Im a hurdler for my track team and I would like to know how I can improve my speed?

Question

any techniques?

Answer 1

I have a whole packet on this. I have been coaching hurdles for a couple years now and this packet was made for the summer camps. I will just copy paste the whole thing. Not only did I do all these things but I have my athletes do them. I had 2 girls go to the junior olympics last year and they came back with medals. So I hope it helps you out. If you have any questions or don't understand something in the below information, just send me an email at [e-mail]

What is Sprinting?

There are 2 things that will tell you how fast you are going:  

1)Stride Length

2)Stride Frequency

Just remember that your constant is that the ball of the foot strikes the ground first underneath your center of gravity.

  

Simple Physics

1)A long lever is a slower lever but a strong lever.

2)A short lever is a faster lever but a weaker lever.

3)Stretch Reflex:  You are trying to put yourself into the proper position to get the most out of your body.  Your goal is to be in stretch reflex positions.

4)When you are jogging you 4 to 5 times your body weight when your foot strikes the ground and when sprinting you are 7 to 8 times your body weight.  Example:  150 lbs. person racing the 100 meters is 1050 lbs. to 1200 lbs. when his/her foot hits the ground.  

Sprinter Moto

To get off the ground as fast as possible and to get back on the ground as soon as possible.

Proper Sprint Mechanics

Before you start to read about proper sprint mechanics it is important to know that everything that is mentioned below you will be able to practice and do.  It has nothing to do with a person’s biomechanics.

Posture:

This is crucial.  When sprinting, you are always in a straight line.  Your alignment is head, hips and balls of the feet. It is the same as when you are standing tall. (Think about a straight board.)

Feet and Legs:

1)Always have toes up (****** foot or dorsi- flexed).  Foot and shin should be at a 90 degree angle. (Your Achilles tendon will be in a stretch reflex position.)

2)Always have the ball of your foot strike the ground first.  You want to see your shin angle straight up or even better slightly forward.  

3)When your foot strikes the ground your leg will be slightly bent and your foot will be slightly out in front of your center of gravity.  

4)For the first 10 meters of your race or practicing an acceleration push all the way to a straight leg and push all the way through your toes (bridge on your toes).  After 10 meters you want to bring your foot to a toes up position and keep it there.  Also, after 10 meters you will not push to a straight leg, your leg will be bent when it starts to go forward.   You want to hot-foot it off the ground.  Remember that the instant your foot strikes the ground you are not fast enough or strong enough to get anymore out of your stride by pushing to a straight leg and pushing to a bridged toe.  

5)At the start of your race or acceleration you will have lower heal recovery, but after the first few steps your heal will come all the way up under your butt (full leg cycle).  (If you have a full leg cycle your quadriceps will produce a greater stretch reflex.)

Knees and Legs:

Run with high knees.  When sprinting your quads should be 90 degrees to your torso.  You are looking for a big knee separation (or in other words, your knees are as far away as possible from each other). You are looking to put as much force into the ground as possible and one way to achieve this is to have a high knee lift.  At the instant of ground contact, your free leg knee (free leg that is not on the ground) should be right next to your other knee or in front of it.  You should be hot footing it off the ground.  If you are hot footing it off the ground and you are in a toe up position, there will not be a separation between your knees at the point of contact.  

Hips:

1) Your hips should always be underneath you and in alignment with the rest of your body.  After the drive phase and you are tall, your hips must be facing straight down the track or even be slightly tilted up.  The hip joint produces most of your power.  Stand tall and don’t be the clasped board.  When you are tall you will create a large stretch reflex in you hip.  Remember when you are sprinting that you are 7 to 8 times your body weight.  Proper hip alignment will allow more force to be returned to the body, which can be directed into forward movement.  One of the goals of being a sprinter is to put as much force into the ground as possible.  

2)When running you will see a slight rise and lowering of the hips.  When the ball of your foot first strikes the ground your center of gravity will be slightly lower and as you push off the ground your hips will rise. Basically you will see a lowering and raising of your center of gravity (hips) every step you take.  Running is a series of catching yourself every step you take.  

Stomach:Tight.

Arms and Hands:

Have your hand come to the level of your chin with a closed angle between your forearm and biceps.  From this position throw your hand straight down towards the ground to produce as much force as possible. Your arm and hand should be right next to your side. You don’t want your arms crossing in front of your too much.  (An open hand will produce more force then a closed fist.  The reason is the longer the lever, the stronger the lever and your arm is longer when your hand is open. Also, when you have an open hand you are more relaxed.  A clinched fist is not relaxed and this will produce strain.)

