Hurdles Presentation by Rudiger Harksen - German National Hurdles Coach

NACACTFCA Congress - Freeport, Bahamas - October, 1999

(this article is still under construction - charts and graphs not included at this time!)

Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, dear Victor, it is a great pleasure and honour for me, to be part of this congress for the 3rd time. I'm proud of being a guest speaker this year. Originally I wanted to present my report in German, but there seem to be some difficulties concerning the translation, so I will try to speak in English. For about 20 years I have been working as a coach for sprint and high hurdles. Recently I have concentrated on female and male hurdlers.

General Considerations

When working with hurdles you will sometimes find that the hurdles can be a very high obstacle for the athletes. Transparency 1 When looking for a correct technique, sometimes you will find solutions like this Transparency 2 When we speak about hurdle - training, first of all we should get some information about the structure and biomechanical data of this discipline (event ). Transparency 3 When comparing the graph of speed of the 100m with the 110m high hurdles in a very
general way, we can figure out a lot of common phases and parts of the race:

· the starting phase
· the acceleration phase
· the phase of maximum sprint
· the phase of negative acceleration

However, there are a lot of differences. The second acceleration phase (not shown in this graph, but we'll see it in a minute) a steeper graph of the acceleration phase normally a longer phase of maximum speed. Top hurdlers (men and women) differ from poor hurdlers:

· the steeper graph of acceleration
· higher maximum speed
· maximum speed maintained to hurdle 8 or 9
· low loss of velocity to hurdle 10

(graphs not included!)

That's a very first and general introduction into the graphs of speed and the separate phases that can be figured out in each sprint and hurdle race.

Biomechanical Data

Let's now have a look at a concrete example - the world's best hurdlers at the World - Championships 1997 in Athens - data from the official IAAF - Research - published in NSA by H. Hommel. The data from Sevilla 99 are not available at this time, but I think there will be no further conclusions compared to that of Athens. A good race distribution is described by a short reaction time ( < 0. 13 sec ), a high acceleration velocity up to hurdle 2, with a further increase to a high maximum speed level that is maintained more or less until hurdle 7 to 10, short hurdle clearance times and a good finish. Transparency 4 ( Figure 25 )

Men's winner Johnson showed an unsteady race distribution, reaching his top speed at hurdle 3,5,7 and the highest run - in speed. Second place world - record holder Jackson ran a good constant race with a lower level of top - speed. Kovac ( rank 3 ) ran behind Schwarthoff until hurdle 8, and won bronze because of his faster finish. Transparency 5 (Figure 27)

In the women's 1 00m hurdles a similar distribution of the velocity - curve can be seen. However it is significant, that - different to men - a decrease of velocity in the second half of the race can be stated. Due to the shorter distance between the last hurdle to the finish line the final increase of the velocity is much lower compared to the men. In the women's final the winner Enquist reached her highest speed between hurdle 5 and 7, Dimitrowa showed more constant rhythmic units, a most significant indicator for top performance, rhythmic units are measured from the touchdown contact of the leading leg from one hurdle to the next one, which means that we have we 9 rhythmic units in one race. Bronze medalist Freeman reached her top speed at hurdle 4, but then lost speed continuously up to hurdle 10.

The hurdles clearance times are not only an indicator of the sprint abilities, but especially of the technical level of the athlete. It is to consider, that the hurdle clearance times depend on the anthropometric data ( e.g. leg length, centre of mass) and must be seen in relation to the flight distance ( take-off-point before/ touch down point after the hurdle ). Top athletes tend to have an increase in distance of the take off point from hurdle 1 to 10, while poor athletes run even closer to the hurdle.

That is what we have found out in many researches, especially when working with junior athletes. They tend to jump over the hurdles rather than to clear them. Transparency 6 (Table 40/41) In transparency 6 we see, that those athletes with the fastest hurdle clearance times do not automatically achieve the best final results. Winner Johnson achieves average times, whereas Schwarthoff has the fastest clearance times. It depends on the total lenght of one hurdle stride the distance between take - off and touchdown. (graphs not included!)

