DEREK DEBARR PLEASANT PLAIN HIGH SCHOOL Hurdles

Bio IHSA Nomination for NFHS Coach of the Year USATF level 1 Certified USTCCCA (Track and Field Academy) level 1 Certified 4 ITT Qualifiers 55/60 Meter Hurdles 3 total IHSA qualifiers in 110 HH (2 all state) 6 total IHSA qualifiers in 300 hurdles (2 all state) Coached a total of 22 All-State medals since 2009 Coached 56 entries to state meet since 2009

Plains Hurdlers since 2009 George Wayda FAT Jake Wayda FAT Bjoern Adden FAT Caleb Harney 15.6 MT Sam Sanchez 16.3 MT Jakob Verhulst FAT Taylor Ray 16.5 MT David Shultz 17.0 MT George Wayda FAT Caleb Harney FAT Sam Sanchez FAT Jake Wayda 40.9 MT David Shultz FAT Taylor Ray FAT

100 Meter Women 110 Meter Men 10 Hurdles 33’ (2nd notch) 1 st Hurdle: 13 M from start 8.5 M between 10.5 M from last hurdle to finish 10 Hurdles 39’ (4 th notch) 1 st Hurdle: M (45 feet) from start 9.14 M between (30 feet) M from last hurdle to finish Hurdle Basics

300 Women 300 Men 8 Hurdles Height: 30 inches 45 M to first hurdle 35 M between hurdles 10 M from last hurdle to finish line Elite take 13 strides between hurdles strides on average 8 Hurdles Height: 36 inches 45 M to first hurdle 35 M between hurdles 10 M from last hurdle to finish line Elite take 13 strides between hurdles strides on average Hurdle Basics

Who Makes a Good Hurdler? Fearless Better than average hip mobility (not “flexibility”) Being fast helps Scientifically minded athletes Coachable, methodical, and upbeat

Hurdle Basics- 110HH Coach the basics, but know it is a process Do not race someone until they are ready NEVER put short term success ahead of long term success; there are bigger things in the world than 2 points at a mid-season invite We do not race an athlete unless confident of their ability to 3 step

Drive Phase Block set up Lead leg back (8 steps) Front foot: shoes behind line Back foot: shoes behind line Personalities are different. Physics is not. Abide by these principles.

Drive Phase For hurdlers who are not good sprinters mechanics change less For hurdlers who are very fast mechanics change more Knee height and arm movement decrease the faster an athlete is (hurdle shuffle) This eliminates the chop Example (slow motion elite women) Cardinal sin: Over striding and getting too close to hurdle 1

Drive Phase 8 steps taken to the first hurdle (lead leg back) Should I teach the 7 step?  Maybe. But they need to be really, really fast  Alan Johnson and many other Olympians 8 stepped (sub guys)  7 Step is not wrong, just very advanced. All state level at minimum, otherwise mechanics get way off

1 st Hurdle Steps should be even and smooth to get to an accurate 1 st hurdle take off Each hurdle should be approached from 7’ away (6.5’ for women) Stride frequency and knee drive need to be shortened if approaching the hurdle inside Also watch for over striding, heel striking, and breaking Shuffle, don’t chop

Hurdle Approach 7’ (6.5’ for women) No closer than this for all levels Same for 110/300 Watch for over striding in 2-3 approach steps On takeoff contact, shin needs to be vertical on first contact

Hurdle Approach Make sure takeoff foot is under the hips Make sure hips are extended Lean should not be achieved by merely bending waist Takeoff foot must be behind hips when the hurdler leaves the air (see photo on previous slide) Look at hurdle on approach

Going Over the Hurdle Raise Knee 1 st Kick out second; straight leg is not important (it is even less important in the female race) Front arm compact and forward (check the watch) Back arm cocked back

Hurdle Clearance Hips need to be extended (Straight line from where take off leg was) Begin to snap down lead leg when hurdle leaves field of vision If hips are not level, arms will go crazy

The Trail Leg If hips are in a good position this becomes automatic Knee to pit, toe out Do not let foot get above the knee (common in beginners) Do not let the foot get tucked behind the butt

Upper Body The upper body mimics the lower body If the arms are crazy, there was a problem at takeoff or with the hip angle approaching the hurdle Most arm problems come from the chop step or decelerating on takeoff Taking off too close to the hurdle also causes deceleration The arms are the symptom, not the issue

Mid Air or Landing Problems Most mid air or landing problems are caused by taking off too close to the hurdle or chop stepping Too much air or jumping causes a misalignment of the hips, pulls the hips forward, and rotates the body

110 Hurdles: Between the Hurdles Train for 3 steps Max spring velocity used in between Faster kids will need to learn to lower knee and arm drive to maintain proper distances Work on vertical force to keep hips up

Training the 110 Hurdler Teach 3 steps Train at intermediate height Move hurdles in about 3 steps (never train at normal distance) Do not be afraid to lower hurdles or move them in for beginners Confidence will lead to more success, so only progress when ready

Training the 110 Hurdler Always practice in spikes Practice rhythm first Groove in the three step pattern Use shadowing at first (Have them run to the next lane) Clapping cues Then move to lead leg shadowing Then over at minimal height Only progress after 1-2 days of complete confidence.

Drills Wall Lead Leg Wall Trail Leg A skip A skip Lead Leg A skip Trail Leg Over Under Up 2 Back 1 Over Slow Trail Leg Straight Leg Chops

Drills- One Step Move hurdles 8-10 shoes apart One step over the hurdles Can do lead leg, trail leg shadows and overs

Drills 3 step: use 2-4 hurdles, minimal distance and height, slowly progress passes Never hurdle at slow speeds

Drills Half drill Used to teach quick shuffling rhythm 5 hurdles: use hurdle marks on the track, put a hurdle halfway between the marks (spaced out 15 feet for men, for example) Teaches quick over the hurdle and proper takeoff Place tape at takeoff marks Good way to practice volume/clearance without taxing energy systems

Drills Every other hurdle Do the odd hurdles only Teaches speed between the zones

Drills Zone Drill Hurdles 1-4 at full speed Remove hurdles 5,6,7; run through the zone Hurdle 8,9,10 Do 2 times 2 days before a major race

Training the 300 Hurdler The start uses normal start principles since the first hurdle is much farther away Men typically take steps, women This means if the timing is right, either leg may be forward in the blocks

Training the 300 Hurdler Take (men) and (women) steps between the hurdles Athletes do not need to decrease knee drive and arm drive (amplitude) as much Have a step plan! This way athletes can change stride frequency to hit hurdles on stride, not chop Do same drills as 110 for work on clearance, just use alternating lead legs

Training the 300 Hurdler For curves, start on the outside, cut to the inside over the hurdle This keeps from landing on the outside of the hurdle lane

Modified 300 Drills We never drill more than 2 hurdles at a time Work on different sections of the race Use the freelap to time distance between hurdles Same takeoff distance applies Less forward lean is needed because the hurdles are shorter Practice different sections each session, 2-3 passes