A Week in the Life
by Steve McGill
The following document is one that I shared with the coaches at the coaching clinic that Hector Cotto and I conducted on October 13th. It consists of sample workouts for hurdlers that can be used throughout the year, and is based on the workout plans that are available for sale on this website. If you are looking for workout ideas for your hurdlers, you’ll find plenty of them here.
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A question that came up during the clinic was, If the athlete isn’t hitting the times you want him or her to hit, should you increase the rest period or should you adjust the target times? I say, increase the rest period, so that you can still have a chance of getting the quality you’re looking for. You can always go back and decrease the rest the next week.
At the end of this document are links to pages that help you calculate target times for all the running workouts. As I told the coaches, fall training running workouts should be done at 75-80% of full speed, winter workouts should be done at 85-90% of full speed, and spring workouts should be done at 90-95% of full speed. Always save 100% for the races.
A Week in the Life of a 100/110 Hurdler, Fall Training
Monday: 2x(3×400) with a set target time to be determined by coach. 3:00 rest between reps, 6:00 rest between sets.
Tuesday: 2 sets of 10 reps over four hurdles. Hurdles should be 10.5 yards apart (females) or 12 yards apart (males) for a sprinting 5-step rhythm. Sprint to the first hurdle from a standing or 3-point start. Walk-back recovery between reps, 5:00 rest between sets. Hurdles should be at 33 inches (females) or 39 inches (males).
Wednesday: 5x(30, 40, 50) with set target times to be determined by coach. Standing start or rolling start. For rest, walk back between reps, 3:00 between sets.
Thursday: Leg strength workout (details are in separate document)
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Three sets of 8 reps over 6 hurdles with the hurdles moved in for a quick three-step rhythm. About 8 yards apart for males and 7 yards apart for females should suffice. Fast walk back to starting line between reps. 6:00 rest between sets. Hurdles should be set at 33 inches for girls, 39 inches for boys and collegians. Do not approach the first hurdle at full speed. Use high knees, then speed up the last three steps into the first hurdle. Do not time the reps.
Sunday: Rest
A Week in the Life of a 100/110 Hurdler, Winter Training
Monday: 3x(2×200) with a set target time to be determined by coach. 2:30 rest between reps, 5:00 rest between sets.
Tuesday: Hurdle Drill Workout (marching pop-overs, cycle drill, quicksteps)
Wednesday: 5 x block starts over the first three hurdles, race height, moved in one foot from race spacing.
Thursday: 3x(3×60) from 3-point stance. Target times to be determined by coach. 1:30 rest between reps, 3:00 rest between sets.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Compete or 5 reps over the first four hurdles, out of the blocks, in spikes. Preferably with a teammate, with someone giving commands and someone recording touchdown times (optional). Full recovery between reps.
Sunday: Rest
A Week in the life of a 100/110 Hurdler, Spring Training
Monday: 6 reps over first 6 hurdles, from blocks if warm enough, or 3-point start if not. All hurdles after first hurdle should be moved in at least a foot. Full recovery between reps.
Tuesday: 6×150, timed, with a target time to be determined by coach. 3:00 rest between reps.
Wednesday: Light hurdle drills followed 5-6 starts over first 3 hurdles. With a teammate. Full recovery between reps.
Thursday: Compete, or 4×200, timed, with a target time to be determine by coach. 4:00 rest between reps.
Friday: Rest, or 3 starts over the first 2-3 hurdles.
Saturday: Compete
Sunday: Rest
A Week in the life of a 100/110 Hurdler, Championship Season
Monday: 3 reps over first 8 hurdles, from blocks, with commands. All hurdles after first hurdle should be moved in at least half a foot. This workout should preferably be done with a teammate. If possible, record touchdown times between hurdles. Full recovery between reps.
Tuesday: 3×120, timed, with a target time to be determined by coach. 4:30 rest between reps.
Wednesday: Light hurdle drills.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Rest, or 3 starts over the first 3 hurdles.
Saturday: Compete
Sunday: Compete or rest
A Week in the Life of a Double Hurdler, Fall Training
Monday: 4×800 with a set target time to be determined by coach. 4:00 rest between reps. Add two hurdles on each straight-away. Hurdles should be placed randomly. Athletes will be clearing a total of eight hurdles per rep.
