Week 4: 11/22

Quarter break so not much going on in the Kern Center. Everyone at home, training on their own.

11/22 KC. One exception to at-home training was Deven, who came in to get a hurdle workout. Warm up included carioca, forward skips, backward skips and B skips. Moved to wickets off 4-step run in. Worked at spacing out to 7-0 but shifted down to 6-6 for later reps, looking for a stride length to match 400H rhythm. The 6-6 works for a 16-step rhythm, and Deven did relative-spacing reps at 14.8m with a 6-step to match the 16-step stride-length requirement at the 35m spacing. He hurdles well with either leg, so the alternating arrangement was no problem. Following those reps, Deven did some over the top drilling at 12' spacing with marching between, working on lead leg mechanics mostly. He made some good improvement in cycling the lead, and he also tightened up his trail leg, which was loose on some of the earlier reps on the 6-step drill. After the marching drill came 4-step power hurdles, working on lead leg mechanics at higher speed. Also worked on lean without bend at waist and keep hips tall in and off hurdles. Worked both legs. Ended with 3-pt starts through H1 at 8.5m, getting some video:

Entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Agw-OblD8&feature=youtu.be
Clearance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO0_Ah8HLcM&feature=youtu.be
Front: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzqNOBE20cs&feature=youtu.be

This is step 7 into 8. Some crouching/collapsing on that step. Better to be "tall" so the hips don't drop.

Below, the entry to step 8 is heel first because the leg is casting out / reaching / passive, instead of pushing down hard. Avoiding this braking action will help get in and off hurdles better.

Takeoff is good. Though you can't see it on this screen grab, you can on the video, he steps over knee with the lead foot so his lead leg action is solid. He also is pushing hip away from takeoff foot well.

Below, as his foot reaches the rail, his lead leg is extended well, though the hips are a little low. Trail knee is behind hips slightly, which is good. You want a good split between lead and trail going into a hurdle clearance. Deven is staying forward pretty well and as the knee passes the rail in the later image, he's in good position and cutting down the lead leg.

On the video, you can see Deven's right arm extend outward a bit too far. Better to keep that arm moving alongside the torso. Lead leg swings inward a bit (lands in middle of lane), causing the torso to counter with a bend to his left. As he exits in this image, he is squared up again, and the trail leg is finishing well (getting pointed straight down the track).