THE 4 x 100M RELAY WITH THE

PUSH-FORWARD PASS
By Gerard Mach

In this article, the author discusses in turn the key elements of the 4 x 100 meters
relay. He introduces the term “maximum speed endurance,” which has particular
importance in this event. He describes the techniques of relay passing,
advocating the “push-forward” pass as the most efficient, safe and natural
technique. He then details potential mistakes which can be avoided, and finally
offers some example relay preparation exercises.

INTRODUCTION

While athletics places its main emphasis upon individual participation, the 4 x
100 and 4 x 400 meters relays are team events necessitating a controlled
combined effort. Properly executed, the relays represent true examples of
synergy, or the working together of units in order to produce a total result greater
than the sum of their individual efforts. In this study I will discuss the key
elements of preparation and execution of the 4 x 100 meters and offer some
example relay preparation exercises.

THE NATIONAL TEAM CONCEPT

To be successful on an international level it is necessary to have a squad of a

minimum of 6-8 athletes who train together to perfect the relay technique. The
final team will be selected from these athletes. The following principles should be
applied when selecting individuals for a national relay squad:

 The best athletes who are prepared for competition should be considered
for selection.

 The selected athletes should be readily available for competition and well
prepared by a comprehensive training programme.

 The order in which the athletes run should be the one which will result in
the most effective team.

Each team member should be a world class athlete in an individual sprint event
(100 meters or 200 meters). Provided that the individual athletes are prepared to
work together as a team in order to perfect their passing, the team will be
successful at world level and may be able to improve further upon the current
World Record.
 CONSIDERATIONS IN THE SELECTION OF ATHLETES AND
DETERMINATION OF RUNNING ORDER

The following should be considered if the strongest squad of athletes is to be

selected. Such information will also help to determine the most effective order in
which athletes should run. The lead-off runner should:

 Have an excellent start from blocks.

 Be good at accelerating and a proficient bend runner.

 Be capable of running at top speed over 110m.

 Be able to make a good incoming relay pass.

The second-leg runner should:

 Have a precise reaction when the incoming runner reaches the check-
mark.

 Be able to control his acceleration in the exchange zone.

 Be capable of running at top speed over 130m.

 Be able to make both a good outgoing and a good incoming relay pass.

The third-leg runner should:

 Have a precise reaction when the incoming runner reaches the check-
mark.

 Be able to control his acceleration in the exchange zone.

 Be capable of running at top speed over 130m.

 Be proficient at bend running.

 Be able to make both a good outgoing and incoming relay pass.

The anchor runner must:

 Have a precise reaction when the incoming runner reaches the check-
mark.

 Be able to control his acceleration in the exchange zone.

  Be capable of running at top speed over 120m.

 Be able to make a good outgoing pass.

 Be able to maintain maximum speed under pressure.

200 meters runners should be considered for selection for the second and third
legs where 130 meters at top speed is required. The fourth runner is probably
under the greatest pressure, being seen to be responsible for winning or losing
the race in the final phase. The anchor runner must therefore not only be an
excellent sprinter, but must also be psychologically strong.

THE WARM-UP

The 4 x 100 meters relay requires that the athletes perform at maximum speed
both in competition and in quality training sessions.

This exposes the athlete to a high risk of injury, especially to the hamstrings. It is
therefore necessary for the warm-up to prepare the sprinters thoroughly for this
kind of high-intensity work. During the warmup, athletes and coaches must take
into account such factors as fatigue from individual events, weather conditions
and the level of recovery from illness, injury or travel in order to make the
necessary adjustments to team composition, running order or checkmark
distances.

The warm-up may range from 60 minutes to 2 hours, and represents the final
rehearsal of relay skills and technique.

MAXIMUM SPEED ENDURANCE

In November 1986, at the International Track and Field Coaches Association
Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I announced the results of a research
study into the distance over which top athletes can maintain maximum sprinting.
Conducted by myself and Dr. Gord Robertson of the University of Ottawa, the
research concluded that in the 100 meters top athletes can maintain their
maximum speed for between 50 and 100 meters. This new evidence challenges
the traditional belief that maximum speed can only be maintained for 20-30m.

As a result of these findings a new component of sprint terminology was

introduced, “maximum speed endurance.” This defines the ability of the athlete to
maintain maximum speed and the training which develops this ability. It has
particular impact upon the 4 x 100 meters relay.

BEND RUNNING IN THE 4 x 100M RELAY

In the sprint events, the 200 meters, 400 meters, 4 x 100 meters and 4 x 400
meters all require bend running. However, no event demands maximum speed
and maximum speed endurance through the bend more than the 4 x 100 meters
relay. Correct bend running technique is more important in this event than in any
other because the athletes must be at maximum speed through the entire curve.

The first or “lead-off” runner must perform the fastest possible start into the bend,
and should run the whole bend at maximum speed.

The third relay runner does not need the same starting ability as the lead-off
runner, but should be able to run the bend with an excellent technique and with
maximum speed endurance.

