CoachesEducation.com

Coach,

I am a senior in high school and due to lack of coaching, I am an athlete/coach for hurdles. I have been running hurdles for 6 years, but I could use some help in developing a daily workout for my group. I have boys that run 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles and girls that run 100 and 300 hurdles. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brittany McCrary

At this time training should be completed on establishing a base, enhancing rhythmic skills, strength, flexibility, with some attention to speed. If not, work on these areas.

For the month of March, the primary emphasis is repetition training. The secondary emphasis is speed drills. In March, training should be on refining hurdling technique, sprint mechanics and general sprint conditioning.

In April, the emphasis is high-lactate training and speed endurance. Training emphasis shifts to hurdle stamina using drills and repetitions over 6-12 hurdles, and sprint stamina through interval training. Training should conclude emphasizing speed through quality sprint reps and hurdle drills at full racing speed.

Sample one-week workout:

Warm-up:
March/April, 1 mile in and outs (100 sprint/100 walk)

Flexibility:
Every day for 25-30 minutes after the warm-up.

Drills:
Specific drills for hip flexor development every day after flexibility.

Accelerations:
Work on ten 10-40 meter accelerations every day. Start with 10 meters one week and add 5 meters every week until 40 meters is reached. Accelerations can be done either after drills or at the end of the workout.

Technique:
Running hurdle drills. Use drills from Fred Almond’s article in the web site.

Speed workout after technique:

Monday
3x150 Build-ups
3x200
Work on relay hand-offs, if applicable

Tuesday
3x150 Build-ups

Wednesday
6xstarts Out of blocks
3x150
Work on relay hand-offs, if applicable

Thursday
3x140 Build-ups
8x100
(Track meets are the same as speed work)

Friday
Stretching
Grass running
4-6 Accelerations

Weight training and plyometrics:
March/April, two times a week. In the latter part of the competitive season, weight train two days a week without plyometrics.

When weight training and other training are included in workouts, they are performed in the following order:

Warm-up
Flexibility
Hurdle Drills
Accelerations (or at end of workout)
Hurdle technique
Speed training
Weights

If the hurdlers are on the 4x400 relay, they need 400 meter speed workouts after technique work. Refer to the 400 meter topics in the Speed Forum in the web site.

Refer to the article by Fred Almond in the Hurdles section of the web site for technique and drills.

Coach Payan

What is a build up? I am also a 100/300 meter hurdler. I am in 8th grade and run the 100 meter hurdles in 15.7 and the 300 meter hurdles in 49. I would like to get the 100h to 14 and the 300h to 46 by July.

Can you give me a workout? I am not familar with the terminology because I am young and have never been trained. Please help me to improve both physcially and mentally. I do not know what kind of plyometrics I should do.

Sincerely,
Wanting to reach my goals.