Athletics (British Sports Library)

HURDLING 73 extended, shoulders square to the front, and legs widely separated (Sketch 3, 4, and 5), that he lands close to the hurdle fairly on the ball of his foot, and runs cleanly forward without any wobbling or sideways swing to bring the rear knee to the front in the actual stride. It is particularly necessary to watch that a man does not bustle himself over the tenth flight in his anxiety to reach the tape, otherwise he will either hit the hurdle or stumble on landing and spoil his sprinting style to the winning-post. It cannot be too strongly impressed upon the athlete that he must keep his chin in advance of his leading knee right through the race (see sketches), also that the athlete's body should be slightly in advance of the foot when it strikes the track after the clearance has been effected (Sketch 7). Training for the high hurdles necessitates a great deal more than is at first apparent, and even to schoolboys a longer period than the one month which is usually available must be devoted to the mechanical exercises which have been invented for improving the suppleness of the body and the loosening of the hip-socket, to striding exercises, and to exercises for the strengthening of the torso. Boys who are really keen will not mind devoting a couple of months to hurdle preparation, especially as the work in the first month will consist mainly I