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Bolt Video Front view

Matt Merry

25 subscribers • 1 video on Filmroom

YouTube

37K views1 recommendation

SprintsRunning formBiomechanics

Usain Bolt demonstrates elite sprinting form in a front-view clip highlighting hip rotation and upper body mechanics.

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1 person recommends this

What commenters say. Recommended as a visual reference for proper sprinting mechanics, hip rotation, and maintaining a stable upper body during acceleration.

@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Recommends

On “First time running 100m in.. forever.. I am requesting advice on various things. Aspiring “hybrid athlete””

…4 seconds, and that seems about right. If you had less muscle mass/strength it would probably be around 15 seconds. If you fix your current issues I could see improvement to around 12 seconds before needing additional coaching over the course of a few months. You can compare your form to top sprinters to get additional ideas on where to improve: [video [video…
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Recommends

On “3 weeks till season opener looking for critique”

…nd what you're lacking is range of motion in the hips, particularly your left leg. Keeping in mind that the hip is a ball and socket joint with the femur and sacrum, you should see both hip flexion (high knees) and hip extension (getting the knee behind you), as well as internal rotation (one of the things Usain Bolt was known for in his start.): [video Currently, your left leg is in a neutral or even slightly externally rotated position at peak hip flexion. At toe off/peak hip extension, your knee struggles to get behind your hips limiting your acceleration (steps 1,2, and 3). Adduction/abduction is another element of hip movement which I think you are lacking in. While to be fair you…
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Recommends

On “Working on shin angles ”

…too quickly. 2. Good frontside mechanics (good hip flexion). 3. Aside from the right foot asymmetry, your feet/legs are largely pointed forwards down the track 4. Good power output Here are two examples to study. The first is Christian Coleman and Trayvon Bromell. They demonstrate full hip extension, good arm posture, and good symmetry: [video The second video shows Tyson Gay, Powell, Bolt, and others from a front view. You can see how they use their heads to shift their weight from the left foot to the right foot and continue to do so the full 100 meters, although Tyson Gay did have a pronounced lean in that race. A lot of college sprinters only use head movement in the first…
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Recommends

On “Need form critique ”

Keeping your knees closer to the center of your body will let you get more range of motion from your hips (meaning more distance per stride) and also increase your stride frequency (by creating shorter levers). Compare yourself to these professional sprinters and you will see how you can improve: [video They keep their arms and legs tucked in whereas you run more similar to a duck, with a very wide stance. Exercises: 1. Adductor/abductor machine for the lateral hip muscles 2. Hamstring curl 3. Weighted sit-ups 4. Lat pull-down 5. Tricep pull-down 6. Side-ways sit-ups for obliques
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Recommends

On “form check”

Your knees are too low (which is called having a lack of hip flexion) which is significant for numerous reasons. For one thing, your glutes are inhibited by tight hip flexors, making you have a less powerful stride and less range of motion (which is less efficient): [video . You stand up almost immediately, which signifies that your acceleration is over: [video As you continue running, your gait should start to get more narrow and with less external rotation of the legs: [video . These problems are probably the result of a mostly sedentary lifestyle involving sitting, studying, watching tv, and similar. At this stage of your life, simply going to the gym will not let you o…
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Recommends

On “Need help understanding the drive phase”

For acceleration it's very important to keep the heel as elevated as possible by hinging at the toe joints. Here's an example of a pro: [video You can see that they maintain a fairly neutral ankle in terms of dorsiflexion and an expected 90 degrees of knee flexion and hip flexion (at foot strike), but their feet are hinged and not flat. What I see from you now is that your hip flexion is very limited, possibly being driven mostly by your quadriceps femoris (trained via leg extensions and quad dominant squats) instead of your psoas (antagonist to the glutes and trained with sit-ups). You also possess significant back rounding in both the lumbar and thoracic spine at the start,…
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Recommends

On “Thoughts on my 3 point start?”

…excessive external rotation throughout your leg cycle \-Attention to lever length in both the arms and the legs What needs improvement- \-Lack of muscle mass, which leads to higher body fat percentages even at a low body weight and a lack of strength \-Absence of lateral movement in the head and shoulders over the striking foot Example: [video \-Possibly some issues involving the knee fully extending in steps 1, 2, and 3 and general loading of the hip \-Low shin angles at foot strike due to a lack of hip flexion/glute strength Example: [video Since it's the internet I will just tell you that Europe has low standards and expectations for sprinters, you have low standards…
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Recommends

On “Flying 30s Technique Analysis”

…on 6. Heavy Squats 7. Abductor/Adductor machine 8. Incline Lat row 9. Pull-down machine to target smaller scapular muscles 10. Heavy barbell shoulder shrugs 11. Shoulder press 12. Lateral raise Of course it's a long list, but when you have the motivation to improve your form, select any of these exercises. Pro Sprinter reference: [video…
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Mentions

On “Beginner sprinter form check”

…ot a personal criticism, but rather it is known by science that the sprinting motor pattern originates from different parts of the brain than running or walking \-Land on your forefoot, aiming for a bend at the toes instead of at the ankle. Do not heel strike or even mid-foot/flat foot strike. Examples: christian coleman block start slow mo \+ [video \-Your shoulders are kind of rotating back and forth, which is perfect for distance running, but in sprinting you want to have lateral head movement and a more rigid torso. Example: [video \+ Bolt Video Front view \-Sprint outside so you aren't constrained within the bounds of the treadmill and speed limits. You should already be phys…
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Mentions

On “Acceleration”

Use your head and shoulders to shift your body weight from one foot to the other. Right now you kind of rotate around your head, and your head stays in a straight line down the middle of your body. It gives the appearance of good upper body mechanics - you have a fluid arm swing - but you're not actually creating meaningful momentum down the track. You can see how this plays out in professional sprinters: [video
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Mentions

On “slow time”

…Achilles tendon and have more bounciness. Other issues are the feet pointing out (like a duck), a lack of left/right head movement and shifting your weight, not falling forwards and triggering the stumble reflex, not striking the ground actively, not landing under your hips AKA your center-of-mass. Here are two examples of ideal form: 1. [video 2. [video Female sprinters: 1. [video 2. [video (If you want to look more feminine while sprinting, you can try running with much more extended/straight elbows and extended wrists. This clip isn't the best but it's the first example I could find specifically at the end)…
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@NoHelp7189in r/Sprinting • Mentions

On “What’s a good way to fix this knee bend?”

Well I think this is one of sprinting's unanswered questions, whether or not you should be completely stiff and linear or have some fluidity, and what that reason is. The body has a spinal column directly in the middle of your body, but 2 hip bones that flare out to the side and then legs that try to return to the middle, creating the "Q angle". Sprinting, unlike standing or walking, is a one-legged activity. So you achieve balance by either adducting your leg inwards, or bending your spine outwards. You see both in Usain, so perhaps the answer is that doing both at the same time is most efficient. This is a view from the side: [video
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