A Chat with my Students

May 2, 2021

A couple weeks ago, two of my students interviewed me for their podcast. They asked me about various aspects of my life, including my childhood/adolescence growing up in the Philly area, my teaching and coaching philosophies, the three weeks I spent in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia when I was diagnosed with aplastic anemia at the age of 17, my musical tastes, and some things relevant to their lives as teenagers about to graduate from high school. It was a real fun talk. If you want to know more about me as a person, click on my name below:

May Zoom Call on Lead Arm Mechanics

April 27, 2021

What: Zoom Call
Who: Coach Steve McGill
Topic: Lead Arm Mechanics
When: Sunday May 23, 2021, from 7-8 pm (Eastern Standard Time)
Cost: $15
How to Register: Follow these instructions

You will receive the Zoom link (at the email address you provide) within 24 hours of payment.

This will be our second instructional video in The Art of Hurdling Virtual Coaching Clinic (TAHVCC) series. In the first one, in April, I gave an overview of my coaching methods, the drills I teach, and the workouts I use. Now we will start getting into more detailed instruction.

What will be discussed on May 23rd:

  • An explanation of the 1-2-3 action of the lead arm (what it does at take-off, what it does when the lead leg extends toward the crossbar, and what it does during descent off the hurdle.
  • Video analysis of lead-arm styles of great hurdlers past and present, such as: Allen Johnson, Liu Xiang, Aries Merritt, Sally Pearson, Dominique Arnold, Grant Holloway.
  • An explanation of how the lead arm can create speed coming off the hurdle.
  • An explanation of how flaws in lead arm mechanics affects the lead leg, trail leg, and hips, and how such flaws can cause a loss of speed, balance, and rhythm.
  • An explanation of how to address flaws in lead arm mechanics through various drills.
  • read more

    Drills for Elite Hurdlers

    April 24, 2021

    Elite 100/110m hurdlers can only run faster times by quickening their cadence, as increasing their stride length is not an option like it is in the sprint events and the long hurdles. With that thought in mind, the progression of drills below can help the elite hurdler to continue to drop time by quickening their cadence.

    • Lane-line drill


    Lane-line drill is from the :16-:38 mark of the above video.

    • Cycle drill over 24-inch banana hurdles spaced 12 feet apart (for males) or 11 feet apart (for females)
    • Cycle drill over 27-inch hurdles spaced 13 feet apart (for males) or 12 feet apart (for females)
    • Cycle drill over 36-inch hurdles spaced 18 feet apart (for males) or 3o-inch hurdles spaced 16 feet apart (for females)
    • Quickstep drill at race height spaced 23 feet apart (for males) or 20 feet apart (for females)
    • Timed cycle drill over 5-10 hurdles
    • Timed quicksteps over 5-10 hurdles
    • Jammed hurdling over 3-7 hurdles at race height, with all hurdles after the first moved in 2-3 feet
    • Jammed hurdling over 5-7, timed
    • Timed drills against a teammate
    • Jammed hurdling against a teammate


    In the above video, the cycle drill over banana hurdles is from the :03-:38 mark. Cycle drill over 27-inch hurdles is from the :36-:56 mark. Cycle drill over 36-inch hurdles is from the :56-1:19 mark. Quickstep drill over 39-inch hurdles is from the 1:19-1:43 mark.


    Above is a jammed hurdling workout from two years ago.

    To first hurdle:

    • For lane-line drill, no run-up.
    • For cycle drill over lower hurdles (24/27), a two-step approach from about 10 feet away.
    • For cycle drill over higher hurdles (30/36), a four-step approach from 20-23 feet away.
    • For quickstep drill, a six-step approach (or five-step for hurdlers who take seven strides to the first hurdle in races) from 30-33 feet away.
    • For jammed hurdling: full speed ahead from the starting blocks.

    Main cue for all drills: Push down. A Team Steve mantra, as discussed in our Zoom call last month, is “push forward,” but elite hurdlers don’t want to think “push forward” because pushing forward will take them too close to the next hurdle. Beginner hurdlers want to think “push forward” so that they can avoid the common beginner tendency to elevate their hips. Advanced hurdlers who aren’t elite want to think push forward AND push down because they need the speed that the forward push provides but they also need the space that pushing down provides. Elites are moving so fast that if they think “push forward” they’ll crash. So they need to think “push down” during takeoff, before they even leave the ground.  read more

