BLIND 4x400 handoffs!?

Question

My track coach is changing all of our 4x400 handoffs to blind instead of the traditional. Is there any reason for this? Nobody at any level seems to do their handoffs blind for the 4x4 and we're not even that good of a high school team (around 3:50).

Answer 1

It is uncommon to exchange blind in a 4x400. Blind exchanges are usually only used for 4x100 and 4x200. The advantage to be gained in a 4x400 from a blind exchange is negligible, and the risk of botching the handoff is significant.

The biggest reason is that you don't have your own lane to yourself. I ran lots of 4x400, 4x800, Sprint Medley & Distance Medley Relays and I recall a good bit of bumping, pushing and shoving between teams during close handoffs.

I would advise your coach to work on your standard 4x400 exchanges to maximize their efficiency. But, coach is the coach, so ultimately you have to do your best to follow his plan.

Answer 2

Um. There really is no need for blind handoffs for the 4x400. but it all depends on how experienced your coach is. It seems that he wants to cut off any little second off the overall. I don't think you need blind overall. Just practice your handoffs while looking and get a good one. I'm pretty sure that track on TV has teams just doing 4x400 handoffs while looking.

Answer 3

Are you serious? That's all the schools do nowadays. It's all blind handoffs. It's not too hard to do as long as the person handing off shouts something and then the other person is ready to receive.

Answer 4

Do you mean your not allowed to look behind you when you recieve the baton? hes doing the right thing. your not supposed to look behind you when your teammate is handing you the baton. you need to have trust within your team. it takes awile to get used to not looking behind you but yoll get it eventually. only look behind when your teammate is like 30 meters away.

Answer 5

I would advise against doing blinds in the 4x400.

Blind ones work in the 4x100 and 4x200 because the margin of victory is much smaller.  The handoffs can play a vital role there.  However, that is not the case in a 4x400.  Furthermore, you do not stay in your lane for the entire 4x400.  Trying to do a blind handoff with four other teams coming in with your guy is a recipe for a dropped baton and a DQ.  

I have only seen one high school team attempt blind 4x400 handoffs.  That was my hometown a couple years after I graduated.  They were ranked number 1 in state and their 3-4 exchange was the same as the 4x200.  Because they used blinds there, those two guys used a blind in the 4x400.  It worked fine until the state finals, when they weren't ahead by 20 meters already.  They got bumped, lost the baton and were dq-ed.

Short story, your coach is wrong.  

Espicially if you are a boy, a 3:50 is nowhere near fast enough to worry about the 1 sec you could save with blind handoffs.

Answer 6

maybe he's trying to get an edge of 1 sec per hand off..thats 3 secs in a race..the winners in the ga state championships all did blind handoffs except 1A