Hurdle Performance: lead arm technique advancement - The ...
Hurdle Performance: lead arm technique advancement - The ...
Hurdle Performance: lead arm technique advancement - The ...
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McKinnon G, Comerford M. <strong>Hurdle</strong> <strong>Performance</strong>: <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> <strong>technique</strong> <strong>advancement</strong>. Modern Athlete & Coach. 50(1)Jan<br />
2012: 26-29 (reprinted with permission of the editor of Modern Athlete & Coach)<br />
<strong>Hurdle</strong>s <strong>Performance</strong>: Lead <strong>arm</strong> <strong>technique</strong> <strong>advancement</strong> for hurdle performance<br />
Geoff McKinnon & Mark Comerford<br />
Over the past 10-15 years we have witnessed a dramatic shift in the speed of the world’s <strong>lead</strong>ing<br />
sprinters driven largely by the exploits of the current world record holder, Usain Bolt. Bolt’s stunning<br />
onslaught on the 100 and 200m world records have tended to “hide” the considerable improvements on<br />
the previous world records by Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay. <strong>The</strong> efforts of these three sprinters have<br />
set new standards throughout the world in that the bar has risen well above previous targets in terms of<br />
qualifying times for major events such as the Olympic Games and the World Championships.<br />
Bolt and his Jamaican compatriots have dominated world sprinting in recent times to the extent they<br />
have overwhelmingly overshadowed the traditional <strong>lead</strong>ers, the United States. Now everybody wants to<br />
know how this has come about. Bolt defies all the standard physical requirements of what makes a<br />
great sprinter by the mere fact he is simply too tall at 1.95m to be the sprinter that he is.<br />
We are witnessing advances in the standards of 400m and 800m running with the depth of talent at the<br />
international level getting increasingly deeper as they apply more emphasis to their speed training<br />
without losing sight of their aerobic capacities. We also appear to be witnessing a surge in hurdling<br />
with the world record for the men’s 110m hurdles event having been lowered several times over the<br />
past five years to the current standard of 12.89sec. However, Australian standards among men appear<br />
to have become bogged in quicksand.<br />
Perhaps the exception in Australian hurdling are the women, with Sally Pearson’s 2011 World<br />
Championship 12.28sec catapulting her into the heady realms of currently standing tall as history’s<br />
fourth fastest ever. Other Australian women, Pam Ryan, Shirley Strickland. Maureen Caird, Glynis<br />
Nunn-Cearns, Debbie Flintoff King and Jana Rawlinson all have strode across the world’s hurdling<br />
stage with authority. Women’s hurdling in Australia has remained consistently good by world<br />
standards over the past 50 years.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are some coaches around the world who are adamant the 110m hurdles should be edging towards<br />
the realm of 12.5sec if that event was to keep pace with the improvements we are witnessing in the 100<br />
and 200m flat races. Where will such heady improvements come from if this is to happen? <strong>The</strong>se<br />
coaches, including this writer, advocate a 12.5sec result will come from improved <strong>technique</strong> coupled<br />
with greater management of maximum speed between the hurdles<br />
In simple terms every hurdler takes the same number of strides between each hurdle. It is the speed he<br />
or she generates between those hurdles which determines the winner and the fastest hurdler. Clearly the<br />
coach and the hurdler has to come to grips with how long the hurdler spends in the air in negotiating<br />
each hurdle, and how effective he or she makes the transition from flat ground sprinting to between<br />
hurdle speed. In other words, it’s all about sprinting through all ten hurdles from start to finish.<br />
So where are the coaching guidelines that will advance hurdlers towards that 12.5sec target? It has to<br />
come from the grass roots level where young athletes make their choice to become a hurdler and<br />
explore their own sense of courage and lack of fear in racing over objects which won’t get out of their<br />
way.<br />
© Australian Track and Field Coaches Association with permission from Modern Athlete & Coach vol. 50(1) 2012: 26-29
Here in Australia we are not overly blessed with so called natural sprinters who can race quicker than<br />
10.4sec over 100m. Perhaps we should be astute enough to identify these athletes and steer them<br />
towards a hurdling career rather than waste their time trying to emulate more speed-gifted rivals from<br />