In order to evaluate the clearance time it is neccessary to know the lenght of the hurdle - stride. Those athletes with slow clearance times have probably have a long hurdle - stride, those with fast clearance times have obviously a short hurdle - stride. In table 40 we see an excellent example of an almost perfect race model by Johnson. The rythmic unit intervall times are about 1,00 sec. Please let me repeat, a rythmic unit is the time from one touchdown after the hurdle to the touchdown after the next one, that is one hurdle segment. This may be one of the main secrets in hurdle sprint. You want to achieve a high level and quality of rhythmic units very early in the race and maintain them as long as possible.

It seems so easy! Why? The qualities you need as a hurdler are the same for everybody, no matter, wheather you are femal e or male, junior athlete or Olympic Champion. All these athletes have always seven or eight strides to the first hurdle, they have to face 10 hurdles with 20 ground - contacts, 27 strides between the hurdles and the steps to the finish line. It sounds easy, but it is the important basic consideration for our technical understanding in the high hurdles and the consequences for methodology and practice. The determining factors in hurdle sprinting are the hurdle technique, the rythm in which the athletes sprint over the hurdle, the specific speed endurance and the ability to reach a maximum level of velocity in sprint performance.

There is one difference between men and women in hurdling. It is due to women's hurdle height of 84 cm. Fast sprinting females are determined for hurdling.The lower height favours the sprint performance which - on the other hand - improves the hurdle performance. Fast running men will not find it that easy and thus have to practise and focus a little bit more on the hurdle technique. Remember Gail Devers or Glory Alozie World Champion and Silver medalist this year in Sevilla, top - sprinters and rather short athletes, and compare them with men, who do not have a chance, when they are not at least 1,80m tall.

Table 40: 110 metres hurdles final - interval times Is]

Section

Result RT 0- tHI- t112- tH3- tH4- tH5- tH6- tH7- tH8- tH9- Run
tH I tH2 tH3 tH4 tH5 tH6 tH7 tH8 tH9 tHIO-in

Johnson (USA) 12.93 0.128 (RT) 2.56 1.00 0.98 1.00 0.98 1.02 0.98 1.05 1.02 1.03 1.31
Jackson (GBR) 13.05 0.118 (RT) 2.5 8 1.0 4 1.0 0 1.0 0 1.0 0 1.0 0 1.0 0 1.0 2 1.0 4 1.0 4 1. 3
Kovac (SVK)13.18 0.161 2.62 1.06 1.02 1.02 1.00 1.02 1.04 1.00 1.04 1.041.32
Schwarthoff (GER) 13.20 0.141 2.58 1.06 1.00 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.04 1.061.36

Philibert (FRA)

13.26 0.118 2.62 1.08 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.06 1.04 1.40

Reese (USA)13.30 0. 117 2.6 6 1.0 6 1.0 2 1.0 0 1.0 2 1.0 2 1.0 2 1.0 2 1.0 8 1.10 1.3 0

Crear (USA)13.55 0. 134 2.60 1.04 1.01 1.01 1.00 1.10 1.02 1.08 1.06 1.141.49

Table 41: 110 metres hurdles final - hurdle clearance times [s]

Hurdle tH1 tH2 tH3 tH4 tH5 tH6 tH tH8 tH9 tH10

Johnson 0.35 0.34 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.34 0.32 0.35 0.35 0.34
Jackson 0.34 0.36 0.36 0.34 0.36 0.34 0.36 0.34 0.35 0.34
Kovac 0.34 0.34 0.32 0.34 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.34 0*34
Schwarthoff 0.34 0.28 0.30 0.30 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.32 -
Philibe-it 0.32 0.36 0.34 0.34 0.30 0.32 0.34 0.34 0.36 0.36
Reese 0.38 0.40 0.36 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.36 0.40 0.44
Crear 0.36 0.36 0.3-5- 0.36 0.34 0.42 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.36

12,59 1996
12,53 1998
12,52 1997 12,53 1994 12,64 1996
12,66 1998
12,26 1992 12,59 1996
12,70 1998
12,67 1996
12,86 1998
12,88 1997
13,15 1997

Transparency 7 (not included!)

