HURDLE RHYTHM DRILL

There's three different types of rhythm in the hurdle race:

• The rhythm to hurdle 1
• The rhythm into and off of the hurdle
• The rhythm in between the hurdles

Today we're going to talk about the rhythm into and off of each hurdle. We're going to address how we train them, how we implement them, how to drill them..., all different ways of reinforcing rhythm and hurdle workouts so that it comes together when they try to race.

The rhythm into and off of each hurdle

The sound of the last two steps into the hurdles should be closer together. So, the last two steps into hurdle one, the 8^_th step is smaller than the 7^_th step. If you look at the 7^_th step pattern, the 7^_th step is smaller than the 6^_th step. And so, because it's smaller, the sound of the last two feet hitting the ground is going to be closer together. So we're looking for "Boom Boom". We want to hear the sounds closer together. And then the sound of the touchdown off of the hurdle on the other side and the first step should also be closer together. So, what happens on one side of the hurdle, we hope that happens on the other side of the hurdle. So if you hear "Boom Boom" on one side, we want to hear "Boom Boom" on the other side.

• So, athletes that get long before the hurdle and reach, then usually we hear "Boom... Boom" into the hurdle, and then we also hear "Boom... Boom" off of the hurdle.

• So, if the athlete cuts and pushes into the hurdle, then that sound is going to be closer together on the front end, and therefore the sound on the other side will be more likely to be closer together.

So, the athletes need to learn to cut and push and keep that sound closer together, so that they can run off of the hurdle as well.

Rhythm into & off of each hurdle:

• The sound of the last two steps into the hurdle should be closer together.
• The sound of the touchdown off of the hurdle and the 1^_st step should also be closer together.
• What happens on one side happens on the other side.
  • Long and slow into the hurdle = Long and slow off of the hurdle
  • Cut and push into the hurdle keeps the sound closer together on the front end
    • Therefore, the sound on the other side will more likely be close together

First teach the hurdler to cut & push

We need to teach the athletes how to cut and push properly. So, we need to teach them about cutting and pushing. Track & field coach Marc Mangiacotti teaches cut step drills. The first one is teach the in-place cut step drill, which is very simple. And then we will fix the hurdle penetration drill, which he sees a lot of athletes do incorrectly. And then we'll couple these cut step drills together.

Cut step drills:

1. Teach in place cut step drill
2. Fix hurdle penetration drill
3. Couple the cut step drill

Straight leg shuffle drill

Straight leg shuffle drill is a drill that coach Marc Mangiacotti uses with his athletes. The athlete is shuffling in between each one of the hurdles. And so, in between each hurdle, they're taking three shuffles. They're being plyometric in nature and really tall. This is reinforcing:

• Good mechanics or body position, in between the hurdles.

• Smaller shuffling type steps, even though it's straight leg.

Into each one of the boards that are on the ground, that they are also pushing with their takeoff leg, and their lead leg is popping up. Their lead leg going over each one of these little boards on the ground is that it's actually going up higher because they're pushing. The equal and opposite reaction of a push is their leg just popping up in front of them. So, they're reinforcing that quick sound of "Pop Pop" before each one of the hurdles and pushing into the hurdle.

They're also bouncing off of the hurdle. And you're going to hear a sound that is close together for their touchdown and first shuffle. So, you're reinforcing moving into the hurdle, off the hurdle, and in between the hurdles in this drill.

Bibliographic references:

• CompleteTrack. (2018). Hurdle Rhythm Drill [Video file]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/PraC-vgq7us?si=q2Qiq8wtW3N-pxKd