler's "Feed the Cats" Complete Sprint Training Program $49.99
  • Bud Winter and Speed City presents Arthur Lydiard 509x716 Bud Winter & Arthur Lydiard MP3 [Download only] $9.99
  • Globus SprintCoach LE Electrical Muscle Stimulation Globus Electrical Muscle Stimulation SprintCoach SPORT $849.00
  • Globus SprintCoach LE Electrical Muscle Stimulation Globus Electrical Muscle Stimulation SprintCoach SPORT Limited Edition (LE) $949.00

RECENT POSTS

  • Jana Pittman – 400mH World Champion, Bobsleigh, and now Doctor
  • Autogenic/Parasympathetic Breathing Techniques for Recovery & Regeneration – Episode 3
  • PART 2: Viewing the Bio-Motor Abilities of 400m Hurdlers Relative to 800m Runners
  • Remembering Mike Agostini (1935 – 2016)
  • Remembering CharlieFrancis Forum (10 Years later)
  • Microstretching vs PNF vs ELDOA: Live Zoom Chat (Episode 2)
  • Viewing the Bio-Motor Abilities of 400m Hurdlers Relative to 800m Runners (Part 1)
  • A Systematic Approach To Developing Individual Success Within A Dynamic Team Culture
  • How to do Repeat 100m Strides with No Marks or Measurements
  • Testing for Speed, Power, Strength, & Endurance [VIDEO]

Copyright © 2021. SpeedEndurance.com is owned and operated by Aryta Ltd. Privacy Policy