Archives for December 2014

December 23, 2014

We did another version of the hurdle cycle drill with Hector Cotto this past Sunday. This time, instead of keeping the hurdles at the same spacing the whole way, we did some experimenting with the spacing and also with the heights of the hurdles.

The rep in the video is one of the last (and best) reps of the day. Earlier we had started with the first hurdle at 36”, but found that it was too hard to get into the rhythm of the drill with the hurdle that high with Hector having no momentum going into it, so we lowered that one to 33”. We kept the rest of the hurdles at 36” for most of the workout, then raised the last one (and then the last two) to 39” when he was successfully cycling without kicking out the lead leg over the 36’s.

As for spacing, we had started with the hurdles six and seven 17” and 19” apart respectively, but found that it was impossible to maintain the cadence. We found that 15” was a good distance to maintain the level of challenge but to give him valid opportunity for success. read more

December 14, 2014

If you’re not already, please be sure to keep up with the blog of professional 110 hurdler Hector Cotto at his sprinthurdles website. He and I have been doing collaborative blog posts on his site, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. We’ve done two so far,  both focused on a drill we call the hurdle-cycle drill, designed to help him keep his legs in the sprint position while clearing hurdles. Here’s the link to the first blog on this drill from two weeks ago. Here’s the link the second one from last week. Another post on this drill will be coming up soon. Do yourself a favor and bookmark Cotto’s site and check regularly for updates, as we’ll be posting blog posts other drills, workouts, and hurdling-related discussions there.

December 4, 2014

For today’s blog, I’m gonna share what I’ll call smh Moments. Moments that just made me shake my head. All coaches have them. Here are some highlights from my career:

1. Back in my early days, I had a new hurdler, really fast and athletic, with lots of potential. On the first day of introducing her to blocks, she had trouble, as all beginners do, with angles, pushing out, driving, etc. But I thought she made decent progress. The next time practicing blocks, maybe two days later, she saw me bringing the block cart to the track and said, “Do I have to use those?” “Of course,” I said, “why wouldn’t you?” “I don’t like using blocks,” she answered, “they slow me down.”

2. With the youth track team I coach for in the summer, I like to have practice with the hurdlers at 5 so we can get started before the rest of the team comes at 6. That gives us more space and makes it easier to focus. One day last summer, one of my hurdlers texted me at 5:30 talkin’ ‘bout, “I’m gonna be a little late to practice.” read more

December 2, 2014

Just wanted to make everybody aware of the website of Hector Cotto, www.sprinthurdles.com. The 29-year-old Cotto competes internationally for Puerto Rico, and has raced in two Olympic Games and four World Championships. Originally from Rochester, NY, Cotto spent his later high school years in the Raleigh, NC area, then went on to compete at East Carolina University, where he holds multiple school records in the sprint hurdles, indoors and out.

I coached Cotto briefly in the summer after his senior year of high school, then again for a year in 2010, when he ran what was then a personal best of 13.54. His current personal best is 13.49. Cotto, who possesses one of the most astute hurdling minds I have ever encountered, has contributed articles and his expertise to www.hurdlesfirst.com and to The Hurdle Magazine.

With www.sprinthurdles.com, Cotto is seeking to share the wealth of knowledge he has gained over an 8-year professional career in which he has competed against some of the best 110m hurdlers in history. His site is still in its nascent stages, but already has plenty of useful information and blog posts. Moving forward, he and I will be partnering on many blog posts, videos, and other projects. read more