Which foot to put forward during a track start? (Make your track start a success)
Everyone is different, but some commonalities arise when it comes to right-handed or left-handed swimmers. Majority of us have one side of our body stronger than the other and this also shows during swimming specific movements and exercises, especially when 
deciding which foot to put forward during a track start.
There is no real guide for knowing which foot to place forward during a track start. One could assume that if one is right handed (right arm dominant), the right foot should go to the back of the block as a dominant foot, however, foot dominance is sometimes something else than upper limb dominance, so it is not as clear cut as this study indicates. You could very well be right handed, but have a left foot as dominant and to top it off knowing which foot is dominant might also not indicate which foot should go back on the block. Below are a few examples on how you can determine which foot to place first on the starting block during a track start.
1) Hockey analogy - if for example you are right handed, but play hockey with your right hand on the lower part of the hockey stick (usually, right-handed people have their left hand on the lower part of the hockey stick), your left foot will more than likely go in front of the block and right foot to the back.
2) Snowboarding analogy - same goes If you snowboard and are a goofy style while being a right handed person (right foot forward). During the track start your right foot goes in the back part of the block. If you are a snowboarder with a regular stance, it could be the same, but also there is a chance it is the opposite (right foot forward and left foot back on the block).
3) High jump analogy - if you have ever high jumped, you always jump from the outside (take off) foot, so if you approach the bar from the left, you will jump from your right foot etc. Which strangely enough might not be your dominant foot. So in a track start, if you high jump from your right foot, you could try your right foot in front on the block and vice versa if you high jump from your left foot.
4) Sliding analogy - If none of the analogies work for you, why not put some slippery socks on your feet, take a short run and slide on your feet in a staggered position with one foot forward and one foot backwards (you can do this on ice in the winter as well). Then do it the other way and if one way feels more comfortable with balance than the other, place your feet in the staggered position of the LESS comfortable position. So for example, in my case if I slide, I have my right foot forward and left one back, so during the track start I’d put left foot in front and right one back on the block.
5) Push analogy - you can try the famous method where you close your eyes and have some one push you in the back and then whatever foot you put forward is the dominant foot you put in the back of the block when you practice your track start.
In reality, there is probably not one recipe that fits everyone, so if you don’t fit any of those supporting analogies above, just try it both ways and see which one feels more natural. Here is another discussion on the foot dominance topic. If you still can’t get the hang of it, perhaps it is time to try the grab start.
There is no real guide for knowing which foot to place forward during a track start. One could assume that if one is right handed (right arm dominant), the right foot should go to the back of the block as a dominant foot, however, foot dominance is sometimes something else than upper limb dominance, so it is not as clear cut as this study indicates. You could very well be right handed, but have a left foot as dominant and to top it off knowing which foot is dominant might also not indicate which foot should go back on the block. Below are a few examples on how you can determine which foot to place first on the starting block during a track start.
1) Hockey analogy - if for example you are right handed, but play hockey with your right hand on the lower part of the hockey stick (usually, right-handed people have their left hand on the lower part of the hockey stick), your left foot will more than likely go in front of the block and right foot to the back.
2) Snowboarding analogy - same goes If you snowboard and are a goofy style while being a right handed person (right foot forward). During the track start your right foot goes in the back part of the block. If you are a snowboarder with a regular stance, it could be the same, but also there is a chance it is the opposite (right foot forward and left foot back on the block).
3) High jump analogy - if you have ever high jumped, you always jump from the outside (take off) foot, so if you approach the bar from the left, you will jump from your right foot etc. Which strangely enough might not be your dominant foot. So in a track start, if you high jump from your right foot, you could try your right foot in front on the block and vice versa if you high jump from your left foot.
5) Push analogy - you can try the famous method where you close your eyes and have some one push you in the back and then whatever foot you put forward is the dominant foot you put in the back of the block when you practice your track start.
In reality, there is probably not one recipe that fits everyone, so if you don’t fit any of those supporting analogies above, just try it both ways and see which one feels more natural. Here is another discussion on the foot dominance topic. If you still can’t get the hang of it, perhaps it is time to try the grab start.
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