Hurdle Drills

Hurdle drills prepare our athletes for training sessions, enhance dynamic mobility, improve co-ordination and complements technical speed training.

Physiologically, hurdle drills improve joint mobility, particularly through the hips and ankles which are key for athletic movements such as running, jumping, and sprinting. Research shows that dynamic flexibility exercises, like hurdle drills, increase range of motion and reduce the risk of injury during high-intensity workouts.

From a neural perspective, hurdle drills promote neuromuscular activation and motor unit recruitment, priming the central nervous system (CNS) for explosive movements. This neural activation can enhance reaction times and firing rates, crucial for sprinting and jumping events like pole vault. additionally these drills engage fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for generating power and speed.

Musculoskeletal benefits include improved co-ordination, activation, strength and dynamic mobility in key muscle groups used in sprinting and jumping. Regular hurdle work assists athletes in developing correct posture, coordination, and movement efficiency by reinforcing athletic movement patterns. Moreover, hurdle drills teach technical skills, encouraging knee lift, hip extension, and rhythm, which translate to improved running and jumping mechanics.

Here are some progressive session we use during warm ups for speed training, we can use a variety of tools such as overhead dowl, medicine ball or water bag to encourage further dynamic stability in more advanced athletes, or to help make corrections if required.

Session 1	Sets	Hurdles
Walk Overs	2	5
Alt lead leg	2	5
Alt lead leg Lateral	2	5
Cancans	2	5
Session 2
Walk Overs	2	5
Alt lead leg with Pole	2	5
Alt Lateral Lead with Pole	2	5
Cancans with Pole	2	5
Session 3
Walk Overs	2	5
Alt lead leg with Med ball	2	5
Alt Lateral Lead with Med ball	2	5
Cancans with Med ball	2	5
Session 4
Walk Overs	2	5
Alt lead leg with Water Bag	2	5
Alt Lateral Lead with Water Bag	2	5
Cancans with Water Bag	2	5

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