You want your arm to come almost completely straight next to your side.  After you throw your hand straight down next to your side your elbow will come up to about the middle of your back.  Since you are hot footing it off the ground and your leg will be bent behind you, your elbow will not come back too far so you may be able to get your hand back in front of you to use it again for your next stride.  You  

Shoulders:

If you are standing tall and your arms are hanging to your sides, your shoulders are relaxed and low.  This is the same position your shoulders must be in the whole time sprinting.



Head and Neck:

Always in the same alignment has your chest.  You should not move your head and your face and neck must be relaxed. If you strain your face or neck you are tense and you will not be an efficient sprinter. Be relaxed but also in control.

Whole Body:

You want to have controlled, relaxed, and fluid movements.  A relaxed runner is a fast runner.  

The objective:

1)The obvious objective in sprinting is to go as fast as possible, but you will not live up to your potential unless you do the things mentioned above.  

2)To put as much force into the ground as possible.

3)To run efficient.  A relaxed runner can be an efficient runner.

4)Put your body in stretch reflex positions.

Video Check List

1)  _______ Body Position (are you tall with your hips facing straight down the track)?

2)  _______ Shoulders Relaxed (can you see your neck)?

3)  _______ Face and neck relaxed?  

3)  _______ Knees High (is the thigh and torso at 90%)?

4) _______ Toe Up Position (is the foot and the shin at 90%)?

5)  _______ Does the ball of the foot the first thing that strikes the ground?

6)  _______ If the ball of the foot is the first thing that strikes the ground, is the shin angle straight up or slightly forward?

7)  _______ At the instant your foot strikes the ground is the free leg knee right next to the other knee or even better is the free leg knee in front of the other knee.

8)  _______ Does you hand come to the level of your chin with a closed angle between your forearm and biceps.  

9)  _______ After your hand is at your chin do you throw your hand straight down towards the ground to produce as much force as possible.

Things to Remember to be a Better Sprinter

A longer lever is a stronger lever and a shorter lever is a faster lever.

Stretch Reflex will produce much more force without even trying.

Don’t try to bring your limbs forward, stretch reflex will do it for you.

Core strength is essential. The core of your body is from your shoulders to your knees.

Strength is speed and speed is strength.

It is 7 times harder to recover mentally then physically.  So be positive and confident at all times.

Warm-up

If it is cool or cold out it is important to have the proper closes on.  Stay warm.  Your primary goal during the warm-up is to raise your body temperature.   Your other goals during the warm-up are to recruit muscle fibers and to put your body through a full range of movements.

Jog

800 meters

General Circulation (you can do this 1 or 2 sets)

Leg Raises               1x15

Superman                1x15

Star Jumps         1x25 (or jumping jacks)

Leg Raises:  in-out   1x15

Push-Ups                1x15-20

Crunches                 1x25

Stretching/Dynamic Flexibility

Side Bends                        7 each side

Hip Circles                        5 to 7 each way

Sumo Wrestlers                 5 to 7 each direction

Lunge Walks                     20 steps long stride/emphasize stretching the hip flexor

Roll backs (hamstring)      7 to 10 each leg

Leg Swings  10 front-back, 10 side-side

Specific/Neuromuscular Warm-Up

Wall Drills

Trail Leg:  Forward        10              Reverse         10

            Leg Cycle (On Coach Klim’s command)

Drive Steps: (On Coach Klim’s command)

one at a time:  5 each leg              alternate/pause:  5 each leg

                                 alternate/continuous:  10 each leg

The following are part of the Specific/Neuromuscular Warm-up

Form Runs: (Each exercise is usually done twice for approximately 25 to 35 meters)

Carioca

* High Knee Carioca

Hip Skips

Straight Legged Runs

* Over exaggerated Skips (bring your knee all the way to your chest)

Backward runs

a) *standing tall

b) *squating down

c) *standing tall with a full leg cyc

Answer 2

The simple answer is to run faster between the hurdles.

To do this you need to work on your hurdle form.

Practice drills, put the hurdle against the wall, do your lead leg.

Stand beside the hurdle, holding on to another hurdle or a fence and do trail leg.

Practice walking over the hurdles to get better hip action, and keep your knees high.

Hurdling is sprinting over barriers, so you need to improve your technique to the point that you can run very fast, not run, then jump, recover and then run again.

Once you are comfortable with your form then there are lots of intervals you can do to improve your condition.