BY: WAYNE CLARK M-F ATHLETIC

 USE YOUR BEST SPRINTER  BEST ATHLETES  TALL  TOUGH/COMMITTED  WARM BODY  YOU CAN MAKE HURDLERS, BUT IT AIN’T EASY  PRETTIEST EVENT (OR UGLIEST)  DO DRILLS WITH BOTH LEGS  4 STEPPING IS OK (LEARN TO ALTERNATE)

 Include hurdle stepping in warm ups for all S-H-J  Do hurdle drills early in work out (fresh)  Do quality straight away hurdling early in work out  Do 300MH as your workout or conditioning part of work out

 HOW TO:  7 Hurdles set 6 inches between bases  2-3 times through using right lead leg then left lead leg  PURPOSE:  Hip flexibility  High knee/toe up  Eliminate fear  Find hurdlers (don’t tell)  COACHING POINTS:  Stay tall  Lead knee straight up and straight down  Toe up  Shoulders square & hips square

 HOW TO:  Push hurdles together  Same lines- same 4 reps  All trail legs  Alternate trail every hurdle  PURPOSE:  Hip flexibility  Focus on trail leg  COACHING POINTS:  Stay tall  Compact width of trail leg  Knee through armpit  Knee back to middle

 HOW TO:  Pull Hurdles & reset with one hurdle space between  2 rights 2 lefts  Lead and trail legs  PURPOSE:  - Hip flexibility  - Now can get rhythm going  COACHING POINTS:  Stay tall  Get a non-stop flow going  Same lead knee/trail leg emphasis

Set hurdle on 30”-33” Pull back from wall(fence) 3’ reps Work all trail legs Purpose: Isolate Trail Leg Coaching Points: Watch from side and back Back to middle Knee through armpit Stop-put foot on ground each rep

HOW TO: Hurdle against wall 33’ – 36” height 1 step with lead leg driving it up and over to wall 15 reps each leg PURPOSE: Isolate lead leg COACHING POINT: Stand to side Lead with knee, not with foot Drive into hurdle (not lean back)

INCLINE TRAIL LEG How to: Set 1 hurdle side at 30”-other at 33” (creating incline) Lay trail leg on top of hurdle Pull trail leg through and forward 10 reps each side PURPOSE: Forces trail leg knee to come through higher COACHING POINTS: Make sure to drag foot along hurdle board Pull knee to back to middle

TRAIL HOP DRILL HOW TO: Put hurdle at 30”. Set lead leg hamstring on hurdle board. Hop over hurdle pulling leg through PURPOSE: Quick reaction for tail leg COACHING POINTS: Be careful Practice several times slowly Only raise to higher heights if athlete is capable of handling Make sure athlete lands in proper running position

 HOW TO FOR “0”  Straddle hurdle  Lead leg is on ground in front of hurdle, but to the side  Pull trail leg trough  5-10 reps each side of hurdle  PURPOSE  Get rhythm started but still isolating trail leg

 HOW TO FOR “1”  One step back  Lift lead knee-go over phantom hurdle-trail same as before  PURPOSE  Get rhythm started but still isolating trail leg  HOW TO FOR “2”  Add one more step back  Now-high knee, lead leg, trail leg  PURPOSE  Get rhythm going

 COACHING POIINTS:  Stand to side and watch that knee leads ahead of foot  Fast action over hurdle & recover to a rhythmic knee movement between  PURPOSE:  Continue to emphasize high knees to make sure they lead with knee and not foot  HOW TO:  Put hurdles at regular spacing (may vary per individual)  3- 5 hurdles  Start 6-7 yards from hurdles (adjust)  Start with high knee short step action  Go over hurdle and start high knee action to next (etc.)

HOW TO: WHEN WORKING WITH SPRINTERS ON START PUT HURLDES IN OWN LANES WITH 1 OR 2 HURDLES FOR THEM PURPOSE: CONFIDENCE TO HURDLE SPEED CORRECT STEP IT’S A SPRINT RACE COACHING POINTS: OBSERVE START TECHNIQUE STRIDE PATTERN TAKE OFF POINT(ABOUT 6’)

HOW TO: 1 st hurdle low down hurdle/on its regular spot Put hurdle 2 down 3’ short(put hurdle at 36” setting & lay board on line) Put hurdle 3’-6’ short Etc. up to 5 hurdles PURPOSE: Have athlete sprint normal through the hurdles “3 stepping” COACHING POINTS: Show them hurdling is sprinting Power through steps Confidence they can 3 step

Put first hurdle up, Leave others down Put 1 up at 33”, 2 at 30” and the rest down Put 1 up at 36”, 2 at 33”, 3 at 30” and the rest down Put them all up at 30” Set at normal height & pull out 2 & 4 and go over (should get 7 steps-may have to cheat hurdles in 4-6”) GO FAST!

Obviously you have prepared them by doing all the drills with both legs. We always use 300’s as conditioning phase to finish workouts (always do these somewhat tired). Use 300 hurdling to be efficient with both legs and be in great shape – explain why

Watch steps to see they attack and go with closest lead leg(no chopping) Make sure they go hard enough to get tired so they have to hurdle tired Conditioning “Decision Hurdling” Confidence Regular spacing but usually 3” lower Have a lane for girls and boys Sometimes sprinters go outside of each hurdle to push them

 BLOCKS TO 1  HOW TO: Go from blocks through 1 hurdle  PURPOSE: Confidence, endurance, teach go hard to 1 st  COACHING POINTS: No chopping, normal sprint pattern, hurdle clearance  BLOCKS TO 2: SAME  BLOCKS TO 1  HOW TO: Go from blocks through 1 hurdle  PURPOSE: Confidence, endurance, teach go hard to 1 st  COACHING POINTS: No chopping, normal sprint pattern, hurdle clearance  BLOCKS TO 2: SAME

HOW TO: We usually put 4-6 hurdles on the curve Spacing doesn’t matter Athletes run through set & we change spacing on every hurdle (change every set) PURPOSE: Confidence to go over with whichever leg comes up COACHING POINTS ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK (no chopping)