overseas who are disappointed if they cannot run 10.2sec or better in a picnic race.<br />
<strong>The</strong> ideal physical makeup for a hurdler is 1.88m, and about 82kg, with a ground speed between 10.4<br />
and 10.6sec. During the 14 years I coached Stuart Anderson he fitted these physical requirements but<br />
his best flat 100m was 10.8sec. His best hurdles time was 13.73sec by the time he retired five years ago<br />
which at that point made him the fifth fastest ever ranked hurdler in Australia. He was to be the<br />
“bridesmaid” to Australia’s greatest ever hurdler Kyle Vander Kuyp on numerous occasions, simply<br />
because Kyle could run 100m faster. Stuart on the other hand had Kyle’s measure in air time across the<br />
hurdles.<br />
Figure 1: Stuart<br />
Anderson demonstrates<br />
downward drive of the<br />
<strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> and good<br />
balance across the hurdle<br />
Some 12 years ago I began to “experiment” with and encourage my hurdlers to<br />
adopt a fore<strong>arm</strong> downward drive of the <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> from the chin area in a bent<br />
elbow action which drove down past the hip as the <strong>lead</strong> leg began to search for<br />
the ground without causing problems with<br />
inappropriate hip rotation away from the<br />
direction of flight across the hurdle.<br />
Many coaches today still persevere with the bent<br />
elbow forward across the upper body and driven<br />
outward above the trail leg, thus causing<br />
unnecessary hip rotation; tendencies to float<br />
across the hurdle; and as well there are those<br />
who preach a low <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> pushed forward and<br />
down over the <strong>lead</strong> leg. Centre of gravity (core<br />
stability) is virtually “lost” with these actions.<br />
Figure 2: Promising junior<br />
Anthony Collins (right) loses<br />
upper body and <strong>arm</strong> control<br />
across the hurdle<br />
Our hurdlers adopted a series of pre-race drills designed to place emphasis on fast twitch fibre<br />
movements shown to us during the Goodwill Games by USA Olympic coach, Curtis Frye, who was at<br />
the time, also coach of two of hurdling’s greats Alan Johnson and Terrance Trammel. <strong>The</strong>se drills<br />
mirror the <strong>technique</strong>s required to negotiate each hurdle in a race - with emphasis on fast hands, knee<br />
drive at the hurdle, and most importantly the downward drive of the <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> in co-ordination with the<br />
<strong>lead</strong> leg and trail leg.<br />
Stuart Anderson was one of the first Australian hurdlers to adopt the downward <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> drive utilising<br />
it so well he went on to represent Australia. Others emerging from our squad with this <strong>technique</strong><br />
included Adam Szlezak, Duncan Harvey, Jack Conway, Cedric Dubler, Anthony Collins, Amanda<br />
Drew and Emma MacTaggart. With the exception of Emma and Duncan, all of them have won<br />
Australian hurdling titles or represented Australia. Another squad international, John Burstow, has<br />
struggled to adopt the downward <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> drive, but he continues his endeavors to make the change in<br />
his bid to achieve a sub-14sec result.<br />
It was all very well of me to extoll what Alan Johnson and Terrance Trammel were doing with coach<br />
Frye; I needed to understand better the physiological and biomechanical stream of internal movements<br />
to put the stamp of authority on what I was trying to teach.<br />
© Australian Track and Field Coaches Association with permission from Modern Athlete & Coach vol. 50(1) 2012: 26-29
I found the answers when I met the noted Australian physiotherapist, Mark Comerford, who spends<br />
several months of his year lecturing throughout North America and Europe, as well as assisting<br />
organisations such as the Chicago Bulls, West Side Dance (New York City Ballet), and athletes such as<br />
the former British Olympic triple jump gold medalist, Jonathan Edwards.<br />
Mark quickly w<strong>arm</strong>ed to my <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> concept and provided me with a series of images which serve to<br />
demonstrate the differences between the downward <strong>arm</strong> drive and the “traditional” hand or elbow<br />
thrust forward <strong>technique</strong>.<br />
Due to the asymmetry of the hurdling action, the natural balance response whilst in the air over the<br />
