Coaching and Care of Athletes

HURDLING first stride after effecting clear(J.nce should then be 5 ft. 4 ins . to 5 ft. 6 ins., his second stride about 6 ft., and his third stride, to bring him to the take-off for the next hurdle, approximately 6i ft. to 6l ft. Only the absolutely top-grade hurdlers are able to run the whole 120 yds. over ten flights of 42 ins. barriers under full pressure. The average hurdler should be trained to take the first three flights flat out, and should relax slightly from the fourth to the seventh flight, gathering himselffor the drive over the last three fences and the final 15 yds. sprint for the finishing tape. As regards the actual style to be used in effecting hurdle clear– ance. As he completes the seventh stride of his approach to the first hurdle the athlete should incline his trunk a little farther forward in preparation for the take-off spring and its accompany– ing body-dip, which must be made from the hips, and not by means of dropping the head and curving the spine. Any_necessary adjustment in the approach run should be made in the initial three or four strides out of the holes. The next four' strides, which precede the take-off, must be comfortably settled. In effecting clearance the hurdler should make up his mind to go over the obstacle in an elongated step action. Let him try to avoid any jerkiness, because a smooth, flowing rhythm is more than half the secret of fast, successful hurdling. As the athlete rises to the hurdle the leading knee should be raised and the foot lifted as high as is possible, having regard to the body-dip, which synchronizes with the throwing up of the leading leg. This phase of the action needs careful analysing, or the athlete will curtail his clearance by a too early body-dip. Here is the sequence. As the right leg is straightened in the take-off drive the left arm is held in balance, the right arm, shooting forward, draws the trunk beyond the 75° sprinting angle, and the left knee is raised to hip-level; with the lower leg hanging relaxed (Plate XXIX, Fig. 83). As the right foot leaves the track the right hand goes out ahead of the left foot, while the trunk goes forward from the hips. At the same time the left knee rises to the level of the nipple of the left breast (Plate XXIX, Fig. 84), and the extension of the left lower leg raises the left foot, with toes pointed straight up, as high as possible above the top rail of the hurdle. The left foot at its top height is about 12 ins. above the top of the hurdle and I 2 ins. away from the top rail. The right leg is trailing, T 289