Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

i am thinking about having a triple jumper (18 years old- 44') try the 110 HH. it seems like those two events are reasonably compatible. what do you guys think? can it be done and if so how? the strengths of this particular athlete are power (avg speed), strength and mobility. thanks for your thoughts.

There is always some cross over ability in speed/power.  So short answer is yes it can be done. 

Sticks and bricks is the easiest method of teaching beginners and permits progressive learning model.  This is a very basic explanation.  Scissor hurdles are invaluable for this learning phase due the ease and range of adjustment.  Begin by having the athlete sprinting 20+ strides beyond the start line, followed by marking the track between the 8th and 9th step (1st stick), between strides 12 & 13 (2nd stick) and between strides 16 & 17 (3rd stick).  Set the sticks on the track approximately 2/3 distance between the marked strides.  Once you've marked the strides and inserted the sticks, have the athlete run the same pattern again.  Emphasize sprinting the distance with good mechanics.  Over a period of several repetitions, gradually increase the height of the sticks while continuing to emphasize sprinting the distance and increasing tempo of the stride rhythm.  Gradually over several workouts increase the distance between the hurdles (sticks) and as they become proficient, gradually increase the hurdle height.  Practices are best done using discounted distances (shorter) between hurdles as well as discounted hurdle height (lower) from the race distance and height.   The key is to have the athlete work to increase the rhythm speed with minimal deviation as the distance and barrier heights increase.

Can you give some more specifics?  Does the prospect want to learn the event?  What is the inseam of the prospect? Do you have any times for him: 100m, flying 30m, etc?  What kind of expectations do you as the coach have and what are the expectations of the athlete?  Do you expect them to be competitive at the local, conference or state level and what kinds of times will it take to do so?

Good luck!
Chris

thanks for the feedback. here are some more details about this athlete. he is interested. he has about a 32 inch inseam. 40 yd dash = 4.75 (hand held). expectations? he needs to run 16 flat to place at our conference meet.

TJing and Hurdling tend to be a decent pairing at the high school level do the elastic demands and the rhythmic nature of the events. As, notruthless stated I'd stick with close and short hurdles to establish a rhythm stereotype.