    Zoom Call with Nehemiah

    April 24, 2021

    Below is video of the Zoom call I hosted on April 11 with hurdling legend Renaldo Nehemiah and his high school coach Jean Poquette. It was a very informative and enjoyable talk! We discussed many of the workouts that Poquette used in helping Nehemiah to become the first high school hurdler in history to break the 13.0 (hand-timed) barrier while running for Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in New Jersey. As a collegian at the University of Maryland, Nehemiah continued to flourish, as he broke the 110m world record twice his sophomore year, setting an NCAA record of 13.00 in the process — a record that wasn’t broken until forty years later by Florida’s Grant Holloway. In 1981, Nehemiah became the first hurdler in history to break 13.00, as he set the world record a third time in 12.93. Poquette’s coaching methods were non-traditional for sprint events in that he emphasized endurance over speed, as Nehemiah often trained with the quarter-milers and half-milers in addition to doing a lot of hurdle-endurance work. So take some time to watch the video and learn how the greatest hurdler in history became the greatest.

    Zoom Call with Hurdling Legend Renaldo Nehemiah

    March 18, 2021

    What: Zoom Call with hurdling legend Renaldo Nehemiah
    When: Sunday April 11th from 3 pm – 4:30 pm.
    Cost: $15
    To Register: Click here to pay with debit/credit via PayPalor you can send payment directly or via Cash App to $StevenMcGill. Upon receipt of payment, I will send the Zoom call link to the email address you used to pay. (If I don’t send it until later in the day, that’s because I’m probably teaching or coaching. If you don’t receive the link within 24 hours of payment, then email me at smcgill@hurdlesfirst.com).

    Who is Renaldo Nehemiah?
    Renaldo “Skeets” Nehemiah, arguably the greatest high hurdler in history, broke the world record twice in 1979 as a sophomore at the University of Maryland, running 13.16 and then 13.00. Two years later, in 1981, he became the first hurdler to break the 13.00 barrier with a 12.93 in Zurich, Switzerland. After not being able to compete in the 1980 Olympic Games due to the American boycott, Nehemiah turned to professional football, where he played four years with the San Francisco 49ers, and was on their 1984 Super Bowl team. He returned to track in 1986 and remained one of the best hurdlers in the world, although injuries sustained during his football career prevented him from returning to his previous level of dominance. In his post-athletic career, Nehemiah has gone on to have an equally impressive career as an athlete agent who has represented some of track and field’s greatest performers, including hurdlers Allen Johnson, Mark Crear, Perdita Felicien, and sprinter Justin Gatlin.

    Nehemiah Biography in the Works
    In 2019, Nehemiah and I began collaborating on a biography of his life. I have currently finished about 65% or so of the first draft, and plan to have it done by July or August, which means the book will be published sometime in 2022. As we look to generate interest in the book, Nehemiah and I will do a series of Zoom calls in which we discuss topics that will be detailed in the book. This first Zoom on April 11 will focus on his training methods and the development of his hurdling technique as a high school athlete in Scotch Plains, NJ. We are expecting that his high school coach (and a major mentor of mine) Jean Poquette will be on the call, as well as high school teammate Joe Guty. So if you want to join us for what will most certainly be an informative, educational, and enjoyable session, please sign up by following the registration guidelines above. Hope to see you all there!

    Video of Renaldo Nehemiah Races

    March 16, 2021

    From 1978-1982, Renaldo “Skeets” Nehemiah single-handedly pushed the 110m high hurdles into a new era, setting new standards that are still difficult for even the world’s best hurdlers to achieve. When Nehemiah entered the University of Maryland at the age of 18, the world record in the 110’s was 13.21, set by Alejandro Casanas of Cuba in 1977. By the time Nehemiah left track and field to play professional football in 1982, he had broken the world record three times, bringing it all the way down under the magical 13.00 mark, to 12.93 in August of 1981, at the Weltklasse meet in Zurich, Switzerland.

    I began working on a biography of Nehemiah in 2019, and am about two-thirds of the way through the first draft. In gathering research for the book, I was able to reconnect with a track fanatic who lives in England, named George Matthews, who helped me before, when I was writing a biography on 1972 Olympic champion Rodney Milburn. So I reached out to George again, and he was able to put together a collage of Nehemiah’s races that he had recorded that spanned Nehemiah’s glory years of 1978-82. Besides the outdoor world records, Nehemiah also broke indoor records of multiple distances (55 yards, 60 yards, 50 yards, 55 meters) multiple times. In his battles with rival Greg Foster of UCLA, Nehemiah brought an electricity and excitement to the event that it has not seen since. With those two going at it, the 110 hurdles were the marquee event in track and field for four years. Unfortunately, however, due to the 1980 Olympic Boycott led by US President Jimmy Carter, Nehemiah never had the opportunity to show his skills on the world’s biggest stage. read more

    Coaches Clinic Topics

    March 6, 2021

    Below are the topics I will cover in tomorrow’s Zoom clinic for hurdle coaches. This is my first time doing one of these, so if we don’t get to everything, I can always do another one. Most time will be dedicated to explaining (and demonstrating via videos) hurdling mechanics and how to properly do the drills that teach efficient mechanics. There’s still time to sign up if you want to join the call. Check my post from last month for registration info.

