300 Hurdles

RACE MODEL AND CORRECTIONS TO COMMON FAULTS

Don HelbergWheaton North High SchoolWheaton, IL

Goals for this Talk

Review the phases of the hurdles

My philosophy of training 300 Hurdlers

Review drills we do

Race Model for your athletes

Corrections of common faults

Acknowledgements: There are sooooo many people who have helped develop me into the hurdle coach I am today that I cannot list them all, but there are a few to special note

Willie May Rollie Eckman

Wilbur Ross Marc Mangiacotti

Boo Schexnayder Tommy Badon

Wayne Clark Keith Klestinski

Jim Martin Devlyn Lovell

Jack Sands Frank Gramaroso

Al Carius Gary Winckler

All of the athletes I’ve coached

Info: 34 years at Wheaton North. Always have coached the hurdles

Ran hurdles in H.S. and College (North Central College, Naperville IL)

Head Coach for past 26 years

2 State Trophies, 15 Conference Titles, 6 Sectional Titles

11 Individual State Champions, Many State Placers

ITCCCA Hall of Fame 2008 (2 x Coach of the Year)

USTFCCCA Board of Directors (2013-15)

Executive Chair National Senate of High School Track Coaches Associations (2011-2016)

Coached Hurdles since 1985300 H Top 10 List

1) A.J. Harris 38.00 2002

2) Brett Kohler 38.12 2012

3) Matt Shatswell 38.67 2009

4) Adam Harris 38.68 2004

5) Frank Pettaway 38.71 1992

6) Rob Kohler 38.9 H.T. 2005

7) Mike Walsh 39.2 H.T. 2007

8) Noah Leach 39.53 2015

9) Matt Rodriguez 39.8 H.T. 1995

10) Chris Martin 39.9 H.T. 1990

6 Phases of HurdlingStart

Approach

Take Off

Clearance

Landing

Stepping out to next hurdle

StartLead Leg is BACK in the blocks

Take 22-24 steps to first hurdle

Length of ‘Drive Phase’ changes depending on weather and ability of the athlete

Needs to come out FASTER than a 400m pace

Approach

After the ‘Drive Phase’ the athlete needs to gain a TALL position

Keeps Hips up and allows body to be prepared for the proper take-off (extension)

Calm night…Drive Phase 7 steps22 steps to first hurdle

Matt Shatswell6th State MeetPR: 38.67400 split: 50.2

This Race: 39.07

Very Strong Head WindDrive Phase 12 steps…22 steps to first hurdle

Matt Shatswell6th State MeetPR: 38.67400 split: 50.2

This Race:39.28

Take Off (Extension)Needs to be ~7-8’ in front of hurdle

Needs full extension

Drives INTO the hurdle (not jumping)

ClearanceLead Leg will extend forward (slightly bent) when extension is completed

Ideally head should be level

Arms are controlled to help

keep balance

LandingShould land on ball of lead foot

Lead foot should land below center of gravity

Trail leg should be kept high ready for the ‘get away step’

Stepping Out to Next HurdleMost UNDER COACHED aspect of hurdling

Lead foot must PUSH away from the hurdle

Trail leg knee should be kept high to get maximum stride length away from the hurdle

Will keep momentum going

Will keep balance

All Phases Put Together

Brett Kohler8th State MeetPR: 38.12400 split: 49.2

This Race38.29

My Philosophy of Coaching Long HurdlesI Do NOT do Hurdle Workouts…Train with 400m guys

Most hurdlers are better at one distance (Long or Short) so train them accordingly

Do Hurdle Drills EVERYDAY (hurdling is muscle memory)

I Never go over more than 3 hurdles in a run

Go over hurdles usually no more than 2 days/week

Hurdle #1 is most important…get this one right!

Work mostly on first 3 hurdles of race

Use Touchdown Times in practice

Must work hurdling with both lead legs

Hurdle Drills we do EVERYDAY after the workout

Hip Circles

Lead Leg Boxes (Extension)

A and B Skips over hurdles

Walking Hurdles (both legs)

Get Aways

Hip Circles

Heel of foot should be at crossbar (coaching point!)

Knee ALWAYS higher than ankle

Finish toe up high on wall

Lead Leg Boxes (Extension)

Try to get the Extension…leave take off foot behind

A & B Skips over hurdles(10 toe-heel steps apart)

Make sure they drive knee up…toe up, good arm placement

A Skips B Skips

Walking Hurdles (Tip Hurdle Over)

Work on Extension, Arm Placement, and Get Away step

10 toe-heel steps

apart

Get Away’s (find small step)

Land on ball of foot, keep trail knee high, BIG step away

Hurdle Technique Days

They do the 5 Everyday Drills to warm-up

5 step drill to loosen up

Bust Outs 1,2,3 hurdles (use touchdown times)

Maybe do Slow-Attack-Slow Drill

5 step drill to loosen up

Use HH marks (use which every height you prefer)Put #1 at normal spotPut #2 two base lengths longerPut #3 four base lengths longer

This way they can run at a decent speed 5 steppingCan work on all phases of hurdling at sub race pace

Bust Outs

This is the term I use when I want them to come out of the blocks over the 1st hurdle, first 2 hurdles, first 3 hurdles. I just say Bust 1, or Bust 2, or Bust 3

I do not discount hurdles for these

Do this is all weather conditions

Put cones up to represent a finish line after their last hurdle

Bust Outs

Bust 1- Work on start and steps to first hurdle

Bust 2- Work on ‘Get Away’ step from first hurdle, keeping momentum and balance

Bust 3- Working Rhythm

Usually don’t do more than 5 Bust 1’s or Bust 2’s…Usually no more than 3 Bust 3’s

Bust Outs

Will time touchdowns and share with athlete after each run to help them with race pace for their ability.

