Hurdles
A hurdles race is one in which obstacles are placed at intervals along the track that the runners must jump over on their way the finish line. Typical hurdle races are the 100m and 400m for women and 110m and 400m for men. Timing, footwork, and technique are key in wining hurdles events. Of course you still need to be fast, but jumping the hurdles in stride without much slowing down is how to win in the hurdles.
Hurdles Workout
Walk or jog for about two minutes to get warmed up
Stretch for about 2-3 minutes (calves, hamstrings, and quads)
Jog/walk for 30 seconds and increase pace for 15 seconds (repeat x 5)
Walk for about two minutes and get a good stretch
A hurdles race is one in which obstacles are placed at intervals along the track that the runners must jump over on their way the finish line. Typical hurdle races are the 100m and 400m for women and 110m and 400m for men. Timing, footwork, and technique are key in wining hurdles events. Of course you still need to be fast, but jumping the hurdles in stride without much slowing down is how to win in the hurdles.
Hurdles Workout
Walk or jog for about two minutes to get warmed up
Stretch for about 2-3 minutes (calves, hamstrings, and quads)
Jog/walk for 30 seconds and increase pace for 15 seconds (repeat x 5)
Walk for about two minutes and get a good stretch
Field Events
Shot Put
In the shot put event athletes throw a metal ball. The men's college and Olympic shot weighs 16 pounds. The women's college and Olympic shot weighs 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds). This sport actually started with a cannonball throwing competition in the Middle Ages. The shot is thrown from a concrete circle that is 7 feet in diameter. The front of the circle has a metal board called a toe board. The athlete cannot touch the top of the toe board or step over it during the throw. The athlete holds the shot close to his/her neck in one hand. There are two common throwing techniques: The first has the athlete slide or "glide" from the back to the front of the circle before releasing the shot. The second has the athlete spin in the circle (like the discus) before releasing the shot. With either technique the goal is to build momentum and finally push or "put" the shot in the direction of the legal landing area. The athlete must stay in a circle until the shot has landed. The athlete that throws it furthest from the front part of the circle (and within the legal area) wins.
High Jump
In the high jump event, the athlete gets a running start and must jump over a bar without knocking it over. They land on a big soft cushion. Like many track and field events, there is a key element to doing well in this sport, which in this case is being able to jump high, but technique is very important as well. Timing and leaving your feet at the right point as well as how you bend your body as you go over the bar are all important.
There have been many techniques used for high jumping over the years, but the current, and most successful, is called the Fosbury Flop. The Fosbury Flop technique involves leading with your head over the bar (vs. leading with your feet) and twisting such that your back is to the ground and closest the bar as you go over it. Jumpers then land on their back.
Long Jump
Like many field events, the long jump involves more skill and technique than just being able to jump. First the athlete must have good speed as they sprint down the runway to prepare for the jump; next they must have very good footwork at the end of their run so they can launch as close to the line as possible without going over the line and faulting; third they must make a good jump; and lastly they must have proper form through the air and into the landing. All of these techniques and skills must be executed to perfection to pull of a good long jump.
The long jump has been a popular track and field event since the Ancient Greece Olympics. The current men's world record is 29.4 feet by Mike Powell. That's one loooong jump!
Shot Put
In the shot put event athletes throw a metal ball. The men's college and Olympic shot weighs 16 pounds. The women's college and Olympic shot weighs 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds). This sport actually started with a cannonball throwing competition in the Middle Ages. The shot is thrown from a concrete circle that is 7 feet in diameter. The front of the circle has a metal board called a toe board. The athlete cannot touch the top of the toe board or step over it during the throw. The athlete holds the shot close to his/her neck in one hand. There are two common throwing techniques: The first has the athlete slide or "glide" from the back to the front of the circle before releasing the shot. The second has the athlete spin in the circle (like the discus) before releasing the shot. With either technique the goal is to build momentum and finally push or "put" the shot in the direction of the legal landing area. The athlete must stay in a circle until the shot has landed. The athlete that throws it furthest from the front part of the circle (and within the legal area) wins.
High Jump
In the high jump event, the athlete gets a running start and must jump over a bar without knocking it over. They land on a big soft cushion. Like many track and field events, there is a key element to doing well in this sport, which in this case is being able to jump high, but technique is very important as well. Timing and leaving your feet at the right point as well as how you bend your body as you go over the bar are all important.
There have been many techniques used for high jumping over the years, but the current, and most successful, is called the Fosbury Flop. The Fosbury Flop technique involves leading with your head over the bar (vs. leading with your feet) and twisting such that your back is to the ground and closest the bar as you go over it. Jumpers then land on their back.
Long Jump
Like many field events, the long jump involves more skill and technique than just being able to jump. First the athlete must have good speed as they sprint down the runway to prepare for the jump; next they must have very good footwork at the end of their run so they can launch as close to the line as possible without going over the line and faulting; third they must make a good jump; and lastly they must have proper form through the air and into the landing. All of these techniques and skills must be executed to perfection to pull of a good long jump.
The long jump has been a popular track and field event since the Ancient Greece Olympics. The current men's world record is 29.4 feet by Mike Powell. That's one loooong jump!