Can The Toe Drag Make You Faster?

Does the toe drag make you faster and should you use it to improve your speed?
In this lesson you'll learn:
1. What the toe drag is (and why most sprinters get it wrong).
2. Why and when it's used by olympic sprinters.
3. Some tips that will help you decide if you should implement the toe drag technique into your sprint training.
The toe drag is all about low heel recovery. You may have seen athletes like Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell performing a toe drag in their warm up. What's good for them is good for the rest of us mere mortal sprinters, right? As with most things in track and field, it's not that simple :)
In this lesson Olympic Sprint Coach Ken Harnden breaks down why the toe drag isn't as straightforward as many people make it out to be and provides some pointers on how to properly implement this technique into your starts.
outperformsports.com

[@dodo12345toto]

That guy sacrificed his toes nail just to drag foot for you guys 😂

[@OutperformOfficial]

haha!

[@BryanOwens-pj7uf]

Not funny

[@ThePoshPrince]

​@BryanOwenis-pj7uf i laughed though

[@dwaynepierre8913]

My understanding was that toe drag is a symptop or indicator of high ankle mobility namely achiles tendon. The athlete is able load through entire range and achieves full triple extension. Even when striding Usain asafa and christian use the entire extension of the tendons to push.

[@OutperformOfficial]

Interesting take. Just keep in mind that triple extension and the toe drag are not codependent or mutually exclusive (you can have one without the other). You are correct about those athletes achieving superb triple extension and range of motion.

[@BarTheTuz]

Toe drag increases momentum of inertia thus reducing the angular velocity of the recovery leg, making the transition of the foot from point A to point B slower.

[@prod.Radiant]

Love this channel!

[@OutperformOfficial]

Thanks Dude!

[@brunothebruiser]

My take off Has always been a force to be reckoned with the way he explains toe drag willing to make it even better I thought it was just a tall man thing 😂 💨

[@mukrimrazman6527]

Thanks for teching

[@OutperformOfficial]

Welcome!

[@fredrikrawicki5739]

Fantastic video! Breaks the question down in to understandable pieces! Once again, thank you for sharing knowledge 👏👏👏👏

[@OutperformOfficial]

Thanks Fredrik, glad it helped!

[@fredrikrawicki5739]

Any advice regarding ankle stiffness? How to develop this for young athletes?

[@bjf5027]

I first noticed this technique back in 2006 when Asafa was doing it. This is the first video I've ever seen where the technique is explicitly discussed.

[@OutperformOfficial]

Asafa was actually the first pro that I saw doing it as well, still love to watch videos of his starts.

[@bjf5027]

@@OutperformOfficial he definitely has some of the best execution ever in the 100m. One of the greatest for sure.

[@michaelslighting8433]

this really helps

[@OutperformOfficial]

great to hear!

[@rsg833]

🔥🔥🔥

[@siiyoun9second]

👍👍👍👍

since x production

[@overbillionviews]

👍👍👍

[@unknown_legend_4442]

Sir I have a doubt.In 100 to 200 MTR race can we run on our leg fingers does it makes more speed than normal running.

[@OutperformOfficial]

Sorry dude, not sure what you are asking.

[@user-fg3yg3kl6l]

I think hes talking about running on your toes rather than the ball of the foot

[@OutperformOfficial]

check out the video we made on ground contact kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKukfpVpaKqMorM

[@hurdlescoach8234]

What shoes is your sprinter training in?

[@thebuddhaofknowledgemichae2486]

Snatches and power cleans. Toes initiate the jump.

[@Dabajan23]

How do you teach this to a sprinter?

[@OutperformOfficial]

The Toe drag isn't something you necessarily need to teach. However low heel recovery is very important. A few quick things you can do as a coach. 1. Have the athlete get into their 2 point start position and place a finger on their back heel, then have them accelerate. This will help them to generate most of the power from their front leg and provide a good physical cue to not push from the back leg. 2. Place a mini hurdle over their back foot in a 2 or 3 point start or the blocks. Again this will force the low heel recovery.

[@Crippleddog]

This technique seems overpowered to master.

[@Chokegod8]

Sir when was Usain bolt do sprint he didn't use low heel recovery his heel touching his butt i dont know english properly plz reply

[@OutperformOfficial]

Check out this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4iceKuop7h3fMk , watch what he does during warm up. Also low heel recovery doesn't necessarily = toe drag.

[@diegollampallas]

The drag toe helps to remember stay the most horizontal posible form in the acceleration phase

[@OutperformOfficial]

Great point.

[@martmuru]

Do not drag anything, just complete the extension.

[@OutperformOfficial]

You're right, proper extension is crucial for efficient sprinting, but the toe drag can be a useful tool when performed properly and at the right time for feeling that low heel recovery. Ultimately it's a matter of finding the right balance and determining what works best for you.

[@sumanthkumar1908]

Which shoe was the guy in the first clip wearing??

[@OutperformOfficial]

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[@Leonidas-eu9bb]

The toe drag is NOT about a short/quick recovery. It's more a sign of proper muscle activation but only if it comes natural without forcing it.

[@OutperformOfficial]

It's about low heel recovery.

[@Leonidas-eu9bb]

@@OutperformOfficial it's about increasing the momentum of inertia of the recovery limb. (aka making the leg heavy). This is only beneficial in the first and maybe second step and only if the athlete is powerfull enough. Afterwards it's becomes a disadvantage.

[@TheLingnerFamily]

I actually heard two toe drags

[@OutperformOfficial]

Good ear, you're right.

[@jacksonprochmann9225]

@@OutperformOfficial Ok ! There are 2 sounds! According this video I saw that the first sound comes from the first movement done by the back foot and the second came on the movement done by the front foot subsequently. In another video done by yourself you said that the first “ toe dragging movement” should be done by the front foot and than the second sound movement by the back foot. So, could you please, help me to clear this doubt ? I hope I made myself clear

[@doncardi8699]

You have to be careful doing this in the 400m/200m

[@RichObiQuan]

Why?

[@doncardi8699]

@@RichObiQuan you have to hug the curves and dragging anything works more on the straight. You can still keep it low, however staying in a good drive phase is also important

[@OutperformOfficial]

Remember what Coach Harnden says in the video, this is only at the start and mostly for warm ups to get the nervous system firing for low heel recovery.

[@OutperformOfficial]

@@AureyT. You got it!