Athletics (British Sports Library)

HURDLING 71 the right knee will be raised a little higher and the right foot brought round to the front and swung sharply forward for a full stride. Any mistake in the right leg work will mean a short first stride after clearance, a long stretch out in the middle stride, which breaks the perfect rhythm of the run and leaves the hurdler too far away from the next obstacle for him to effect a proper 6-foot take-off. One should, I suppose, point out that the left arm g:oes forward with the right leg and that the left arm adjusts itself to the correct sprinting attitude. I have laid great stress upon the correct manage– ment of the right leg, because I know from experi– ence how difficult many men find it to get the right, or rear, hip action sufficiently flexible. Hip flexibility must, however, be acquired, otherwise the right knee will be raised unduly high for the sake of safety and held in that position until the left foot is on the ground, and this means that the first stride after clearance will be only a half-stride and not a full stretch. It is the loose-hip action which compensates the sprinter running 120 yards hurdles for the necessary interruption caused by clearing the obstacles, and, in fact, enables him to preserve his sprinting form, for, of course, the upper body must not be disturbed or thrown out of true by the right (rear) leg action. J' I I