Quick-step Rhythm Shake-up Workout

This workout is designed to help hurdlers deal with the rhythm adaptations that they will have to make in the course of a race, with the middle part of the race being the “danger zone” and the latter part of the race being the part where fatigue sets in.

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The Set-up

• Set up ten hurdles; hurdles should be at race height.
• Put the first hurdle on the race mark.
• Hurdles 2-4 should be spaced 24 feet apart (males) or 21 feet apart (females) for a quick three-step.
• Hurdles 5-7 should be spaced two feet closer – 22 feet apart for males, 19 feet apart for females.
• Hurdles 8-10 should be spaced out one foot – 23 feet for males, 20 feet for females.

The idea is that the closer spacing in the middle mimics the feeling of the hurdles rushing up at you. Re-opening the spacing at the end forces the athlete to focus again on not get lazy in the strides between the hurdles as fatigue sets in.

The Workout

• The athlete completes 8 passes over all ten hurdles, taking a standing 6-step approach to the first hurdle, being sure to speed up in the last three strides into the hurdle, establishing the tempo for the transition into hurdle two.
• Take a three-minute rest between reps, and a six-minute rest after the fourth rep. Between each rep, athlete and coach should discuss what to emphasize for the next rep.
• To add a competitive element to it, the reps can be timed. The goal would be to go all-out every rep, with the later reps being as fast as the early one.

Variations

Reps can be reduced as coach sees fit.

If enough hurdles and space are available, hurdlers can do this side by side and race each other. That makes it more fun and also adds another competitive dimension.

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