Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

What are some cues for the trail leg to help keep that toe pointed up. When I try to point it up and to the side when I bring it over the hurdle it points down or it dorsiflexes, and it’s driving me nuts. And don’t tell me that if you do everything right up to that point it will happen naturally because it doesn’t for me, I just need a cue, or some word, or something.

“knee up, toe up, heel up”

Toe orientation should be something that happens from the position of the hip. Unless you’ve got some really serious issues I don’t think you want to try fixing things from the foot position. I’d view that as a symptom of a bigger problem.

Try these cues

*Keep it tight (heel to butt)
*Chop off the knee (for arm, but should indirectly help with your problem)
*Be compact on hurdle clearance

I don’t understand chop off the knee, is that for your lead arm over the hurdle?

Wisconman - 21 January 2008 06:45 AM

I don’t understand chop off the knee, is that for your lead arm over the hurdle?

Yes….this is a temporo-spatial cue that requires the athlete to hit the position you want for the trail leg (tight heel-to-butt, coming through fast and high and in front of the body).

Here is another idea for you:

Do the trail-leg wall drill (the one where you arms are against a wall and you are just moving your trail leg. Have your coach put your trail leg & foot into the correct position with their hands and help you move it correctly. I have found that this can quickly help an athlete learn the correct trail-leg feeling & movement.

Also, a cue I have used is ‘bring your knee through your armpit’. Think about that while dorsiflexing your trail leg foot and you should be good to go.

JedS - 23 January 2008 09:54 AM

Here is another idea for you:

Do the trail-leg wall drill (the one where you arms are against a wall and you are just moving your trail leg. Have your coach put your trail leg & foot into the correct position with their hands and help you move it correctly. I have found that this can quickly help an athlete learn the correct trail-leg feeling & movement.

Also, a cue I have used is ‘bring your knee through your armpit’. Think about that while dorsiflexing your trail leg foot and you should be good to go.

Jed brings up a great point that some coaches neglect: Finishing the trail leg.  It’s very important for the knee of the trail leg to be facing front prior to coming back to to the track.  Otherwise, if the trail leg begins to swing down to the track prematurely, you will really set up some serious undesirable rotation. 

Pull it through high and in front and it should flow from there.  Find any photo sequence of Nehemiah or Jackson and you’ll see what I mean.

When you are training hurdlers, even in season, and they are going over the top at full speed, do you narrow the distance in between hurdles? I don’t have much of a problem going over the 42’s, at least not at my speed, but I have alot of trouble making it through. My coach had us move in the second hurdle one length, the third hurdle two lengths, etc., but I am worried that when I get into a race my rythm will be off, and I stretch alot in practice to three step.

Hey Wisconman,

So do you 4 step during meets, since you have to reach with reduced distances?

Regardless, I would start the season with the spacing even closer than just 1 foot in.  Depending on what your goals are for your splits and what you are capable of spacing them and being able to be quick and not reach in between and then working toward moving them further out as the season goes. 

As far as bringing them in 1 foot each, I have never had a problem with my hurdlers when they have gotten to meets after reduced spacings.  I personally do not run many work outs with the hurdles at normal spacings, just because it’s harder for my athletes to hit the desired splits we are working towards.

In terms of being able to finish a whole flight of 10 hurdles without reaching, why not set up something where you run 8-12 hurdles and gradually bring them closer as you go.
For Example…H1-H3 @8.2m, H4-H6 @8.0m, H7-H8 @7.8m.

I dont have to reach with reduced distance, I have to reach at normal spacings. I don’t really know if I can three step a whole race I didn’t complete my trail leg over the first hurdle of my 1st race and i was at takeoff distance to the second hurdle with my body turned at about 45 degrees to it and i crashed into it. The spacings I use are one hurdle base length in, then two, then three, etc. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about know that I have cleared up my explanation.