Electric Hurdles
Hub / HURDLING / 8

Stiffness, Pop and Bounce

Stiffness is the hurdler's superpower. Pop is good, jump is bad, and the bounce goes forward down the track.

Founder method
Teach this lesson T Trackside cues
01Teach from here

The Hurdler Superpower

Stiffness is the hurdler's superpower.Replace big effortful motions with micro-steps and micro-motions.Same task, less time on the ground.

Stiffness.
Response
Brace and spring off the ground
Meaning
First invariant set
SourcesKU-015
Coach notes
  • Bounce takes an entire preseason conditioning process. The hurdler must become strong, stiff and flexible enough to make the replacement.
SourcesKU-015U; KU-015R
02Teach from here

Pop Is Good. Jump Is Bad.

Pop: short, quick, efficient ground contacts.Upward Jumping: run, plant, launch, big motions to clear the hurdle.Jump is a bad word.

Wanted

  • Pop
  • stiff micro-steps
  • minimal ground time
  • forward bounce

Rejected

  • plant
  • countermovement
  • launch
  • broad arm swing
  • torque
Pop versus Upward Jumping
Pop.
Response
Short, quick, efficient contact
Meaning
Positive word for the contact the method wants
SourcesKU-015AC
Coach notes
  • Pop belongs with Bounce Down the Track. The Pop-Through family is Marching, Jogging and Single Pop-Throughs.
SourcesKU-015AC; KU-015R; GLOSS
03Teach from here

Keep the Foot Dorsiflexed

Arrive dorsiflexed, not toe-down.Toe-down landings are squishy: the heel has to travel to neutral before push-off.That rolling contact costs time.

Coach notes
  • Under close spacing the rolling delay can also cause collisions.
  • Dorsiflexion supports the down-and-back strike.
SourcesKU-015Y; KU-015W
04Teach from here

Smaller Motion, Faster Rhythm

More speed comes from smaller motion and more stiffness.

  1. Kindergarten ropeone and two and three and four extra bounce between counts
  2. Double Dutchone, two, three, four no extra count
  3. Boxer ropesmall wrist action replaces broad arm motion
  4. Advanced Double Dutch0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 half-count rhythm
Jump-Rope Rhythm Ladder
Coach notes
  • This is a rhythm and stiffness analogy, not a timing protocol or a literal hurdle cadence.
SourcesKU-015X

Related

  • Speed Is Electric -- Speed is how fast the body can repeat the required motion. In hurdles, that is the fixed race pattern, repeated faster.
  • Create the Problem -- Compress the spacing so the athlete must cycle faster, let the reaction become normal, then widen and compress again.
  • Strong in Our Shapes -- Enough strength, kept simple, lifted on sprint days, in service of the shapes.

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