    –Principles of Downhill Hurdling
    –Hurdling Mechanics
    –Hurdle Drills
    –Preparing to Race
    –Bread & Butter 400H Workouts
    –Alternating drills for 400H
    –Rhythm Development for 400H
    –Conducting a Hurdle Practice Session
    –Bread & Butter 100/110H Workouts
    –Coach’s Role on Race Day
    –Frequently Asked Questions

    Upcoming Clinic for Coaches

    January 24, 2021

    Some good news: I’ll be doing an online coaching clinic on Sunday March 7, 2021, from 1-4 pm, via Zoom. THE 1-4 PM IS EASTERN STANDARD TIME IN THE UNITED STATES, SO THOSE OF YOU FROM OTHER TIME ZONES AND OTHER COUNTRIES, PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY. The event was the brain child of my good friend Dave Shaw, an assistant track coach at Mountain Ridge High School in Frostburg, MD. Half the proceeds will go to Coach Shaw’s charity organization, the David H. Shaw Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, which he founded in 1999 in honor of his son, who tragically passed away in a car accident. In the clinic, I will be detailing my approach to coaching hurdlers from beginners to elites. I will be discussing and showing video clips of workouts and drills that I use to develop technique and rhythm and speed. It promises to be a very informative session. Here is the essential info about the clinic:

    Date: Sunday March 7, 2021
    Time: 1-4pm (Eastern Standard Time in the United States)
    Format: Zoom (after you register and pay, you will receive the Zoom link)
    Cost: $25 per school (All coaches from a single school or club can join at this cost. What a bargain!). (Athletes and parents are encouraged to join as well).
    Registration: Clinic Registration Form
    Payment Method: payment can be made via check or PayPal. Here is the PayPal link: Payment through PayPal

    Below is the email that Coach Shaw is sending out to coaches in the Maryland region where he lives. It includes online registration information as well as details regarding the information above.

    ***

    Hello fellow track coaches,

    My name is David Shaw, Assistant Track Coach for both men and women at Mountain Ridge High School in Frostburg, Maryland. Every year since 1999 my family has sponsored two scholarships in honor of our deceased son, David H. Shaw Jr., to two graduating seniors at Mountain Ridge who are outstanding academic students and dedicated athletes. In the past 22 years, our family has donated over $50,000.00 to deserving students to help fund their college costs. We have had various fund raisers over the years to keep this fund active. During this difficult Covid-19 time, The David H. Shaw Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund is pleased to sponsor a virtual clinic for coaches on the art of hurdling. This clinic is for all coaches who want to get a jump start on the upcoming track season for their men and women hurdlers.

    Our presenter for this clinic will be the outstanding and renowned hurdle coach, Steve McGill. McGill started his high school coaching career in 1995 at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina. After 19 years in this capacity, he left high school coaching and started coaching privately which he continues to do today. Throughout his coaching career, McGill has coached many state champions and national champions on a youth and high school levels. Many of McGill’s hurdlers have gone on to have major success at the collegiate level and beyond, including the present world record holder in the women’s 100 M Hurdlers(12.20) Kendra Harrison. Coach McGill has written several books on hurdling, with latest being The Art of Hurdling, which can be found on Amazon in paper back or Kindle eBooks. Until the outbreak of Covid-19 last year, McGill had conducted numerous Team Steve Hurdle Camps. These camps brought hurdlers from all over the United States and Canada to JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem North Carolina and Mercersburg Academy Hale Field House in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania to train with McGill. Coach Steve’s passion for hurdling is second to none. His enthusiasm and love for the sport started when he saw the great Renaldo Nehemiah run back in the day.