hurdle is to lift the <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> forward and out to the side. To change a natural response, the athlete<br />
recognising the value of the downward <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> drive will need to learn and train to adopt this new<br />
skill, supported by superior hip rotation and core sidebend control.<br />
It is Mark’s view that the downward <strong>arm</strong> drive is biomechanically advantageous for increased forward<br />
power over the hurdle. However, the athlete with less efficient core strength or stability (especially in<br />
rotation or sidebend control) will struggle with the challenge to develop a more power advantageous<br />
downward <strong>arm</strong> action. He says that elbow drive out to the side, along with the leg asymmetry, produces<br />
significant rotation and sidebending forces at the spine, pelvis and hips that have to be controlled and<br />
counterbalanced. But he agrees it is the elbow thrust down to the side which creates a greater degree of<br />
increased power, efficiency and forward movement off the hurdle.<br />
Figure 3: Latissimus<br />
Dorsi<br />
Figure 5: Internal Oblique<br />
<strong>The</strong> major muscle coming into play to achieve this downward <strong>arm</strong> action is the<br />
Latissimus Dorsi (Fig. 3) which supports the down and backward drive of the<br />
shoulder with the wrist being driven down and the elbow<br />
driving backwards rather than outwards.<br />
PD<br />
<strong>The</strong> triceps also aids the down and backward drive. <strong>The</strong><br />
latissimus dorsi and the triceps also produce an inward<br />
rotation twist at the shoulder, which requires coordinated<br />
activation of the infraspinatus and the posterior deltoid at<br />
the upper shoulder which provide an outward rotation<br />
counterbalance. (Fig. 4)<br />
<strong>The</strong> rotation forces in the trunk of the more power<br />
efficient downward <strong>arm</strong> action have to be<br />
counterbalanced at the trunk by core strength in the<br />
rotation stabiliser muscles. Athletes who already have<br />
good core strength for rotation and sidebend control will<br />
automatically do this well. Athletes with poor core<br />
control will have a tendency to demonstrate unwanted<br />
lateral movement (zigzag) in the first few steps as they<br />
leave the blocks and the first 2 or 3 strides after landing<br />
over the hurdle. This unwanted lateral movement is<br />
controlled by the rotation stabiliser muscles.<br />
<strong>The</strong> abdominal internal oblique muscle (Fig. 5) provides control for sidebend<br />
and rotation of the trunk as it acts from a position just above the pelvis.<br />
Another rotational controlling factor is the external oblique (Fig. 6) which<br />
Figure 4: Latissimus<br />
Dorsi (LD), Triceps (T),<br />
Posterior Deltoid (PD) &<br />
Infraspinatus (I)<br />
© Australian Track and Field Coaches Association with permission from Modern Athlete & Coach vol. 50(1) 2012: 26-29<br />
T<br />
I<br />
LD<br />
Figure 6: External Oblique
especially controls the degree of rotation. <strong>The</strong> external oblique controls rotation and sidebend of the<br />
trunk, as well as excessive back arch (leaning back) coming off the hurdle.<br />
Figure 7: Gluteus<br />
Maximus<br />
P<br />
I<br />
AB<br />
B<br />
AM<br />
M<br />
Figure 8: Iliacus (I), Pectineus<br />
(P), Adductor Brevis (AB),<br />
Adductor Magmus (AM)<br />
Two other key players in this process of rotation and sidebend stabilisation<br />
are the gluteus maximus (Fig. 7) and the gluteus medius at the hip. <strong>The</strong> hip<br />
muscles also control the pelvis and thigh during weight bearing and<br />
propulsion. <strong>The</strong> gluteal muscles (buttock) in particular control thigh and<br />
pelvic position over the foot.<br />
Knee lift from the hip flexor muscles is important to drive the <strong>lead</strong> leg over<br />
the hurdle and to bring the trail leg through. If the deep hip flexor (iliacus) is<br />
weak or inefficient, the pelvis rolls backward, causing dropping the chest or<br />
causing the pelvis to rotate excessively over the hurdle.<br />
Other key components include a range of muscles in the groin and upper<br />
leg region including the pectineus, the adductor brevis, and upper adductor<br />
magnus in the stabilising compartment of the<br />
adductor muscles (Fig. 8), while the gracilis,<br />
adductor longus and lower adductor magnus<br />
make up the mobiliser compartment of the leg<br />
adductors (Fig. 9). <strong>The</strong> gracilis is the long<br />
muscle connecting the groin to the knee.<br />
AL<br />
<strong>The</strong> gracilis and adductor longus are muscles<br />
that do not sit well with hurdlers, especially<br />
