Why Seven Steps?

Reducing a step before H1 might seem like a marginal modification, yet it changes everything.

With one less stride, the athlete must apply force more effectively, increase stride length, and sustain acceleration with greater efficiency.

Recent research in sprint hurdling biomechanics (for instance, Wild, Bezodis & Morin, European Journal of Sport Science, 2023) highlights that optimising stride distribution in the first ten metres can significantly enhance hurdle approach velocity.

In practical terms, this means that a well-executed seven-step pattern compresses acceleration, producing a faster and more controlled entry into the first hurdle.

However, it comes with its challenges:

• The front leg often changes, forcing athletes to use their non-dominant leg on the front pedal.
• The start feels unstable at first, as the body learns a new rhythm and contact timing.
• The take-off distance from the hurdle increases, requiring trust and repetition.

With time, strength, and consistent feedback, these obstacles fade. The new rhythm takes shape — smoother, more efficient, and ultimately more competitive.

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Set Position and First Movements

The technical reconfiguration starts right at the line.

The set position is now slightly closer to the start line, with a rounded spine and a relaxed neck. This posture allows a direct force application from the blocks while keeping tension under control.

At the gun, the athlete must drive through the rear leg with full extension — no rush to touch the ground again, just a long, deliberate push.

What follows sets the tone for the rest of the approach. Every contact must feel decisive, not hurried.

A critical yet often overlooked factor is visual control.

Training your gaze to stay within your lane — ignoring what happens elsewhere — helps preserve rhythm and composure. As supported by Wulf & Prinz (2001), attentional focus directly affects movement coordination; losing it, even for a fraction of a second, breaks the pattern.

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Take-Off and Rhythm Through H1

As the approach evolves, the take-off point moves slightly further back. Initially, this can feel unnatural. Many athletes hesitate, unsure of the spatial reference. But biomechanically, this longer take-off enables better body projection and smoother alignment for the second hurdle.

Here lies one of the subtle beauties of the seven-step start:

when executed with patience, it delivers a more elastic, rhythmical pattern between H1 and H2. The athlete doesn’t just reach the hurdle — they flow through it.

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Training Transfer and Technical Feedback

Implementing a new start model in training is one thing; reproducing it under race conditions is another.

Competition brings adrenaline, pressure, and timing shifts that can easily destabilise a new motor pattern.

To counter this, we rely heavily on video analysis. Reviewing block exits, body angles, and hurdle spacing frame by frame reveals small inefficiencies invisible at full speed — a shoulder dropping too early, a hesitation in the first contact, or an excessive lean before take-off.

Visual feedback accelerates correction. As Mackala and Coh (New Studies in Athletics, 2019) emphasise, feedback loops based on high-speed footage significantly reduce adaptation time in sprint phases.

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Beyond Mechanics

Ultimately, the shift from eight to seven steps is not a purely mechanical process. It demands trust, discipline, and the ability to embrace discomfort. Every athlete who undergoes this transformation learns that progress is rarely linear. There are frustrating days and sudden breakthroughs — moments when everything suddenly aligns and the new rhythm feels effortless.

When that happens, the start is no longer a collection of movements. It becomes a single, seamless action — power, rhythm, and intent moving in one direction.

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The future is bright,
Scirocco TF

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