Curriculum

Clinton High School Track & Field

Johnathan Perkins - 2014

SPRINTS

8TH Grade:

-know how to set-up blocks

-stay in your lane

-come out of blocks every race (100-200-400 & Relays)

9TH Grade:

-set up blocks

-short first step (drag step)

-stay in your lane

-sprint mechanics

  • acceleration phase transition phase

Varsity:

-set up blocks

-block mechanics

-sprint mechanics

  • acceleration phase transition phase  finish

BLOCKS:

SET-UP

-Find your front foot / back foot

  • Athlete stands with feet together, arms at sides, eyes closed
  • Gently push the athlete forward
  • The foot they catch themselves with is their front foot
  • ***HURDLERS*** Lead Hurdle leg is always the back leg in the blocks

-Set up the blocks for your race

  • Blocks aligned in the center of the lane (100m) pointing down the middle of the lane
  • Front Foot: Athlete places Right heel on the starting line. Then puts the Left foot heel to toe (2-feet from line) to place the front pedal. Their toes should be on the bottom ¼ of the block
  • Back Foot: Athlete places Right heel on the starting line. Then puts the Left foot heel to toe (2-feet), and then Right foot heel to toe (3-feet) to place the back pedal. Their toes should be on the bottom ¼ of the block.

-Block Mechanics

  • Toes touching the track, feet pressed firmly into the pedals
  • Back leg knee on the ground
  • Hands behind the line, resting on fingers
  • Shoulders over hands
  • Head and neck relaxed, eyes between your legs
  • Muscles relaxed

-To your mark, get set, Bang

  • Hips raise straight up (hips above shoulders)
  • Shoulders stay over hands, neck relaxed, eyes between your legs
  • Bang:
  • Explode out pressing from both feet in the pedals
  • Large arms on first step
  • First step is a “drag step”
  • Lands on or near the start line
  • Do NOT pick the leg up. Foot should drag only a few inches from the ground and get down quickly
  • Body should be in a forward lean without “breaking” at the hips
  • First 20-30m should be driving w/ powerful strides that “drive the track back”. NOT short, choppy strides with no power

HURDLERS – 100/300 METER

8th Grade:

-Set up Blocks

-Basic Hurdle Mechanics (Lead Leg/Trail Leg)

-3 Stepping

-Finishing after the last hurdle

9th Grade:

-Set up Blocks

-Hurdle Mechanics (Lead/Trail, more advanced approach)

-3 Stepping

-Finishing after the last hurdle

Varsity:

-See all the drills below

EVENT CONCEPTS:

-Block Setup is the same as the Sprinters

-***Lead Hurdle Leg is ALWAYS the back foot in the blocks***

-10 Hurdles in the Race

-Varsity Heights:

  • Girls – 33”
  • Boys – 39”

-Blocks to Hurdles

  • 8 total steps (4 “Lefts” or “Rights” depending on the lead leg)

MECHANICS:

-Lead Leg

  • Drive the knee toward the hurdle
  • DO NOT swing the leg up
  • Should be an extension of a normal stride

-Trail Leg and lean

  • Knee should come up laterally toward the back of the shoulder
  • Toe up and out
  • Knee above the ankle
  • Torso should be leaning forward into lead leg thigh
  • Front arm should mirror lead leg “Read the Watch”

-Landing After the Hurdle

  • Land on the ball of the lead foot
  • Lead arm should “rip” back
  • Trail leg whips over into a full stride
  • 3 steps to the next hurdle
  • Full sprint to the finish line

Great examples above: 1. (Left) Knee driving, “Reading the watch” 2. (Middle) Trail leg toe and knee up, Ripping the left arm off the hurdle 3. (Right) Running tall between hurdles

JUMPS

LONG JUMP:

8th:

-Rules of the event

-Find the takeoff leg and jump off of it consistently

-Be able to find steps without a coach’s help

9th:

-Consistency in the approach

-Run under control and build speed

-Attach the board with rhythm and extend off the board

Varsity:

-All of the above

-Jump technique

-In-flight mechanics

-Landing techniques

TAKE OFF LEG:

-find the strongest leg

-take off on it consistently

STEPS:

-count by Rights or Lefts (takeoff leg)

  • 6 Lefts = 12 total steps

-start @ 6 steps (12 total) and work your way back as they can handle added speed

-FIND STEPS

  • Run-back
  • Toes on the board
  • Facing away from the sand pit
  • Sprint back and mark 6-7-8 Lefts
  • DO NOT RUN-BACK EVERYDAY
  • USE THOSE MARKS AS A BASE FOR EVERY DAY OF PRACTICE AND COMPETITION
  • Adjust as needed

PHASES OF APPROACH:

-Drive – Tall – Fast

  • Drive
  • Strong, powerful strides
  • Good distance
  • Not worried about fast frequency
  • Tall
  • Hips under Shoulders
  • Thighs lifting with each stride
  • Good arm swing
  • Gaining speed
  • Fast
  • Same form as “Tall” but frequency picks up
  • Usually last 2-3 strides (left’s)
  • Sink hips on penultimate step
  • Pop and extend off the board at takeoff

Stride Pattern for 8 step approach (8 Lefts = 16 total steps)

-3 Drive – 3 Tall – 2 Fast

-ATHLETE’S COUNT:

  • “1 – 2 – 3” /// “1 – 2 – 3” /// “1-2”
  • Increasing frequency with each step

ATTACK & RUN THROUGH THE TOE BOARD:

Mike Powell: WR holder

-Jump “through” the board

-Hip in front of jump foot before leaving the ground “Jumping through the board”

-Great knee drive (90 degrees)

JUMP TECHNIQUE:

1.) 2.) 3.) 4.) 5.) 6.) 7.) 8.)

-Perfect takeoff drive and “jumping through the board” at 2

-Great “Hang” - extension of the arm vertically and leg down at 4

-Legs up “horizontal” toward landing at 6-7

TRIPLE JUMP:

-Same concepts and expectations as LONG JUMP

-PHASES ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT:

  • The idea is to skip like a rock across water
  • Flat jumps
  • DO NOT GET TOO HIGH OFF THE GROUND
  • Great YouTube videos out there with good examples
  • Should hear 3 clear phases = Boom….Boom….Boom
  • NOT “Jump….Pop.Pop”

HIGH JUMP:

-Left Leg Jumpers approach from the RIGHT

-Right Leg Jumpers approach from the LEFT

STRIDES:

-8 Total Steps

-Counting Steps

  • “1 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 1-2-3-4”
  • Progresses from slower to faster
  • “1-2-1-2” is straight toward the athlete’s mark
  • Turning after 4th step to curve into the jump

-Consistent 1st step

-Wide Approach (Speed Jumper)

-Tight Approach (Power Jumper)

-Run Tall (Posture)

-Look at the Bar Last

-Rules of the Event

  • 3 Attempts at each height
  • Breaking the plane of the bar or touching the mat is a SCRATCH
  • You may pass to any height but may NOT go back to a height once you’ve passed it
  • If you pass on your 3rd attempt to a new height, you will attempt that new height as your 3rd and final attempt (NOT as your 1st attempt)
  • Ties are broken by going to the first height cleared. The jumper with the first missed attempt finishes 2nd

DISTANCE:

-Not running more than 3x the longest race distance (6 miles total)

-Alternating days

  • MONDAY – Long Run / Endurance
  • TUESDAY – Intervals / Sprints
  • WEDNESDAY – Long Run / Endurance / Recovery
  • THURSDAY – Intervals / Sprints / Recovery
  • FRIDAY – Cross Training / Compete
  • SATURDAY – Compete / Active Recovery

-RULES OF THE EVENT

  • Starting
  • “To your mark….BANG” (No Set)
  • Do not have to stay in your lane
  • NEVER walk
  • May not interfere with another runner

8TH:

-Get used to pacing

-Do not sprint then jog, sprint, jog

-Find a mile goal

-Have a concept of race time

9TH:

-Understand how to pace (learning how to “feel” the pace)

-Attack the race

-Learn to be more aggressive in the pack

-Have goals set

  • Do not run to finish, run to win

VARSITY:

-Compete, compete, compete

-Understanding of our training theory

-Comfortable working out on your own

-Ability to hit interval times by feeling