Track and Field Tips anyone??
Question:Okay this is my first time doing track and field and I really want to do Long Jump , Hurdles, 100 meter, and possibly high jump . But the thing is, I am very slow. Is there anyway that I could make myself go faster? My coach has told me to run on my tip-toes but is there anything else that could help inrease my speed?
Also in hurdles, I keep knocking them down. What am I suppose to do with my arms when I jump?
And I am also having some trouble with starting blocks too. So your stronger leg is in the back right?
Also, for high jump , I am better at straddle but I don't know what do with my arms either.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much. ♥
Answers:
What should I be doing for track?
Long jump and 100M are two events where speed matters the most, so perhaps not the best events to start with. (You'll feel slow for a long time because those are the events with the fastest runners.) That said, you'll only get faster by practicing. Weight training may help too--particularly squats and anything else that works your quads.When you run hurdles, as you extend your leg to go over the hurdle your opposite arm should (and pretty much will automatically) go forward. Optimally you want to point your leading toe, extend that opposite arm toward your toe and bring your chin to your knee. (Keeping your head up with your eyes to the end of your lane will help you to stay in your lane and help your brain to process what's coming at you without actually looking at the coming hurdle. Never look anywhere else as doing so will slow you down--your peripheral vision won't let you miss much that matters.) Your trailing leg should be bent at the knee with your knee perpendicular to your other leg in the same plane with your trailing foot pointed. Stretch in this position in the grass (hurdler's stretch) until you can put your nose to your knee and touch your toe--this will prevent lots of muscle pulls. (***A lot of people say not to do the hurdlers stretch anymore because it is hard on your knees. You can avoid a lot of strain on your knees by stretching your quads thoroughly first. It's the position a hurdler has to be in to run well, it is absurd not to practice it before hurdling.***) The best hurdlers take three steps between hurdles--but this takes strength and speed. Start out by taking five steps--practice until you know how big your steps need to be to consistently take five steps. Usually, speed will diminish after the first few hurdles when you're a newbie (maybe even at the beginning of each season when you're not a newb). Always taking five steps will ensure that you are always going over the hurdle with your better foot and that should cause you to hit the hurdle less. As the season progresses and you get stronger you will feel like five steps are too much (you'll notice you have to chicken-step (take little steps as you get closer to the hurdle); attempt to do three steps between the first and second hurdle and add another hurdle as you are able to. Four-stepping is generally discouraged because you lose a lot of speed going over the hurdle on your non-dominant leg unless you get really good at alternating (like I did!).
As for the blocks, I would say your stronger foot goes in the front because that's the foot you are pushing off with. Don't be in a hurry to run upright-stay low for a few steps. Starters should follow a cadence that goes...runners take your marks...two...three...get set...four...five...go (fire). You can go WHEN they fire--anticipating the shot and taking off when it should go off, not waiting until you hear the shot. This will result in the occasional false start, but that's okay, you'll be (one of the?) first out of the blocks most of the time and sometimes you'll be the reason for the redo. The best starters are usually the best runners. Always play it a little safe on the restart because you only get one.
I wasn't much of a high-jumper, but I did do it some. I used the Fosbury Flop, in which you throw your hand over your head as you launch sideways over the bar. I could also hurdle it fairly well. I never could figure out how to go over it frontwards. Maybe you could watch some videos on YouTube?
i did hurdles in grade 6 and i really sucked in practice then in the actual event i got first so dont worry if u knock them down. the faster you run the better you will do. your arms should be at your sides like when u normally run. same with highjump. blocks are easy just push off with one leg. some people are good starters some arn't so dont worry u will get better. 100 metre theres a lot of competetion and a lot of people go in it. you will have a hard time placing try going for the longer events and just pace your self out.
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