Letter from the Editor, January 2016

Hello Subscribers, happy new year and welcome to the latest edition of The Hurdle Magazine. Let me go ahead and give you a rundown of what to look forward to in this month’s issue:

“Cycling the Arms” chronicles the further development of Keare Smith’s progression in incorporating this new style into hurdling. The style is designed to eliminate all pauses in the hurdling action, including that of the trail arm. Smith has written articles for this magazine in the past, and our relationship is one that I hold dear to my heart. He and I are expecting big things this year, and beyond.

“Kobi Quick Steps” featured a short video of one of my athletes from my old school who traveled three hours for a workout. Currently a senior in high school, Kobi Johnson is looking to get right before he heads to Brown University next year, where he plans to compete. In this article, I break down the things we were emphasizing in regards to lead leg, trail leg, and the forward lean.

“Discounting the Spacing Workout” is a workout specifically designed to help faster hurdlers to deal with the crowding that occurs in the middle part of the race – what I refer to as “the danger zone.” In this workout, the spacing gets progressively closer to mimic the feeling that happens in an actual race.

“Know Your Opponent” is an article that gives advice on the importance of knowing the strengths and weaknesses of one’s opponents, based on the idea that doing so helps to relieve anxiety and allows the athlete to be confident in his or her own strengths.

“Some Thoughts on Off-Season Training for the 400 Hurdler” discusses that very topic, emphasizing my belief that a cardio base is very important and must be established early on. In addition, I argue that training with the half-milers might be the best way to go for 400 hurdlers for the fall and winter months.

In “Advice on Seeking Advice,” I list and provide details on the coaches who provide the most useful hurdle-related information on the internet today. For those of you engaged in a constant quest to get better, these coaches are the ones I would advise you to follow on the internet and to make contact with.

Thanks for all the support everybody. Hope 2016 is a good year for you, and best of luck with your indoor season.

Steve McGill