Tuesday: 5x(90, 100, 110), from a standing start or 3-point start. Target time determined by coach. Aim is to keep each rep within 1 second of the previous one. For example, if the 90m is run in 14.0, then the 100 should be run in 15.0, and the 110 in 16.0. For rest, walk back between reps, four minutes between sets.
Wednesday: 3x(400, 300, 200) with set target times to be determined by coach, based on times the athlete hit in Wednesday workouts from previous weeks. Within each set, 4:00 rest after the 400, 3:00 rest after the 300, then 5:00 rest after the 200.
Thursday: 5x100m (girls) or 5x110m (boys) back-and-forths over 30-inch hurdles (girls) or 36-inch hurdles (boys). Up and back one time constitutes a rep. 5:00 rest between reps. Do not time the reps.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Three sets of 8 reps over 9 hurdles with the hurdles moved in for a quick three-step rhythm. About 8 yards apart for boys and 7 yards apart for girls should suffice. Fast walk back to starting line between between reps. 6:00 rest between sets. Hurdles should be set at 33 inches for girls, 39 inches for boys and collegians. Do not approach the first hurdle at full speed. Use high knees, then speed up the last three steps into the first hurdle.
Sunday: Rest
A Week in the Life of a Double Hurdler, Winter Training
Monday: 400m Hurdlers: 3×500, clearing the first two and last two hurdles. From three-point start. Upon crossing the 400m finish line, cut into inside and complete the last 100 meters in lane one. Rest 5:00 between reps.
300m Hurdlers: 3×400, clearing the first two and last two hurdles. From a standing start. Upon crossing the 300m finish line, cut into inside lane and complete the last 100 meters in lane one. Rest 4:00 between reps.
Tuesday: One set of 5 quick-step reps over 8 hurdles, spaced 21-24 feet apart, followed by five starts over the first five hurdles, out of the blocks, in spikes, with commands. Walk-back recovery between quick-step reps. 6:00 rest between quick-steps and starts. Full recovery between start reps.
Wednesday: 3×300, 2×200, 1×150 (400m hurdlers) or 2×300, 2×200, 2×150 (300m hurdlers). Target times to be determined by coach. Rest 4:00 after 300 reps, 3:00 after 200 reps, 2:30 after first 150 (300m hurdlers).
Thursday: Selected hurdle drills, based on needs of the athlete, then: 8 reps over 5 hurdles at 3 inches below race height. Out of the blocks, in spikes. All hurdles after the first hurdle should be moved in one foot. Full recovery between reps.
Friday: Rest or light hurdle drills.
Saturday: Compete
Sunday: Rest
A Week in the life of a Double Hurdler, Spring Training
Monday: 400m Hurdlers: 2 reps of the following: Set up all ten hurdles. Run a 300 over the first 7 hurdles, rest 1:00, then run a 100 over the last three hurdles. Rest 10 minutes between sets. The 300 should be from a block start. The 100 should be from a standing start. Aim will be for total time from each set to equal target race time.
300m Hurdlers: 2 sets of the following: Set up all 8 hurdles. Run a 200 over the first 5 hurdles, rest 1:00, then run a 100 over the last three hurdles. Rest 9 minutes between sets. The 200 should be from a block start. The 100 should be from a standing start. Aim will be for total time from each set to equal target race time.
Tuesday: 5 x 3-step marching pop-overs over 10 hurdles spaced 12-15 feet apart. Then, 1 set of 5 quick-steps over 8 hurdles at race height. Walk-back between reps. Then, six block starts: 1 without a hurdle, 1 over one hurdle, 2 over three hurdles, 1 over five hurdles, and one over seven hurdles. Full recoveries for all starts.
Wednesday: 5x(30, 60, 90) from 3-point start. Target time determined by coach. Walk-back recovery between reps. 5:00 between sets.
Thursday: Compete, or:
400m Hurdlers: 4×300 from a standing start or 3-point start. Target times determined by coach. 5:00 rest between reps.
300m Hurdlers: 4×200. From a standing or 3-point start, with a set target time to be determined by coach. 4:00 rest between reps.
Friday: Rest, or 3 block starts over the first three hurdles, at race height, with the hurdles moved in one foot.
Saturday: Compete
Sunday: Rest
A Week in the life of a Double Hurdler, Championship Season
Monday: 400m Hurdlers: 1 rep over first 8 hurdles, from starting blocks, with commands.
300m Hurdlers: 1 rep over first 6 hurdles, from starting blocks, with commands. Record touchdown time off of hurdle 8 (6 for 300m hurdlers). This workout should be done with a teammate.