Here you can see the best hurdle times ( October 1998 ) in relation to the known 100m time. We Europeans call the difference between the hurdle time and the 100m time "technical index". I would like to add Glory Alozie and Gail Devers with times faster than 11 seconds on 100m. If Gail Devers can improve her hurdle technique, I'm sure she will establish a new world record on the 100m hurdles. The sprinting ability is a main precondition for developing a top female hurdler. In talent - selection among junior athletes we consider this ability extremely high. It will be very difficult for a girl to run the hurdles faster than in 13 seconds if she cannot sprint 11, 7 sec or faster.

Let me now talk about hurdle technique and the rhythm. When I mention technique and rythm, it may give a hint of our understanding of technique. We think, that the hurdle technique is not only the clearing of the hurdle, the clearing of the hurdle is obviously a quite essential part, but we should also like to focus on the complex technical structure from start to the finish line. If concentrating only on the clearance, it may lead to a limited success, but surely not to the best result, we try to achieve. Transparecy 8

Complex technical structure of the high hurdles

PHASE ABILITY / SKILL
Reaction / Start high reaction - and action - speed
Acceleration 1st hurdle optimum, progressive 7 - or 8 - stride pattern, considering that there is a given distance to the 1st hurdle (no free sprint, f e.M. Greene)
Distance distance timing
minimization of amortisation
preparing take-off position

short ground times

Hurdle clearance / Hurdle stride (only a survey)

Landing

Sprint between the hurdles

Run - in

active take - off active lead leg-, trunkand arm action trunk and hip stabilisation (6-10x body weight after the hurdle) preparing a good get -away from the hurdle

short ground contact times (preparing getting off the hurdle) stabilisation of the body system example (transparency JacksonlFenner)

Absolute sprint frequency "artificial" step pattern rythmic getting away "dadadam" - 3 different lengths of the strides

Changing of rhythm: free - sprinting

leaning forward of the body at the right - time

Let me now talk about the hurdle clearance as one part of our complex view of technique.

Transparency 9 ( Hurdle clearance )

General kinematic consideration:
Reducing the horizontal speed at take-off and landing with slower ground times than between the hurdles
No vertical impulse into the hurdle, a parabolic curve of the center of mass over the hurdle is intended
Top hurdlers have smaller angles between torso and leading leg
Once the leading leg has touched the ground after the hurdle, the center of mass moves away
In our opinion the arms take an active part and not only a balancing function

Transparency 9 ( Description of the phases )

optimum distance to the hurdle on the ball (toes) heel - up, knee - up less amortisation in the take-off leg upright body - position

active take - off full extension of the body knee leading leading arm starts movement

leading arm forward
leading - leg shank kicking forward
trunk leaning forward
opposite arm fixed at the trunk
take off leg ( later trail leg ) a short time passive

synchronized movement, leading arm back, trail leg accelerates trunk stays in forward position trail leg at 90 degree, toes up leading leg starts moving downward, active landing

leading arm in backward movement crosses trail leg knee active backward - downward movement of the lead leg trail leg moving to the trunk, trail leg shank parallel to the trunk

opposite arm swinging forward leading leg in extension, on the toes trail leg knee is still close to the body

full extension in the body optimum swinging of the arms sprint - off position for the sprint between the hurdles

This was a general model in order to achieve the best hurdle - technique possible, which we try to realize with our best hurdlers. However, there are some individual variations in technique depending on many factors like length of leg, trunk, arms, physical abilities.

We have found out 3 different types of technique. These refer mainly to men.