For an athlete to run the bend at top speed some adjustments must be made to
the stride pattern. Since the outside leg must travel a greater distance than the
inside leg, the stride pattern must be asymmetric to reflect the differing stride-
length demands. The inside arm is swung through a greater range of motion than
the outside arm. Because of the bilateral harmony of the arm and leg action this
encourages a longer stride length with the outside leg and a shorter with the
inside. The inside foot lands flatter in order to provide a larger surface area for
foot-ground contact, enabling a greater amount of friction and hence centripetal
force. The muscles of the outside leg must produce a slightly higher forward
thrust and the hip muscles must produce greater bursts of power to move the leg
up and down during the swing through. A lean to the inside of the bend directs
the ground reaction force through the athlete's centre of gravity so that there is
no rotation of the body, only linear motion. The lean also facilitates the
asymmetric stride pattern.

STARTING POSITIONS FOR OUTGOING RUNNERS

The start of the first runner is as the normal sprint start from blocks, except that it
is angled into the bend (as in the start of the 200 meters). The athlete must
accelerate to maximum speed while negotiating the bend.

There are two possible start positions for the second-, third- and fourth-leg
runners:

1. The crouch start.

2. The standing start.

The Crouch Start

The crouch start uses a short check-mark (20-25 foot lengths). It requires
intensive acceleration similar to that of the lead-off runner coming out of the
blocks, and for this reason it is seldom seen nowadays. The USSR national team
is one of the few squads that have used the crouch start successfully in the past.
The Standing Start

The standing start, using a longer checkmark of between 25-30 foot-lengths,

allows the outgoing runners to make a less intense and therefore more controlled
acceleration. This conserves energy, so that more effort can be put into sprinting
once the baton has been received. It is currently the most commonly used of all
starting positions for the outgoing runner.

While there are many variations to the standing start, the following allows for a
comfortable position:

 The outgoing runner stands just inside the start of the acceleration zone.

 He/she takes up a position on the outside of the lane in order to leave

room for the incoming runner.

 The left foot is behind, the right foot half a step in front. This provides a
more comfortable position from which the athlete can look back at the
check-mark and the incoming runner. (While this may prove problematic
for athletes who normally 70 start from blocks with the left foot forward it
should be practiced as it is the most efficient technique).

 The athlete's centre of gravity is shifted lower and forward, to a normal

standing start position up on the toes.

 When the incoming runner reaches the check-mark, the outgoing runner
turns his head and begins to accelerate in a smooth and controlled
manner. It is vital that the outgoing runner does not start too soon and/or
accelerate too fast. If this happens, the incoming runner, tiring, will be
unable to reach him and make the pass. While it is still an error for the
 outgoing runner to delay, or to accelerate a little too slowly, it is one of
comparatively less gravity.

 The rate of acceleration should always be the same, in practice or in

competition, thus decreasing the possibility of mistakes being made by
excited athletes at a time of pressure.

SETTING THE CHECK-MARK FOR THE OUTGOING RUNNER

In order to promote confidence and a smooth changeover, the check-mark for

acceleration for the outgoing runner should be established well in advance of the
competition. Factors such as fatigue and pressure must be considered when
finalizing the check-marks. Once correct, these distances must be used without
fail in both training and competition.

The Incoming Runner

The incoming runner has already accelerated for 50m and has been traveling at
maximum speed for 20-40m when the outgoing runner's check-mark is reached.
He must run at maximum speed - hence the importance of maximum speed
endurance - for another 40m to the point where the pass is executed. It is vital
that a constant speed be maintained between the check-mark and the point of
exchange.

The speed of the incoming runner can be measured using electronic or laser
timing devices together with a video-camera, such as the Autostart system, to aid
accurate placing of the check-mark.

The Outgoing Runner

The acceleration zone, in which no pass may be performed, is 10m long, and the
exchange zone, in which the pass must be performed, is 20m long. If one
considers that it takes a top sprinter approximately 50m to achieve maximum
speed, it is evident that the outgoing runner will not be running at top speed when
the pass is made after 25-30m.

Emphasis must be placed on a constant starting speed and acceleration. The

outgoing athlete may use a crouch start, which requires intensive acceleration, or
a standing start, which allows a smoother acceleration. The former type of start
demands a short check-mark of between 20-25 foot lengths, whereas the latter
allows for a longer check-mark distance of 25-30 foot-lengths.

One or two more check-marks can be placed on the track, which may promote
the confidence of the outgoing runner in his ability to judge accurately the
position of the incoming athlete. Each additional mark should be one stride length
(about 2.5m) out from the final check-mark.
The process of establishing the checkmark distance can be helped by the use of
devices which monitor the reaction time and acceleration of the outgoing athlete.

THE RELAY PASS

The fastest four runners in the world will be ineffective as a relay team if they are
unable efficiently to exchange the baton. Two types of pass are commonly used
in the 4 x 100 meters relay today:

1. The “upsweep” pass.

2. The “push-forward” pass.

The Upsweep Pass

During the late 1950’s and early 1960’s a special research project on relay pass
techniques was completed in Poland by Wlodzimierz Druzbiak and Dr. Emil
Dudzinski. As a result of this study the upsweep pass was developed. Poland
won gold in the women's event and silver in the men's in the Games of the XVllth
Olympiad, Tokyo, 1964.

