Performing the drill over the side of the hurdle will enable the young athlete to focus on the ‘lead’
leg technique and the emphasis should always be on the speed of the action.
As the height of the hurdle increases, in order to maintain efficiency over the hurdles the following
technique will need to be adopted:
(a) fast bent knee lift at hurdle
(b) driving straight forward with toe up
(c) hook lead leg heel over hurdle, like a coat-hanger onto a rail
(d) fast leg down once over the hurdle
6.5.3 The ‘Trail’ Leg
Once the ‘lead’ leg has been mastered the ‘other leg’, which is
known as the ‘trail’ leg can be practised. The young athlete should
go to the other side of the hurdle so that only the ‘trail’ leg will
actually go over the hurdle.
Assuming in the illustration that the left leg is the ‘lead’ leg and
therefore the right leg will be the ‘trail’ leg, the young athlete
should walk towards the first hurdle. When he or she are
approximately 70 centimetres from the hurdle, a chalk or tape
mark should be placed on the track.
The young athlete should now take a long step forward so that the left foot is placed just in front of
the upright of the hurdle. The placement of the foot is extremely important and directly relates to
correct technique when later attempting to jog or run over a hurdle with only the ‘trail’ leg
performing the action. As the long step is taken, the arms are used to maintain balance by swinging
the opposite arm forward and then pulling back to recover. The 'trail' leg recovers to a high knee
position so that the young athlete maintains a sprint action.
Speed Activities
6
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