Athletics (British Sports Library)

76 ATHLETICS right, leave go of the ankle and lift the leg forward over the hurdle, to allow the foot to come upward and shoot forward. Stretching exercises, which also help to loosen the hip-joint, are also most important. The athlete should sit on the ground in the position shown in Sketch I, A and B, with rear leg doubled back and leading leg, which goes first over the hurdle, fully extended to the front and toes pointing upward. He should then swing the body over to the left (for right leg lead) until the doubled-up left arm touches the ground, with the elbow close to the left knee (Sketch I, B). (Reverse for left leg lead.) This will be found difficult of accomplishment at first, but the various muscles brought into play will soon adjust themselves to the strain. A varia– tion of this exercise is made from the same initial position, but the body bends forward from the waist, as in actual hurdle clearance, and the left arm is fully extended until it almost reaohes the right foot position, when the body and leading leg should form the "V," which has already been discussed (Sketch I, A). (Reverse for left leg lead.) Yet another exercise is that in which the hurdler raises his leading leg to the level of his breast, grasps the shin just below the knee, and squeezes the doubled– up leg in against his breast (Sketch I, c). At the same time he should raise himself upon the toes