According to Campbell, poor sprinting mechanics hinder hurdlers by:

• Reducing speed and velocity between and through the hurdles
• Forcing you to take off too close or too far away from the hurdle
• Preventing you from clearing a hurdle successfully

“Once running technique is perfected, we shift focus to maximizing horizontal speed, which includes a flawless takeoff, clearance and touchdown between each hurdle, without deceleration,” explains Campbell, a former Big East Conference and NAIA triple jump champion.

Here, Campbell offers advice on what he considers the biggest difference-maker between hurdling success and clumsy failure: executing a sound takeoff. Practice it, and maybe your hurdling dreams will become blue ribbon reality:

• Depending on your height, begin takeoff between 6’4” and 6’10” in front of hurdle
• Bend lead leg at knee so it is at 90-degree angle and toe and heel are up
• Drive top of thigh up to chest, keeping body tall at hips
• With lead arm flexed and moving forward, bring hand to midline of body, stopping hand at shoulder height
• Opposite arm should be flexed at elbow and driven back, with wrist at waist level

Campbell’s Coaching Corner:

• Avoid moving your arms and hands too far across body
• Don’t move your chest down to your thigh
• Lean into hurdle with your knee first, not your foot
• This is a sprint event. Spend more time on the ground than hanging in the air All-American Seminole Buster Posey threw out 41 percent of attempted base stealers last season. Efficient flip-turns have been key to helping Olympian Michael Phelps [pictured] earn his six gold medals.

Campbell's hurdle clearing tips:

• Main objective is to realign limbs to get into good sprinting position for next hurdle
• Drive leg should be flexed at knee
• Foot needs to be dorsal flexed up
• Ankles should remain tight with toes turned out just slightly
• As you clear the hurdle, keep slight bend in knee
• After clearing hurdle, take foot and “snap it” back down to the ground as fast as possible

 

 

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