those who tend to hurdle with a straight <strong>lead</strong><br />
leg. It is these muscle which connect with the<br />
pubic area and if torn can take many months to<br />
recover from. Sometimes surgery is required.<br />
Figure 9: Adductor Longus<br />
(AL) & Gracilis (G)<br />
In summary, the downward <strong>arm</strong> drive has a lot of potential benefits in improving power and speed over<br />
the hurdle. <strong>The</strong> athlete who has good core strength and the ability to control spine and pelvic rotation<br />
and sidebend will find this <strong>technique</strong> skill relatively easy to learn and integrate into their natural action.<br />
However, athletes with poor core strength or inefficient rotation or sidebend control will find this new<br />
skill difficult to acquire. <strong>The</strong>y will require additional training of their rotation and sidebend stabiliser<br />
muscles to improve their core control. Mark has observed that uncontrolled rotation and sidebending in<br />
the spine, pelvis and hip are the major contributors to recurrent injuries in hurdlers.<br />
Key points to watch:<br />
<strong>The</strong> gluteals control lateral shift and rotation of the pelvis<br />
<strong>The</strong>y stabilise or stiffen the pelvis for leg propulsion.<br />
<strong>The</strong> gluteals also control the knee from rolling in across the foot and foot pronation. If the foot<br />
stays pronated too long as the body move past the foot the athlete loses propulsion off the<br />
ground.<br />
In efficient iliacus contributes to uncontrolled rotation of the pelvis which in turn affects<br />
balance and efficiency over the hurdle.<br />
© Australian Track and Field Coaches Association with permission from Modern Athlete & Coach vol. 50(1) 2012: 26-29<br />
G
Iliacus deficiencies further result is poor knee lift rolling back of the pelvis and this will be of<br />
major concern.<br />
Uncontrolled rolling back of the pelvis is linked to dropping the chest on approaching the<br />
hurdle and is asking for trouble.<br />
Great examples among current world class hurdlers adopting this downward thrust of the <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong><br />
coupled with good core stability can be seen in the performances of Sally Pearson (Australia) and Liu<br />
Xiang (China).<br />
Pearson dominated the recent European season with her considerable consistency <strong>lead</strong>ing up to her<br />
World Championship win, and she did so beating several rivals who have faster flat speed times than<br />
she has over 100m. In the World Championships you will observe how Pearson literally ran and raced<br />
over the hurdles as if they did not exist. Her <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong> downward drive clearly gave her the impetus to<br />
drive off each hurdle without impeding hip rotation which helped her nullify the best efforts of her<br />
rivals, who now have 11 months <strong>lead</strong>ing up to the London Olympics to figure out what she has done to<br />
become one of the genuine greats of world hurdling.<br />
One further comment here: <strong>Hurdle</strong>rs consistently training with sprint specialists to enhance their speed<br />
between hurdles will soon learn they will quickly lose their hurdles speed, even if they do improve their<br />
100m flat speed. Kyle Vander Kuyp at his best was a 10.4sec flat sprinter, While Stuart Anderson try<br />
as hard as he did could not get past 10.8sec more than twice in his career. Towards the end of this<br />
career, Kyle worked with a specialist sprint squad and Roy Boyd continued as his technical coach in<br />
the hurdles.<br />
<strong>The</strong> speed requirements in these two events are diametrically opposed and require different <strong>technique</strong>s.<br />
Hurdling aspirants would be best advised to spend more time improving their speed between the<br />
hurdles. <strong>The</strong>y will eventually be rewarded.<br />
<strong>The</strong> ability of Pearson to demonstrate her speed endurance, seemingly drawing away for her rivals after<br />
five hurdles indicates she has the ability to sustain her “special hurdling speed” through superior core<br />
strength, spine control and pelvic rotation - she literally sprints through the hurdles.<br />
Both hurdlers have adopted the downward drive of the <strong>lead</strong> <strong>arm</strong>s and it is this writer’s view that this<br />
tends to provide an added benefit - economy of energy outlays over the entire race simply because the<br />
various muscle components that come into play are working in alignment with each other - almost like<br />
a chain reaction.<br />
© Australian Track and Field Coaches Association with permission from Modern Athlete & Coach vol. 50(1) 2012: 26-29