What is a flying start and when would you use it?

• A. Starting from a stationary block to measure reaction time during sprints.
• B. Running approach into a flying segment used to assess top-end speed and isolate velocity development from acceleration.
• C. A jog into a sprint to warm up before a race.
• D. A transition from walking to running to test endurance.

Answer: (B)

A flying start measures top-end speed by having the sprinter accelerate before the timing begins, so the clock captures a phase when they are already at high velocity. This setup isolates velocity development from the initial acceleration work. It’s used when you want to assess maximal speed and how well a sprinter can reach and sustain high velocity, rather than how quickly they can get moving from a standstill.

In practice, you use an approach run to build up speed, then time the flight segment over a designated distance (often around 20–40 meters, depending on the protocol). This lets you quantify pure speed without the influence of reaction time or early acceleration.

Starting from a stationary block would measure reaction and initial drive rather than top speed. A jog into a sprint is simply a warm-up, not a flying start. A transition from walking to running tests endurance rather than velocity.