    One of the most outstanding traits of Coach Steve McGill that separates him from other great coaches is that he gets the same amount of satisfaction and gives the same effort getting his 17-second hurdlers to be the best they can be as he does with all his champions and world record holder. He considers hurdling an art form and he is truly a great hurdle specialist on the track with his athletes. I think you will find this clinic informative and something you do not want to miss. Video examples of Coach McGill:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTBtu-FGHK0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rth60O6OIHQ

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VufwKPjC5Yg

    The virtual hurdle clinic for coaches will be held on Sunday, March 7, 2021 from 1pm.-4pm. The cost will be just $25.00 per school. You can reserve your spot by mailing your payment and registration form to:

    David Shaw
    22718 Horse Rock Rd. Sw.
    Westernport, MD   21562

    Make checks payable to David H. Shaw Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund

    Or by filling out the registration electronically at: Clinic Registration Form

    And payments are also accepted through PayPal: Payment through PayPal

    VIRTUAL HURDLING CLINIC FOR COACHES

    MARCH 7, 2021

    1P.M – 4P.M.

    REGISTRATION FORM

    Cost $25.00 per school

    Name of Coaches(es):________________________________________________

    School :           _______________________________________________________

    School Address: ______________________________________________________

    Email address:   ______________________________________________________

    Number from School Attending: __________________________________________

    Coaches’ Contact Information:___________________________________________

    Address:____________________________________________________________

    Phone:_____________________________________________________________

    Falling

    September 28, 2019

    Found another old document in my files, from March 15, 2019:

    For hurdlers, falling isn’t a metaphor. It’s a reality that can happen in any race, over any hurdle, even when things are going perfectly well. The first time I fell was over the ninth hurdle in a 110m race my sophomore year of high school – my first year of running hurdles. I wasn’t expected to do much because I was so new to the event and because I hadn’t performed at a high level up to that point in the season. But there I was in the thick of things in a very competitive race that featured two good hurdlers from our rival school. One of them was way ahead of everybody, but, after a slow start, I was gradually catching up to the other one. By hurdle nine I was coming up beside him, about to pass him. But because I was so giddy about the possibility of beating him, I forgot the hurdle was there and I smacked into it with the foot of my lead leg, lost my balance, and tumbled to the ground. I did a stop-drop-and-roll move and got back up and finished the race, but ended up in last place when I could’ve gotten second.

    Yes, I should’ve stayed focused on the hurdle in front of me; I shouldn’t have celebrated my success while there was still race left to run. At least I could say I went for it. I always tell my hurdlers, “Never err on the side of caution.” In other words, any mistakes you make should be mistakes of aggression, of being too aggressive. Never make the mistake of holding back, of being cautious. Agression can be managed; it can be tamed so that it is a positive attribute. Fear and caution can only slow you down. In that race my sophomore year of high school, I was young and I was new to the hurdles; I didn’t know yet that the hurdles could jump up and grab me and pull me down. From that race I learned that, yes I must stay aggressive, but I must also stay alert.

    Breakthrough

    September 28, 2020

    I wrote the thoughts below back on January 30, 2019. I came upon the document this morning as I was looking for another document in my Microsoft Word files, and felt it would be worth sharing here:

    I always tell my hurdlers that a breakthrough will occur, but you can never predict when it will happen; you just have to trust that if you stay diligent, the breakthrough will occur. Training for a race that lasts less than 20 seconds means that 99.9% of your time is spent training while only .1% of your time is spent competing. So of course there’s going to be some anxiety on the day of a race, because of fear of all the training going to waste. In practice my hurdlers do multiple reps of drills, work on the various phases of the race, and do all kinds of workouts and exercises to keep their bodies healthy and ready for competition. So the hope is always that the things we worked on in practice will shine through for us on race day. But the reality is that it takes a high level of calm focus to be able to duplicate in a race what you were able to do in practice. That level of focus is developed through repetition. In a race, you have one chance when the gun goes off to either do it or not, whereas in practice you can keep going back and trying again every time you make a mistake. So it takes many races to get to a point where you can execute the movements you practice while training without the need for the mind to tell the body what to do. In races there is no time for thinking, so the body has to do it on its own. To get to a point where the body is that in tune with what it needs to do doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why when athletes say, in reference to executing certain movements, “I can do it practice, but in meets it just doesn’t work,” I respond by saying, be patient, be persistent. My experience has been that the breakthrough always does come eventually, and when it does, that changes the athlete’s entire outlook on hurdling, and validates all the hard work and frustration.

    That’s one of the ways in which hurdling is a metaphor for life. You can’t rush progress, and you can’t skip steps on the way to mastery of a skill, of an art form. Breakthroughs happen to you, when the mind is quiet and the body is prepared; you can’t force them.

    There is no video to show.