This technique has been widely used and thoroughly described in a number of
texts. The danger of this technique is that with each successive pass the part of
the baton available for the grip of the outgoing runner becomes shorter. Often, in
the attempt to correct this while running, an athlete will drop the baton. A very
dramatic example of this occurred at the Games of the XVlllth Olympiad, Mexico,
1968. The Polish women seemed to be well on their way to establishing a new
World Record in the 4 x 100 meters relay, with Irene Szewinska on the anchor
leg, when disaster struck.

The Push-Forward Pass

Following the above incident in Mexico, I, then National Sprints and Relay Coach
for Poland, set out to devise a new relay pass technique. The result was the
“push-forward” pass.

The Outgoing Pass (Receiving the Baton)

The athlete's head, neck and shoulders are relaxed, with no rotational
movement. The arm action is forwards-backwards, with a 90° angle at the elbow.
Irregular arm actions, such as swinging, twisting or cross-action, should be
avoided.

Immediately the outgoing athlete hears the incoming runner's command (a

password previously agreed between them) he simultaneously straightens and
extends the receiving arm (the left arm for the second and fourth runners; the
right for the third) backwards. The palm of the hand is an extension of the arm.
The entire arm is angled slightly downwards. Fingers are relaxed and joined, the
thumb forming a right angle with the fingers. The arm must be held steadily in the
same position until the pass has been safely achieved.

Some athletes have difficulty in extending a straight arm backwards. A constant

exercise programme of swinging and rotational arm actions should improve this
situation.

The Incoming Pass

The incoming runner is responsible for selecting the moment at which the pass
should occur. When the distance between him and the outgoing athlete is judged
to be correct, the command is given for the outgoing runner to present the hand
to receive the baton.

Once the outgoing runner has extended the arm straight back in the vertical
position, the incoming runner puts the baton into the palm of the outgoing
runner's hand by simply pushing his arm forwards. The baton is not raised and
swung downwards. If, in the first attempt, the pass is not correct, the incoming
athlete can use a fencing technique (moving the wrist only) to complete the pass;
this would not have been possible if the baton had been swung downwards on
the first attempt.

Possible Mistakes Which Should be Avoided

1. The arm of the outgoing runner extends sideways instead of backwards.

2. The hand of the outgoing runner bends at the wrist instead of appearing to
be an extension of the backwards-stretched arm.

3. The fingers are curled instead of being stretched.

4. The outgoing runner fails to hold the arm steady until the pass is
completed.

5. The incoming runner comes too close to the outgoing runner.

6. The incoming runner makes an up-and down sweep with the baton,
instead of simply pushing it forwards.

7. The incoming runner makes the baton correction with the full arm instead
of with the wrist only.
 8. The command is made too early, causing the outgoing runner to have to
hold the arm stretched backwards for a longer time - risk of arm
movement is thus increased, and the running speeds slowed.

9. The command is made too late, so that the incoming runner is too close
and has insufficient space in which to make an effective pass.

When compared with all other known relay pass techniques, the push-forward
pass seems the most simple and natural. It is in harmony with the principles of
good sprinting technique; has the advantages of the upsweep pass without the
risk; maximizes the free space gained in each exchange; and maximizes the
speed of the baton exchange in the exchange zone.

SOME RELAY PREPARATION EXERCISES

In a standing position first establish the arm action of the outgoing runner.

 The outgoing runner holds the take-over arm stretched straight backwards
at a height which is most convenient for the incoming runner. The hand
and fingers are the extension of the arm. The relaxed, stretched fingers
and the thumb form a right angle. The incoming runner checks the
extended arm, wrist, hand, fingers and thumb of the outgoing runner and
makes the necessary corrections.

 Following the command of the incoming runner, the outgoing runner

repeats the above exercise using a forwards-backwards arm action. The
take-over should be always at the required height.

Still in a standing position, add the action of the incoming runner.

 The distance between the incoming and the outgoing runner is established
to allow for a perfect pass to be performed.

 The incoming runner makes a “push-forward” arm stretch with the baton
angled slightly upwards (this exercise can be executed either with or
without the presence of the outgoing runner).

 Add to the above exercises by completing the pass with coordinated arm
actions of the outgoing and the incoming runner after the command.

Put the pass into practice on the move:

 The pass is practiced while jogging (check the established distance

between the athletes, the arm position of the outgoing runner and the arm
action of the incoming runner, and correct errors).
 The pass is practiced on the grass or track at an easy speed over 30-5Om
maximum.

 The pass is practiced on the track in the relay zone with the acceleration
of the incoming runner limited - 20m acceleration to the check-mark.

 The pass is practiced on the track in the relay zone with increased
acceleration of the incoming runner to the checkmark - 30, 40 and 50m.

 The pass exercises are done on the track in the relay zone with the use of
an electronic or laser device, accurately to measure speeds. This will help
establish the exact location of the checkmarks. If possible, a video camera
should be used for speed and technique observation.