Pattern of movement and the pre- and post-start activation phase during the sprint start in the low-distance athletic run

The purpose of the paper was to identify the pattern of movement of sprinters’ start. The assessment was conducted as to the movement structure expressed by electromyography (EMG) indicators (muscles’ bioelectric voltage [μV] and timing in muscles activity [ms]) in the group of experts-sprinters and in the group of novices-students. Identification was made as to the interdependency in muscles activity in the pre-and post-start phase of sprint start in both tested groups. The research covered a group of 22 specialist stage sprinters (experts-sprinters) of 1st and 2nd sport class and a group of 32 students of master’s study programmes in physical education major (novices-students). The sprinter run test was conducted at a distance of 30 m from start block along with registration of the EMG signal. Sprinters generated significantly higher bioelectric voltage of the examined muscles. The experts-sprinters activated muscles appropriate for the structure of the pattern of movement at sprint start: triceps brachii, biceps brachii, rectus femoris, as well as vastus lateralis of the right and left limb. Motor programme significantly correlates with start reaction time (R = −.47). The smaller the number of activated muscles in sprinters in the pre-start phase, the shorter the start reaction time.