Athletes in Action

+40 YARDS LO\V HURDLES (8) THE follow-up action of the rear leg, just referred to, and the commencement of the first stride after landing, are shown in Fig. 8 on the opposite page. It \\·ill be seen that Simpson has landed at the correct distance of approximately 5 ft. beyond the hurdle he has cleared, the landing being effected upon the ball o J the foot . \Vithout allowing his right heel to sink to the cinder surface of the track, he is swinging through on the fulcrum of the grounded foot with a correct sprinter's forward body- lean, a high pick-up action of the left knee and w·ith the arms balancing the body and driYing it forward with a pO".verful backward and forward arm-swing. The fact that the toes of both feet arc pointing straight ahead is an important point to be remembered, for if the foot of the leading leg hits the track upon landing with the toes turned outwards there will be delay in bringing the rear leg through, because direct traction will be impossible and the body will have to sway sideways as the rear knee is swung round and the foot dropped, instead of the knee being picked up high to the front with the foot directly below it and ready for the next forward stride. as is so excellently sho·wn in Fig. 8 on the opposite page. Note, also, the squareness of hips and shoulders to the front, the straight-ahead running action, which insures the making of a full-length first-a her-landing stride and the slight forward thrust of the head. \.0 \Jt