hurdle technique & drills - · pdf file1 hurdle technique & drills jeff martin indiana...

1

HurdleHurdle

Technique & DrillsTechnique & Drills

Jeff MartinJeff Martin

Indiana State UniversityIndiana State University

[email protected]@indstate.edu

812812--237237--43324332

5 Myth5 Myth’’s about Hurdlings about Hurdling

Speed is not a necessity to hurdle Speed is not a necessity to hurdle fastfast

Good form not Good form not ““purepure”” speed makes a speed makes a good hurdlergood hurdler

An athlete that canAn athlete that can’’t jump, throw, or t jump, throw, or sprint will make a good hurdlersprint will make a good hurdler

Tall athletes make the best hurdlersTall athletes make the best hurdlers

DrillDrill’’s dons don’’t do much, we just hurdle t do much, we just hurdle full speed during practicefull speed during practice

2

Mission StatementMission Statement

Through correct training & education, Through correct training & education,

to reduce the time spent on ground to reduce the time spent on ground

or in the air by 0.01 second or more or in the air by 0.01 second or more

for each stride takenfor each stride taken

Mission Statement ContMission Statement Cont……..

Example:Example:

An average collegiate female hurdler that An average collegiate female hurdler that takes three strides between hurdles in the takes three strides between hurdles in the 100 hurdle race will take 51 strides during 100 hurdle race will take 51 strides during a race. If that athlete has a PR or 14.49 a race. If that athlete has a PR or 14.49 and they make a 0.01 second and they make a 0.01 second improvement per stride that will lead to a improvement per stride that will lead to a .51 improvement making her new PR .51 improvement making her new PR 13.98!13.98!

3

Hurdling is SprintingHurdling is SprintingThe hurdle races are The hurdle races are sprint races with sprint races with barriersbarriers

Your best hurdlers Your best hurdlers should also be some should also be some of your best sprinters of your best sprinters running on relays.running on relays.

Without speed success Without speed success is limited, but not is limited, but not unattainableunattainable

Technique with a little Technique with a little speed will lead to speed will lead to some success.some success.

Hurdling is a faultless sprint over Hurdling is a faultless sprint over

barriersbarriers

How fast an athlete runs is limited by How fast an athlete runs is limited by

the technique he/she has developedthe technique he/she has developed

The better the technique the faster The better the technique the faster

the athlete will runthe athlete will run……..WHY?..WHY?

Technique alone will not beat speed Technique alone will not beat speed

butbut……Technique with speed will beat Technique with speed will beat

speed alonespeed alone

4

Technique is learned through motor Technique is learned through motor

educationeducation

We know that hurdling technique can be We know that hurdling technique can be

learned through learned through ““trainingtraining”” the motor unitsthe motor units

Learn technique at a slower speed first!!!Learn technique at a slower speed first!!!

Once the technique is learned the correct Once the technique is learned the correct

way at slower speeds, it is much easier for way at slower speeds, it is much easier for

the athlete to perform the drill/technique the athlete to perform the drill/technique

at a faster or maximum speedat a faster or maximum speed

Improvement by specific trainingImprovement by specific training

Training the motor units to the Training the motor units to the

hurdle events are keyhurdle events are key

Four specific areas to focus on when Four specific areas to focus on when

developing practice plains developing practice plains

–– Reaction TimeReaction Time

–– AccelerationAcceleration

––Maximum SpeedMaximum Speed

–– Speed EnduranceSpeed Endurance

5

Questions?Questions?

The Hurdle TechniqueThe Hurdle Technique

Four parts of the hurdle techniqueFour parts of the hurdle technique

–– 1.) The Start & Approach1.) The Start & Approach

–– 2.) Take2.) Take--off to the hurdleoff to the hurdle

–– 3.) Clearance3.) Clearance

–– 4.) Landing & Step off of the hurdle4.) Landing & Step off of the hurdle

6

The Start & ApproachThe Start & Approach

A good start & acceleration is a mustA good start & acceleration is a must

The hurdle start and sprint start are The hurdle start and sprint start are

the same.the same.

–– The only difference is the hurdler must The only difference is the hurdler must

come up to a taller position out of the come up to a taller position out of the

drive phase quicker than a sprinterdrive phase quicker than a sprinter

The Start & Approach ContThe Start & Approach Cont……..

In the 100/110 hurdle race we need In the 100/110 hurdle race we need

to take an even number of steps to to take an even number of steps to

the first hurdle (8 steps)the first hurdle (8 steps)

The lead leg will always be in the The lead leg will always be in the

back of the blocksback of the blocks

7

The Start & Approach ContThe Start & Approach Cont……..

