Developing Middle School & High School Hurdlers: Training to Improve Hurdlers at All Skill Levels

with Vince Anderson,
2025 USTFCCCA George Dales Award;
Texas A&M Sprints & Hurdles Coach - 2004 through 2019;
while there, Aggies won 9 NCAA Outdoor National Championship titles (5x for the Men's team, 4x for the Women's team) & one NCAA Indoor National Championship title (2017 Men's team);
trained Phyllis Francis (2017 400 meter World Champion & World 4x400 Gold Medalist in 2017 & 2019) and also trained Jessica Beard (4x400 double Gold Medalist at the 2019 World Championships - 4x400, mixed 4x400);
University of Tennessee Sprints & Hurdles Coach from 1988 through 2004 (Jumps Coach from 1996 to 2004);
while there, the Vols won the 2001 Men's NCAA Outdoor National Championship title and the 2002 Men's NCAA Indoor National Championship title;
started his coaching career as a volunteer for Tom Tellez at the University of Houston in 1986

In this video with Coach Vince Anderson, you'll learn how to emphasize a program design philosophy around three key concepts:

• Train Rhythm and Timing Most Importantly
• Train for the Future; Not Just for Today
• Thrive, Not Survive

Coach Anderson lays out the approach and essentials of what training sessions should look like to accomplish these objectives to develop middle and high school athletes into potential elite hurdlers.

Hurdle Training

To accomplish the stated objectives, Coach Anderson states to "Not sweat the heights and distances" of hurdles for training and development purposes. Hurdle height and spacing can increase as the primary focus of rhythm and timing become more stable. To quote Coach Anderson: "Great hurdlers learned to hurdle on small hurdles set close. Great hurdlers, including world record holders, continue to train over small hurdles set close. What works for elite, works for everyone." This statement is indicative of the core philosophy of Anderson's developmental process and thoughts; lower, tighter hurdles allow for fast and aggressive development.

Hurdling Absolutes

From a technical stand point, Coach Anderson has two absolutes in hurdling and what successful hurdling should look like. Essential number one is the trail leg mechanics. Using his Wall Drill and cues provided allow for proper hip rotation of the trail leg essential for success in the hurdles. Anderson's second essential is focus on the take-off leg, not the lead leg. He provides descriptive images and video of what the take-off leg should look like to be aggressive over the hurdles and how to develop the take-off in younger hurdlers.

Focusing on Coach Anderson's five key tenets of hurdle program design will allow for coaches at all levels to bridge the gap and stop the regression of middle school athletes who compete in the hurdles prior to the high school level. Through a continued developmental bridge, hurdle development and technique can advance for athletes from the time they start hurdling in middle school until the time they conclude hurdling when their career is over. This video contains a grounded, fundamental, essential, and logical sequence that will promote success over years of competition for all hurdlers.

70 minutes. 2021.