If have injured athlete or tripod, have them use an I-Pad and video the Busts so we can analyze

Touchdown TimesClick split each time lead foot hits groundTarget time

H 1 H 2 H 3 H 4 H 5 H 6 H 7 H 8 Finish Time

39.4 6.1 10.9 15.2 19.5 23.9 28.5 33.2 38.0 39.4

40.8 6.8 11.2 15.6 20.1 24.6 29.4 34.3 39.3 40.8

42.2 7.1 11.6 16.1 20.8 25.5 30.4 35.5 40.7 42.2

43.7 7.3 12.0 16.7 21.5 26.4 31.5 36.7 42.1 43.7

45.2 7.6 12.4 17.3 22.2 27.3 32.5 38.0 43.5 45.2

46.6 7.8 12.8 17.8 22.9 28.1 33.6 39.2 44.9 46.6

48.8 8.0 13.2 18.4 23.6 29.0 34.6 40.4 46.3 48.8

Slow-Attack-Slow Drill

Set up last 3 Hurdles in a 300. Have athlete start at H5

Approach #1 (H6) slowly (relaxed), then the last 4-6 steps before the hurdle, they get TALL and ATTACK the hurdle, then resume slowly to next hurdle and repeat

Do this no more than 3-5 times

Race ModelTouchdown off H4 is the ½ point of this race

2nd Half of race should not be slower than 2-2.5 seconds from their first half

Experience will help with Energy Distribution (Experiment)

Have found basically 2 models

Ideally: 22,15 the rest….usually doesn’t work out that wayRace 1) 22,15,16,15,15,15,15,15….38.86Race 2) 22,15,15,15,15,16,16,15….38.67

Same kid 1 week apart

Race Model #1

Win the race to H5 (~180 m), then hold on!!!

Use this model mostly…helps keep them aggressive in the early part of the race

400 m training will allow for them to finish strong

Win the race to H5, then hold on!Touchdown timesH1- 36.9H2- 36.9H3- 37H4- 37H5- 37.5H6-37.8H7-38H8-38.1Time: 38.86

Race Model #2

Relax for first 3 hurdles, then pour it on

Only use this model if athlete is having trouble with steps to H2 and/or H3 by being aggressive (stride length)

Need a mature/strong athlete to use this model…won’t panic if behind in the race early

Relax thru first 3 hurdles, then pop!!

Touchdown TimesH1- 40H2- 40.2H3- 40.2H4- 39.8H5- 39.6H6- 39.2H7- 39H8- 38.8Time38.41

Correction of Common Faults

Chicken-Stepping (stuttering to hurdle)

Rocking Back Off of Hurdle

Not Getting steps to first hurdle

Wild Arms

Not Aggressive

Poor Trail Leg

Chicken Stepping

Don’t understand Inertia yet

Not good at judging Distances and Speeds

Not confident with opposite leg hurdling

Chicken Stepping

WRONG

RIGHT

Misconception of the young hurdler

Need to Understand INERTIA!

Chicken Stepping-Corrections

Mark Take-Off spot ~7-8’

Work on Opposite Leg Hurdling more (5 step drill)

Slow-Attack-Slow Drill with opposite leg

Bust 3 for rhythm

Rocking Back Off the Hurdle

Taking off too far away from hurdle

Landing with foot in front of center of gravity

Not getting extension to Hurdle at Take Off

Rocking Back Off the Hurdle-Corrections

Lead Leg Box Extensions

5 step drill working on Extension

Get Aways

Slow-Attack-Slow

Not Getting Steps to First Hurdle

Not Being Aggressive out of the Blocks

Improper Drive Phase steps

Not Getting Steps to First Hurdle-Correction

Bust 1 with discounted hurdle (banana hurdle if needed)until you get it right!

Mark takeoff spot ~7-8’ from hurdle

Wild Arms

Wild Arms-Corrections

Walk Hurdles and focus on arm placement/movement

5 Step Drill focusing on Arms

Slow-Attack-Slow Drill

Bust 2

Not Being Aggressive

Fear of race distance

Not Being Aggressive-Corrections

Slow-Attack-Slow

Bust 1, 2, 3 with touchdown times

Experience

Poor Trail Leg

Lack of Concentration

Poor Hip Flexibility

Not doing Hip Circles

Poor Trail Leg-Corrections

Hip Circles

Walk Hurdles (move further apart so they need to step away more)

Get Aways

Bust 3

Be Patient with the Young Hurdler46.7 to 42.9 in 1 week!

Thank You for AttendingContact me with questions/comments

Good Luck with your season

Don Helberg (Wheaton North H.S.)

donald.helberg@cusd200.org