Starting Dive Technique Analysis: Track Start vs. Grab Start

The outcome of competitive swimming is often decided in the first 15 meters. From hearing the starting signal to both feet leaving the starting block—the “block time”—elite swimmers typically fall between 0.6 and 0.75 seconds, and the time from leaving the block to the end of the streamline after entry (usually at the 7-meter mark) accounts for nearly 25% of the critical phase in the 50-meter events.

1. Comparison of the Two Starting Positions

2. The Force Chain of the Track Start

Modern competition has almost fully adopted the Track Start, and its advantage comes from “pre-tension”: the body leans forward in the ready position, hands grip the front edge of the block, weight is loaded onto the balls of the front foot, and the rear foot rests on the kick plate behind.

1. Ready position: Hip angle approximately 60–70 degrees, knee angle approximately 90–100 degrees.
2. At the starting signal: Both hands pull upward forcefully, propelling the body forward like a “launch.”
3. Block exit sequence: Hands → hips → rear foot → front foot, forming a continuous whip-like motion.
4. Airborne position: Keep the body elongated, both arms extended forward and together, chin tucked toward the chest.

3. The Key to Entry Angle

If the entry angle is too shallow (less than 30 degrees), it causes “slapping” on the water, generating significant drag; if the angle is too steep (more than 45 degrees), it dives too deep, wasting distance. The optimal range falls between 32 and 38 degrees, entering through a single “hole” (hands, head, hips, and feet passing through the same point in sequence).

4. Gliding and Timing of the Underwater Kick

After entry, the swimmer enters a glide phase at a depth of 1.0 to 1.5 meters. At this point, speed can reach 6.5 m/s, far higher than swimming speed through the water. The key points are:

• Maintain a strict streamline: hands stacked, arms squeezing the ears, core engaged and chest lifted
• Begin the first underwater dolphin kick before speed decays to approximately 2.2 m/s
• The first dolphin kick is directed “downward” for propulsion, not upward

5. Training Recommendations

• Reaction light training: Use OmegaLight or inexpensive LED reaction devices, 2 sessions per week, 15 reps per session.
• 5-meter float timing: Measure the time from entry to the 5-meter mark; target under 1.5 seconds for men and 1.7 seconds for women.
• Complementary strength training: Back squat 1RM of at least 1.5 times body weight, and box jump height of 80 cm or more.

Conclusion

The start may seem to occupy only a very brief moment of a race, but in the 50-meter events, a 0.1-second improvement is often the difference between gold and eighth place. Switching from Grab to Track Start improves time by an average of 0.15 to 0.25 seconds—a highly cost-effective technical investment.

Related Reading

• Starting Technique: Comparison of Grab Start, Track Start, and In-Water Start
• Competitive Starting Technique: Grab Start vs. Track Start
• Block Start vs. In-Water Start: Technical Choices and Competition Rules Explained
• Swimming Start Technique: Speed Differences Between Grab Start and Rearward Start