Starting blocks allow a sprinter to drive forward smoothly and powerfully, and to reach top speed much more quickly than if a standing start was used. The block are only needed in sprints races.
Starting blocks were first used in 1927 by the American running coach George Bresnahan. His were made from wood or metal and could be adjusted to support a runner's feet at different angles and distances apart. At Olympia in Greece there are sign of grooves in the track where racers in ancient times might have obtained a good toehold to keep from slipping as the races began.
Until 1884,sprinters started in standing or leaning positions. That year,a Scottish runner began to use a crouched position with one foot in front of the other and both hands touching the ground. From this coiled crouch a runner could spring forward into full racing speed.
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