For the 300 hurdle race the number of For the 300 hurdle race the number of steps to the first hurdle and the number of steps to the first hurdle and the number of steps between the hurdles will be dictated steps between the hurdles will be dictated by the athletes ability and strength.by the athletes ability and strength.

After finding the athletes steps in practice, After finding the athletes steps in practice, you should have the athlete work on you should have the athlete work on moving to a tall sprinting position two moving to a tall sprinting position two strides out from take off.strides out from take off.

These last two strides need to be These last two strides need to be aggressive with the athlete attacking the aggressive with the athlete attacking the hurdlehurdle

The Start & ApproachThe Start & Approach

8

TakeTake--off to the first hurdleoff to the first hurdle

The take off to the first hurdle may be the The take off to the first hurdle may be the single most important aspect of the hurdle single most important aspect of the hurdle race. Good take offs to the hurdles will race. Good take offs to the hurdles will lead to faster timeslead to faster times

The take off should be a continuous The take off should be a continuous acceleration through the hurdleacceleration through the hurdle

The take off should be between 6 The take off should be between 6 ½½ to 7 to 7 ½½ feet behind the hurdlefeet behind the hurdle

This may vary depending on the athletes This may vary depending on the athletes abilitiesabilities

TakeTake--off to the first hurdle Contoff to the first hurdle Cont……..

If the athlete takes off too close to the If the athlete takes off too close to the

hurdle it will force the athlete to have a hurdle it will force the athlete to have a

higher clearance over the hurdle resulting higher clearance over the hurdle resulting

in a slower and longer flight over the in a slower and longer flight over the

hurdlehurdle

If the athlete takes off too far from the If the athlete takes off too far from the

hurdle the athlete will lose speed, hit hurdle the athlete will lose speed, hit

hurdles, and then they will want to hurdles, and then they will want to ““over over

stridestride”” to the next hurdleto the next hurdle

9


The take off foot should be placed on The take off foot should be placed on the track aggressively and the track aggressively and underneath the hips to help the underneath the hips to help the athletes momentum going forward.athletes momentum going forward.

THE ATHLETE SHOULD ALWAYS THE ATHLETE SHOULD ALWAYS LEAD WITH THE KNEELEAD WITH THE KNEE

This action should be a driving This action should be a driving motion toward the hurdle board.motion toward the hurdle board.

The lead foot should be The lead foot should be dorsiflexeddorsiflexed


The head and the shoulders will lead The head and the shoulders will lead the body over the hurdle. The the body over the hurdle. The Shoulders should be slightly in front Shoulders should be slightly in front of the hips.of the hips.

This will result in a This will result in a ““naturalnatural”” lean of lean of the body.the body.

Shoulders & hips are always square Shoulders & hips are always square to the hurdle and going down the to the hurdle and going down the tracktrack

10


The arms should resemble that of a The arms should resemble that of a sprinters.sprinters.

The only modification is to allow the The only modification is to allow the lead leg to come through the arm lead leg to come through the arm pit.pit.

The lead arm should never be The lead arm should never be reached out toward the lead footreached out toward the lead foot

Both arms should never cross the Both arms should never cross the midline of the bodymidline of the body


If one or both of these occur it will If one or both of these occur it will

results in over rotation at landingresults in over rotation at landing

RememberRemember

––Hurdlers are SprintersHurdlers are Sprinters

–– So we must look like sprinters ever over So we must look like sprinters ever over

the hurdlethe hurdle

11

TakeTake--offoff


12

ClearanceClearance

When the athlete attacks the hurdle When the athlete attacks the hurdle

and is aggressive at takeand is aggressive at take--off this off this

allows the center of gravity to be as allows the center of gravity to be as

flat as possibleflat as possible

This will help to keep the hurdle This will help to keep the hurdle

technique close to that of a sprintertechnique close to that of a sprinter

A quick lead leg is important to A quick lead leg is important to

running fast timesrunning fast times

Clearance ContClearance Cont……....

Once the athlete is airborne the peak Once the athlete is airborne the peak

of the parabolic flight is BEFORE you of the parabolic flight is BEFORE you

reach the hurdlereach the hurdle

13


The lead leg should never be fully The lead leg should never be fully

extended, there should be a slight extended, there should be a slight

bend at the knee to allow a fast bend at the knee to allow a fast

efficient landing.efficient landing.

Once the lead foot as cleared the Once the lead foot as cleared the

hurdle a hurdle a ““snappingsnapping”” down action or down action or

““pawingpawing”” action needs to happenaction needs to happen


The trail leg is long off the ground and The trail leg is long off the ground and

then is pulled tight into the buttocks with then is pulled tight into the buttocks with

the toe pointing out to the side.the toe pointing out to the side.

