Athletics (British Sports Library)

SPRINTING 53 with the front foot allows of the rear leg being lifted quickly upward in . a chopped first stride action, which makes for quickness, but has the disadvantage, where novices are concerned, of tempting them to shoot upward too quickly instead of gliding out of their holes in the correct angles, which are illus– trated by Sketches 3 and 4. When the starter sees that the men are comfort– ably settled upon their marks, he will order them to "Get set" (Sketch 2). If the rear knee is then simply lifted from the track, the athlete will lose a great advantage in tensing himself for the get-away. Before the knee is raised the whole weight should go forward on to the hands, arms, and forward leg, and, incidentally, the forward knee should be pressed down towards the track before the rear knee is raised. Care must be taken that the arms are held perfectly straight from shoulder to wrist, any bowing of the arms at the elbows or the lower– ing of the palms to the track will spoil the " get set " position. The forward lean of the body brings the head well in advance of the start line, and a facing-downward-and-ahead position of the head should allow the neck easy relaxation (Sketch 2). At this stage the athlete must feel like a greyhound held in leash and eager to be slipped. At the crack of the pistol the race is on. The