Physical Educalion Essay on Track and Field

Track and field is a type of sport with a long history ranking among the oldest sports. Notably, the game was popular by 200 BC having been integrated into the Olympic Games. The track and field competition involves athletic contests where individuals possess skills to run, jump and throw. Mainly, players compete in a stadium with an oval-shaped track, which encloses a grass field used for jumping and throwing gadgets such as javelin. Notably, this explains where the sport got its name. Sprinters in the sport often use blocks at the starting point of the race. Therefore, this paper gives a detailed explanation of blocks and their advantages and disadvantages for short and tall people. Similarly, it enumerates examples of some of the short and tall athletes.

Starting blocks

Starting blocks are devices used by sprinters at the starting point of the race to put them in position. There are different types of starting blocks, but they typically comprise two-foot pedals or pads that are attached to a metal rail (Tang, 2017). They help in holding the feet to ensure athletes do not fall when moving out at the sound of the gun. Typically, they help set the sprinter in the right position that can allow him or her to accelerate once the race is started and he or she is out of the block. Therefore, they do not put one at high speed, but rather they help one to get to top speed easily. Acceleration is crucial to the sprinters, but they cannot achieve it if they are not in the right position on the block. The blocks provide an alternative to the old practice of digging holes on the track to have something to push against when starting the race. Mainly, the holes would not only destroy the surface but also were tedious since they had to be filled up to prepare the field for other runners.

How to use Blocks

The blocks are used in three phases during the race, namely, the alignment phase, the set position and the start of the contest stage (Rosenbaum, 2016). In the alignment step, the sprinter firmly places the feet onto the blocks, kneels down on the rear leg while placing the hands slightly behind the starting line at a slightly wider apart distance than that between the two shoulders. The heel is supposed to be off the back block but exerting lots of pressure through back foot. Similarly, three spikes of the front foot should be on track and, the rest should be on the block. The athlete needs to be more powerful if the blocks are close to each other. Notably, wide apart blocks are good for longer lever runners to attain some push.

On the set position, the sprinter rises up slowly with the feet maintaining pressure on the blocks and the shoe tip still lying on the track. The hips of the runner should be slightly higher than the shoulders. Additionally, the back should be flat, and the head should be in line with the back to make it easier for transition in the acceleration mode. If the athlete puts the head down, then the hips will drop. At the start time when the gun sounds, the athlete extends the front leg hence pushing off the block pedal then gets out of the blocks ready with the driving force. The first arm needs to be flicked out rather than muscling it to set the right pace. Notably, new blocks come with sensors that help in detecting pressure from the athletes and time his or her reaction to the gun. If the athlete reacts faster than one-tenth of a second, then this is termed as a false start, which leads to recalling of the race (Rosenbaum, 2016). Additionally, some have electronic speakers that allow the sound of the starting gun to reach the runners' ears at the same time.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Starting Blocks

Starting blocks help the runner to get the right position for acceleration. They aid the sprinter to assume a sloping body position that helps in lifting the center of gravity to enable one reach maximum velocity within the shortest time possible. Consequently, they assist in achieving strong push off. Moreover, the athlete is already on his or her feet, which allows him or her to accelerate smoothly from the idle position and hit the ground at the highest speed. Additionally, starting blocks enable the athlete to shift most of the body weight to the shoulders and the hands rather than to the lower body and the feet. Thus, it becomes easy for the athlete to move forward since the legs will not have to push the entire weight of the body when the starting gun sounds (Tang, 2017). Notably, this helps in improving the runners performance in the race.

According to Tang (2017), shorter athletes can accelerate faster as compared to taller sprinters. Therefore, shorter people with stronger legs will have an advantage when using blocks since they will boost their acceleration even further. However, taller runners have the advantage of their longer strides, which can help them perform better in the race compared to the shorter athletes. Furthermore, once they have gained top speed in the contest, they can make use of their longer strides to win the race if they maintain these strides to the end of the game. The disadvantage of the blocks is that they require proper training for one to reap the benefits of using them. Therefore, they are useful for the professional and experienced athletes. For the starters, using blocks in the wrong way can lead to injuries. Athletes who have no proper training tend to jump inward rather than forward once the starting gun sounds which impacts negatively on their performance in the race (Tang, 2017).

Examples of Short and Tall Athletes

Usain Bolt is a known sprinter with a tall height. Apparently, he is 6 foot and 5 inches tall and is the fastest athlete in the 100-meter race. He holds the worlds record in 100 meters race, which he won in 2012 Olympics, which took place in London. This record is at 9.63 seconds. While his health could be a disadvantage in attaining acceleration speed, Usain compensates for this through his ability to make long strides once the right acceleration is accomplished which enables him to emerge the winner. Typically, Usain takes about 40 strides while the athlete considered the appropriate height for a runner takes over 45 strides. Walter Dix is regarded as a short athlete and has a height of 5 foot and 9 inches. He holds a record of 9.88 seconds in the 100 meters race. His height is considered the ideal height that an athlete should have but it is clear that he makes more strides to win the race as compared to Usain Bolt.

Conclusion

Starting blocks are essential for the sprinters since they help them to set the right pace for acceleration. They assist the athlete in acquiring the right position for acceleration and prevent their feet from slipping. Notably, acceleration is quite crucial in determining the performance of the athlete in a race. The standard blocks have an advantage because they come with speakers that allow the competitors to hear the commencing shot at the same time. Similarly, they have sensors that detect false starts from athletes. It is considered a false start if the athlete reacts to the gun faster than one-tenth of a second, which calls for a recall of the race. The shorter athletes have an advantage over the taller ones because they can accelerate faster. However, taller athletes compensate for their heights by making larger strides, which help them to win the race. It is important to note that starting blocks are dangerous if used without proper training. Young sprinters who are new to their use must get proper training or else they risk injuries. However, blocks do not put the athlete at high speed immediately, but rather they help them to be in a position to accelerate once out of the blocks.

References

Rosenbaum, M. (2016, May 25). Starting Block Technique: Position Yourself for Sprinting Success. Retrieved April 18, 2017 from https://www.thoughtco.com/starting-block-technique-3259177

Tang, K. (2017). The Advantages of Starting Blocks. Retrieved April 18, 2017 from http://livehealthy.chron.com/advantages-starting-blocks-3838.html