1. The Swinging Style, characterised by a strong trunk leaning forward aktive leading leg work not fully extended leading leg
2. The Running Style, characterised by a medium trunk position a fully extended leading leg at the clearance

3. The Take - off Style, characterised by a relative upright body position a fully extended and fixed leading leg at the clearance

Transparency 10 ( Jackson (early )example for swinging style )

Let's now make a comparison between 2 top - athletes: Colin Jackson and Gail Devers. You can see them at the same moment of clearing the hurdle and we can see some significant differences.

Transparency 11 ( Devers / Jackson )

· too high vertical clearance of Devers
· an open angle between thigh and trunk
· the knee of the trail leg is lower than the foot, with the risk of touching the hurdle (problem of young athletes )

In order to achieve top results on the base of the complex technical considerations and biornechanical data we figured out some metrical reference figures. This might be useful for the coaches in order to get information if he wants to lead the athletes to the world - class. We collected data from the best hurdlers in the world. Very precisely we could figure it out by our German Top - hurdlers Falk Balzer, World Cup Winner 1998 and Florian Schwarhoff, Olympic Bronce Medalist 1996 in Atlanta.

Transparency 12

11 metrical Reference

Women's High Hurdles / Men's High Hurdles
0,65m 1st Step 0,60m
1,05m 2 nd Step 1,05m
1,30m 3rd Step 1,30m
1,40m 4th Step 1,45m
1,50m 5th Step 1,65m
1,65m 6th Step 1,80m
1,75m 7th Step 1,90m
1,65m 8th Step 1,70m

+/-0,05m 2,05m Distance to the first 2,27m +/-0, 10m hurdle
3,20m Hurdle- clearance 3,50m
+/-0, 1 Om 1,15m Landing - point after the hurdles 1,35m +/-0, 10m

1,50m 3-Stride-Rythm 1,55m
5,30 -5,50m 1,95m 2.00m 5,45-5,65m 1,85m 1,90m
5 - 6 Steps 9,30-9,60m Finish 12,40-12,706-7 strides

When I talked about the women's hurdles, I stated, that you can't achieve top hurdle results without sprinting fast. But furthermore there are a lot of other physical abilities that have to be developed on a very high level, such as maximum and elastic strenght, general as well as speed endurance, general and specific fexibility and coordination. Especially coordination seems to be essential in our theoretical considerations. We distinguish between inter - and intramuscular coordination. Intermuscular coordination means the concerted acting between agonists and antagonists, extended and flexed muscles like quadrizeps and hamstrings, intramuskular coordination is the quality of firing the muscle by the neuro - muscular system. Especially the quality of the intramuscular coordination may be one of the biggest determinations for the development of a top hurdle sprinter and for sprinters. By using the experience of our former East German Sport System and by using our knowledge of today we have developed a lot of exercises for physical abilities and skills and coordination drills. I'm not going to talk about all of them, but I will give you some information about hurdle drills and hurdle specific sprint training in a minute.It is important , that all those abilities will effect the basic perfomances, which are necessary, to develop a good junior athlete into a top - hurdler.

Transparency 13 (not inlcuded)

In transparency 13 is shown a requested profile in different performances, that should be achieved in training or competition, as a base for the intended hurdle result.

Considerations in Methodology and Practice

How do we try to develop our hurdle sprinter? As a general rule we say, that the development of the strong abilities of an athlete reduces his weaknesses. But on the other hand we know, that the weaknesses are limiting the absolute performance. If you want to make a good piano player great, you must add something. He is not an artist yet, not until everything becomes automatic. Concerning the structure and planning of our training - year we try to continue the athletes' preperation, correcting and building from the weaknesses of the previous year.

In Europe we normally prefer a double periodisation, mainly due to our climate - I wish we had such good conditions like you have on the Bahamas, as it is rather difficult to develop maximum speed in winter time . So we use our -meanwhile - numerous indoor facilities for training and preparing the indoor season. In the sprint events you will find only very few athletes in Europe, who do not participate at the indoor - competition season. That leads to a general structure of the training and competition - year.