Tuesday: 2 reps over first 8 100/110m hurdles, from blocks, with commands. All hurdles after first hurdle should be moved in at least half a foot. This workout should preferably be done with a teammate. If possible, record touchdown times between hurdles. Full recovery between reps.
Wednesday: Light hurdle drills.
Thursday: 3 starts over the first 3 100/110m hurdles, or 3 starts over first 3 300/400m hurdles.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Compete
Sunday: Compete
A Week in the life of a 300/400m Hurdler, Fall Training
Monday: 400 Hurdlers: 4×500 at 80% of full speed, from a standing start. 4:00 rest between reps.
300 Hurdlers: 4×400 at 80% of full speed, from a standing start. 4:00 rest between reps.
Tuesday: 4x(4×80), from a falling start or 3-point start. A set target time should be determined by the coach. These should be done at 80% of full speed. For rest, walk back between reps, three minutes between sets.
Wednesday: 4x(3×200) at 80% of full speed from a standing start. 2:30 rest between reps, 5:00 rest between sets.
Thursday: Brisk 20-minute run.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Males:10x110m over five 36-inch hurdles. Hurdles should be set at the marks for hurdles 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 of the 110h race. Jog back after odd-numbered reps; walk back after even-numbered reps. Focus is on maintaining a consistent rhythm.
Females: 10×100 over five 30-inch hurdles. Workout details are the same as for the males.
Sunday: Rest
A Week in the life of a 300/400m Hurdler, Winter Training
Monday: 400m Hurdlers: 4×300 over first seven hurdles.
300m Hurdlers: 4×200 over first five hurdles. Blocks and spikes optional, dependent upon weather and athlete’s conditioning level. Target time to be determined by coach. 4:30 rest between reps.
Tuesday: 400m Hurdlers: 3×500
300m Hurdlers: 3×400 from a standing or 3-point start, with a set target time to be determined by coach. 6:00 rest between reps.
Wednesday: 10×120, easy, un-timed. Walk-back recovery. Light hurdle drills.
Thursday: 400m Hurdlers: 5×200
300m Hurdlers: 5×150 from a standing or 3-point start, with a set target time to be determined by coach. 4:00 rest between reps.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 400m Hurdlers: 5 starts over first three hurdles.
300m Hurdlers: 5 starts over first two hurdles. Spikes on, out of the blocks. Time the touchdown off each hurdle. Full recovery between reps.
Sunday: Rest
A Week in the life of a 300/400m Hurdler, Spring Training
Monday: 400m Hurdlers: 4×200 over first five hurdles, from a block start or 3-point start. 6-minute rest between reps.
300m Hurdlers: 4×150 over first four hurdles, from a block start or 3-point start. 5-minute rest between reps.
Tuesday: 400m Hurdlers: 2×500, 1×150, from a standing start. 8-minute rest after the first 500, 10-minute rest after the second 500.
300m Hurdlers: 3×400, 1×150, from a standing start. 6-minute rest after the first and second 400’s, 10-minute rest after the third 400.
Wednesday: Easy 2-mile recovery run, untimed, at a conversational pace.
Thursday: 400m Hurdlers: 8×120 from a 3-point start. 4-minute rest between reps.
300m Hurdlers: 8×100 from a 3-point start. 3:30 rest between reps.
Friday: 3 starts over the first 3 hurdles, after a full warmup that mimics race-day warmup.
Saturday: Compete
Sunday: Rest
A Week in the life of a 300/400m Hurdler, Spring Training
Monday: 400m Hurdlers: 300m time trial, clearing first 7 hurdles, from starting blocks.
300m Hurdlers: 200m time trial, clearing first 5 hurdles, from starting blocks.
Tuesday: Light hurdle drills followed by 10×100, easy, un-timed.
Wednesday: 400m Hurdlers: 2×200, clearing first five hurdles, from starting blocks. 15-minute rest between reps.
300m Hurdlers: 2×150 clearing first four hurdles. From starting blocks. 15-minute rest between reps.
Thursday: Warm up
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Compete
Sunday: Rest
https://www.brianmac.co.uk/sprints/tp400.htm
https://www.brianmac.co.uk/sprints/tp100.htm
https://www.brianmac.co.uk/sprints/tp200.htm
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUv-PzWuzed1fi_eRwNCnhSw
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