Methods for Shorter Hurdlers to Minimize the Height Disadvantage
by Steve McGill

One of the athletes I’ve been working with in my private training for the past several months is a 9th-grader named Skye Wilson. Skye, whose dad is a sprint coach, has very good sprint mechanics, very good speed, and very good power. The problem, from a hurdling perspective, is that she’s only 5’1”. So much of the work we’ve been doing has involved utilizing her speed and strength in such a way that she can put her body in the positions it needs to be in to negotiate the barriers without contacting them but also without floating. In this article, I will point out some key factors I’ve hit on that have helped Skye on her journey as she transitions from the 30” hurdles of the 13-14 age group into the 33” hurdles that she must now clear in high school, and in the 15-16 age group of youth track. 

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When it comes to smaller hurdlers, clearing hurdles successfully is all about hip height, first and foremost, even though it’s not the only thing that matters. For taller hurdlers, hip height is not an issue, because their hips are already higher than the crossbar. When I was in college, clearing 42-inch barriers, I, at 5-11 ½, was a smaller hurdler. The downhill style of hurdling that I’ve developed as a coach was first inspired by watching taller hurdlers — 6’3” and 6’4” dudes — clear hurdles. It seemed so effortless for them, and the angle of their lead leg made it look like they were running down a hill. My question then was, how can I learn how to do that? How can I put my body in a position where I’m looking down on the hurdle instead of skimming it on a horizontal angle?

Smaller hurdlers are much more prone to hitting hurdles and to making contact with hurdles in such a way that slows them down and that knocks them off balance. Taller hurdlers, even when they hit hurdles, can often just power through them. Jamaica’s Omar McLeod from a few years back was an example of a smaller hurdler who could beat the best in the world when he ran a clean race, but who could barely finish races when he made contact with hurdles. That’s just how it is for the smaller athletes, regardless of their strength and speed. 

So, one of the elements of hurdle clearance that I emphasize is the push off the back leg at take-off. For smaller hurdlers, this forceful push can function to raise the hips so that the hips are at least at the level of the crossbar, if not higher than the crossbar (which is preferable). For smaller hurdlers, this vertical element is not only acceptable, but essential. For taller hurdlers, the push off the back leg should still be forceful, but it should create more of a jump forward as opposed to a jump upward. Smaller hurdlers want to jump upward. Now that the hips are taller, the hurdle is now smaller. Hence, a 5’11” hurdler can feel like a 6’1” hurdler. Or, in the case of Skye, a 5’1” hurdler can feel like a 5’3” hurdler. That’s still relatively short, but that’s enough hip height to minimize the possibility of hitting hurdles.

Obviously, by adding this vertical element at take-off, we’re increasing the possibility of floating over the hurdle and spending too much time in the air. That’s why I also emphasize a forceful forward thrust with the hips. This horizontal hip thrust, timing-wise, must happen simultaneously with the vertical push off the back leg. So, in essence the smaller hurdler is going in two directions at once. The push off the back leg sends the hurdler up, while the thrust from the hips sends the hurdler forward. That way, we get the hip height we need and we push forward without floating.

The next element to focus on is the forward lean from the waist. I shouldn’t say “next,” actually, because it occurs at the same time as the push off the back leg and the forward thrust of the hips. All hurdlers should lean forward from the waist at take-off, but smaller hurdlers need to do so to an extreme degree. Keep the eyes up and chin up, and bring that chin down down to your knee. In terms of avoiding contact, this lean is a non-negotiable for the smaller hurdler. The deep forward lean helps to raise the trail leg so that the knee of that leg doesn’t smack the bar. And any smaller hurdler knows that smacking the bar with the trail leg knee can send you in five different directions at once. 

The next element, also in regards to the lean, is another non-negotiable: Don’t come out of the lean too soon. Maintain the deep forward lean all the way back to the ground — all the way until the foot of the lead leg touches back down. If you start to come out of the lean while you’re still descending off the hurdle, the trail leg foot or ankle will clip the hurdle, even though you’ve done everything else right! Taller hurdlers don’t have this issue. They can do what feels most natural — to start standing a little bit taller as they’re coming off the hurdle. But smaller hurdlers can’t do that. If you ask me, I’d say that’s why McLeod had issues with clobbering hurdlers in some of his races — he didn’t hold the lean long enough. 

The final element to consider is similar to the one I just discussed. For shorter hurdlers, the lead leg can’t begin its descent until the upper hamstring or even the butt has passed by the crossbar. Taller hurdlers can begin their descent when the heel crosses the bar. In the women’s race, I’d say that women 5’5” or taller can begin descent as soon as the heel is even with the bar. But for ladies in that 5’1”-5’4” range, they have to be a little more patient so that the hamstring or butt doesn’t contact the hurdle. Contact with the hamstring or butt will stand you up and take away all your momentum. 

Every item I’ve discussed in this article represents an amendment to the downhill style, a modification so that the athlete can still create that downhill feeling. Compared to taller hurdlers, the push off the back leg is more vertical, the forward thrust of the hips is more forceful, the lean is deeper and held for longer, the lead leg’s extension is held for longer before the foot cycles to the ground. 

With Skye, we were working on three-stepping with the hurdles one foot in from race distance, and the only thing holding her back was that she kept hitting hurdles with her trail leg. That’s when I implemented the queue to hold the lean all the way to touchdown, and that adjustment solved that problem. I don’t have any video footage of it, however, because I generally don’t video my athletes until they’re at a point in their development where doing so can actually be beneficial. During a practice session, I still have greater trust in my naked eye to give me instant feedback. But the video below does contain some footage of Skye in the last 30 seconds or so of the video. She’s doing some drilling — cycle drilling and marching popovers. That’ll give you a visual of the challenges she faces regarding her height.

To conclude, I would say that shorter hurdlers who are fast and who have good explosive power can be outstanding hurdlers despite their height, especially if they follow the tips explained in this article.

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