Transition phase
Prepararation phase I
Indoor - Competion phase
Preparation phase 11
Outdoor - Competion Phase

Transparency 14 ( Training and Competition Year)

This is the general structure of a training - competition - year, as we practised during the last years. Because of the late point of time of the Olympics next year it will be necessary, to work out with 3 macrozyclus.

Transparency 15 ( Planning of one macrozyclus )

Transparency 16 ( Sequence of training units in 1 microzyclus )

Transparency 19 ( Technical drills in relation to the objectives )

The hurdle drills or special exercises you select in one training for your athlete depend on many factors:

· The point of time in your training - period
· The weak and strong abilities of your athlete
· Biomechanical data
· The feeling of the coach, which drill brings most effect to the athlete

Most important of all is, to give your athlete the sensation of successful and effective hurdle - practising in a training unit.

List of Technical Hurdle - Drills in relation to the objectives

Objectives

Shorten ground contact time Optimization of take - off concentration - endurance quickness of hurdle clearance

improvement of speed between the hurdles

loss of speed quickness of hurdle clearance

Improvement of acceleration and take - off

Improvement of stride - frequency I
Drill

1 stride rhythm
6-10 low hurdles

3 stride rhythm 1 foot less

5 or 7 stride rhythm

rhythm - changing
3 - 5 - 7 stride- rhythm consecuted

Progressive distances - reducing the distances and concentration
Improvement of take - off

Increasing height of the hurdles
Quicken the ground contact time decreasing height of the hurdles
Improvement of speed between the double distance after hurdle 4 hurdles
hurdle speed endurance runs over 11 or 12 hurdles
Parabolic hurdle clearance - curve) double - Hurdle!!
distance - timing
hurdle -specific endurance in Hurdle,, Z
combination 10 hurdles 1 stride rhythm
with technical/coordinative elements 5 hurdles 3 strides (reduced distance)
5 hurdles 5 strides without rest between I!
isolated drill for lead or trail leg inclined (sloping) hurdles

Without high speed you will achieve no big results in hurdle sprint. In our opinion it's not the right way, to develop speed in hurdle sprint as we do in the sprint events.

Sprint - Velocity is always the product of stride - length and stride - frequency. I hope, the structure of hurdle sprint and it's race character showed you, that stride frequency is the most dominating factor. The short distance between the hurdles and the short ground contact times lead to the selection of those exercises, where stride frequency is performed at it's highest level.We call it the specific hurdle speed.

Transparency 20

Work for Hurdle Sprinter

m Stick Drills

m Flying Sprints
13

m Frequent Sprints over small hurdles with shortended distance in 3
- stride or 5 - stride rhythm

m Lenghtened Distance to the I st hurdle ( 10 or 12 strides )

m Combination 3- and 5 -stride rhythm

s Mixed Programms

m Resistance Sprints

m Overspeed Sprints

m Contrast Programm

1. set
2. set
3. set
4. set

The Mental Aspect

The hurdle sprinter, facing 10 hurdles, needs a lot of concentration.

The hurdlers should avoid to touch the hurdles, they must concentrate on their lane, no matter, what happens in the lane left or right of them.

They should not think about their competitors, if they have their leading or trail leg on the left or the right side, or that the competitors' arm could touch them..

As a coach you should give your athlete

· information that he's running in a tunnel
· the imagination and feeling, he (she ) is running a little bit downhill

Once the athletes reached the competition area, in order to compete in a big final, the competitiors' physical qualities are nearly the same.

The big difference between victory and e.g. rank 5, is corresponding with the psychological disposition and the mental attitude of the athletes.

The muscles follow the spirit, or, in other words, spirit governs the muscle.
Resistance
Free Sprinting
Overspeed
Free Sprinting