Hurdling For Track Athletes. Hurdling Technique.

TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES HURDLING TECHNIQUES

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to determine if running the hurdles with the 80 meter specifications was significantly different than running the hurdles with the 100 meter specifications.

Hurdles two, five and eight were investigated for the Velocity of the center of mass (VCM) in the preparatory set (PS), hurdle step (HS), and recovery step (RS) were traced to determine the efficiency of movement to and over the hurdles. This was done using the Peak Video Illustrator computer program. The investigator determined the touch down (TD) times for the entire race using a recording of the trials taken by a video camera.

Statement of the Problem

The study set out to determine if there is a significant correlation between learning the proper hurdle rhythm and technique at higher velocities while performing with the 80 meter hurdles specifications compared to performing with the 100 meter hurdles specifications. The study was set up specifically to investigate the effect of the two different specifications on novice hurdlers. All participants were tested over 80 meters with 80 meter hurdles specifications and then over 80 meters with 100 meter hurdles specifications. The women ran over eight hurdles for both the 80 meter hurdles and the 100 meter hurdles for the study.

Hurdle Specifications
Height	Distance to first hurdle	Distance between hurdles	Hurdle
80 meters hurdles:	12 meters	8 meters	76
100 meters hurdles:	13 meters	8.5 meters	84

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Subjects

The subjects for the study was a group of six female and college aged developmental hurdlers. The range in age was 15 to 22 years old and the range in personal bests in the 100 meters hurdles was from 15.3 seconds to 18.1 seconds.

Procedure of Testing

Following a 20 minute active warm-up the women performed two 80 meter hurdle runs, with a 10 min. rest period between the two runs. After the run with 80 meter hurdle specifications the women then had an inactive recovery period of 15 minutes followed by an active recovery period of 15 minutes before starting the two runs over 100 meter hurdle specifications.

Statistical Treatment of the Data

Using the t statistic for related subjects the data then compared the differences between the 80 meter hurdle specifications and the 100 meter hurdle specifications. The Alpha level of 0.05 for a one tailed test was chosen with a critical level of 2.015.

Result

(In parenthesis is the value of significance of difference)

There were no significant differences of the VCM regarding the PS, HS or RS of the second hurdle. The fifth hurdle, however, revealed that the HS was significantly faster (2.134) on all three steps while hurdling over the 80 meter hurdle specifications. The eighth hurdle revealed that the women were moving significantly faster on all three steps while hurdling over the 80 meter specifications, PS (2.324), HS (2.209), and RS (3.249).

The comparisons of the average TD times for the entire race also showed that the 80 meter hurdles allowed for significantly faster (5.421) touchdown times between the hurdles. In fact, the women were and average of 0.2 and 0.3 seconds faster than they were performing with the 100 meter hurdle specifications. The average velocities for the entire race proved to be significantly higher (4.360) when using the 80 meter hurdle specifications. This date was found by taking the average velocity between each of the hurdles during the run by using the average touchdown times for each subject. On an average the women experienced velocities 0.3 meters per second faster over the 80 meter hurdle specifications.

When the number of strides taken with the 80 meter hurdle specifications were compared with the 100 meter hurdle specifications there was a significantly lower (6.700) number of strides when the women used the 80 meter hurdle specifications. The researcher only counted the strides to the first hurdle and between subsequent hurdles up the eighth hurdle. The proper number of strides being eight to the first hurdle and three between each of the seven subsequent hurdles the total number of strides should be 29 total strides. It is interesting to note here that on an average the women took a total of 32 steps for the 80 meter hurdle specifications and 39 total steps for the 100 meter hurdle specifications.

The comparisons of the final times also revealed that the women were significantly faster (2.488) using the 80 meter hurdle specifications than when using the 100 meter hurdle specifications. The average total time over the 80 meter hurdle specifications was 14.6 seconds as compared to 15.8 seconds over the 100 meter hurdle specifications. Please remember that the women traveled the same distance (80 meters) when performing the 80 meter hurdle specifications and the 100 meter hurdle specifications.

The researcher also found the rate of deceleration from hurdle five to hurdle eight was significantly greater (15.668) while running over the 100 meter hurdle specifications then when running over the 80 meter hurdle specifications. The average rate of deceleration using the 80 meter hurdle specifications was –0.51 meters per second as opposed to –1.98 meters per seconds using the 100 meter hurdle specifications.

Discussion and Conclusions

The results of this study suggests there is a correlation between hurdling at the 80 meter hurdle specification for novice hurdlers gaining higher horizontal velocities and the maintenance of the velocity throughout the entire race.

Within the limits of this study, the following conclusions were drawn.

The 80 meter hurdle specifications allowed the women to achieve and maintain higher velocities than did the 100 meter specifications.
The 80 meter hurdle specifications allowed the women to achieve and maintain better hurdle rhythm than did the 100 meter hurdle specifications.

Recommendations

Based on the results and conclusions of this study, the following recommendations are made for further study:

A larger sample would lend to greater validation of the results found in this study.
It is suggested that this is a good preliminary study, and it seems that further research using 3-Dimensional analysis and electronic timing would be advisable.
Research could be done to investigate how changing the test deign by alternating the 80 meter hurdle specifications with the 100 meter hurdle specifications might affect the results of the testing.
Based on the results of this study, state high school sports federations may consider creating appropriate hurdle progressions for both female and male hurdlers.

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