5 Hurdle Technique Drills

Learn these 5 hurdle technique drills to improve your performance on the track. Hurdling is a technical event in track and field. To be a decent hurdler, you have to be quick and have good technique. Here are five hurdling technique drills to improve your hurdling performance.

To do these five hurdle technique drills, you will need the following:

• Running shoes
• A track (optional)

1. Walking Toe-Touch. This warm-up hurdling drill will improve your form and your technique. Start by walking three paces. Point one toe up and reach down and touch your toe with the opposite arm. Take three more steps and repeat. Do this for 50 meters. Do this drill once or twice a week in combination with your other hurdle technique drills.
2. A-Skip. Skipping might look lame, but it is an important hurdle drill technique. When you are hurdling, you want to maximize energy in your legs and A-skips help you achieve this. Start by placing your hands on your hips. Skip lightly. Strike the ground with your mid-foot instead of your heel. Strike your leg out and "paw" the ground. Don't exaggerate the movement. A-skip for 100 to 200 meters as part of your warm up or with other hurdle technique drills.
   
3. Big Skips. This hurdling technique drill the exact opposite of a-skip. Here you want to exaggerate your skipping as much as possible. Swing your arms up and down while you are skipping. Reach up high with your arms and knees. Aim for height and not distance. Do this for 100 meters.
4. Lunges. Lunges are a basic, but important aspect of hurdling technique drills. It is important to have good form when you are doing lunges in order to avoid injury. Make sure that your knee doesn't lunge over your foot. Start with ten to twelve lunges on each leg and increase until you are comfortable doing twenty to 25 lunges on each leg.
5. Run Backwards. Running backwards will improve your balance and your hurdling technique. Try to lean forward when you are running backwards. Run backwards for approximately 50 to 100 meters then rest. Repeat this three to four times.