When the hips clear the hurdle, the trail When the hips clear the hurdle, the trail

leg is then pulled through quickly and leg is then pulled through quickly and

finish in the high knee positionfinish in the high knee position

Again, once the trail leg leaves the ground Again, once the trail leg leaves the ground

it is to tucked and remained tuck through it is to tucked and remained tuck through

the entire movementthe entire movement

14


Arm look like sprinter armsArm look like sprinter arms

Once the trail leg starts to come Once the trail leg starts to come

through, the lead arm will sweep through, the lead arm will sweep

back raise slightly to allow the trail back raise slightly to allow the trail

to come through and to come through and ““poppop”” back into back into

a sprint positiona sprint position

ClearanceClearance

15


Landing & Step off the hurdleLanding & Step off the hurdle

The landing distance off the hurdle of The landing distance off the hurdle of

both the 100/110 & 300 hurdle races both the 100/110 & 300 hurdle races

should be about 4 feetshould be about 4 feet

The athlete should always have that The athlete should always have that

““snappingsnapping”” or or ““pawingpawing”” back motion back motion

off the hurdle. This will help the off the hurdle. This will help the

athlete to accelerate to the next athlete to accelerate to the next

hurdle. hurdle.

16

Landing & Step off the hurdle Landing & Step off the hurdle

ContCont……..

At landing both the lead and trail foot At landing both the lead and trail foot should be should be dorsiflexeddorsiflexed

The heal of the lead foot should never The heal of the lead foot should never make contact with the groundmake contact with the ground

At the point of contact, the lead leg should At the point of contact, the lead leg should be fully extended with the knee over the be fully extended with the knee over the toestoes

This allows the center of gravity to be This allows the center of gravity to be directly over the foot letting the athlete directly over the foot letting the athlete have a more powerful step off the hurdle.have a more powerful step off the hurdle.

Landing & Step off the hurdle Landing & Step off the hurdle

ContCont……..

The body should be straight with the The body should be straight with the

shoulders slightly in front of the hipsshoulders slightly in front of the hips

The trail leg should be in front of the The trail leg should be in front of the

body in a body in a ““highhigh”” knee positionknee position

NEVER have the athlete reach with NEVER have the athlete reach with

the trail leg after landing.the trail leg after landing.

The trail leg should be driven back The trail leg should be driven back

down to the track under the hipsdown to the track under the hips

17

Landing & Step off the hurdleLanding & Step off the hurdle


18

Drills:Drills:

Why they are important!Why they are important!

Use drills every hurdle practiceUse drills every hurdle practice

Make them a part of the warmMake them a part of the warm--upup

Drills isolate a certain movement so Drills isolate a certain movement so

the coach/athlete can work on one the coach/athlete can work on one

part of the hurdle techniquepart of the hurdle technique

Drills:Drills:

Why they are important!Why they are important!

Make the athletes learn drill at a slow Make the athletes learn drill at a slow speed firstspeed first

Once the motor units have been Once the motor units have been trained, then the dill can be trained, then the dill can be performed at a faster speedperformed at a faster speed

Emphasize to the athlete that the Emphasize to the athlete that the hurdle form does not change from hurdle form does not change from drills to running full speed over the drills to running full speed over the toptop

19

The most common hurdle question.The most common hurdle question.How do I make my hurdler three step?How do I make my hurdler three step?

Ask your self the following questions:Ask your self the following questions:–– Is my athlete strong?Is my athlete strong?

––Does my athlete have pure speed?Does my athlete have pure speed?

If the do not have either one they should If the do not have either one they should be hurdling?be hurdling?

If the has one or both be sure to work the If the has one or both be sure to work the athletes weaknesses first while touching athletes weaknesses first while touching on his/her strengths during practice.on his/her strengths during practice.

The most common hurdle question.The most common hurdle question.How do I make my hurdler three step?How do I make my hurdler three step?

Do not have the athlete over stride Do not have the athlete over stride between the hurdlebetween the hurdle

Sprinting is a pushing movement not a Sprinting is a pushing movement not a pulling movement. (Work on good pulling movement. (Work on good sprinting form between hurdles)sprinting form between hurdles)

Lower the hurdles and bring them in Lower the hurdles and bring them in closer so the athlete has success.closer so the athlete has success.

Once they have success raise and Once they have success raise and gradually move the hurdles back out.gradually move the hurdles back out.

HIT THE WEIGHT ROOM!HIT THE WEIGHT ROOM!

20

QUESTIONS???QUESTIONS???

EE--Mail Me at:Mail Me at:

Jeff MartinJeff Martin

[email protected]@indstate.edu

hurdle technique & drills - · pdf file1 hurdle technique & drills jeff martin indiana...

Documents