How Does Coach Reason Help Hurdlers Improve

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The biggest thing that an outside observer will notice about Mr. Reason's hurdlers who have been coached by him for at least a year, and especially 2-3+ years, is their hurdle technique is far superior than most of their opponents. 

Being a former hurdler himself from early high school and four years in college, Mr. Reason knows about and teaches the smallest details of being a great hurdler.

To be a great hurdler, an athlete must know how to use blocks properly; how to set them so the leg angles are exactly right, how to get into them, and how to use them to explode out instead of just stepping out, as many hurdlers and sprinters do. 

Also, they will learn which foot they need to have in front and behind in the blocks so they are taking the correct number of steps to the first hurdle based on their current speed and which leg is their lead leg.

Mr. Reason helps hurdlers know exactly how many steps they need to take to get to the first hurdle based on their current speed and which leg is their lead leg so they are attacking the hurdle at full speed and not hesitating, stuttering, or over-striding. 

One key to maintaining their speed, stepping, and rhythm between the hurdles is how fast they can get to the first hurdle.

Most new hurdlers begin by taking 5 steps between the hurdles. Mr. Reason helps hurdlers learn their opposite lead leg so that they can eventually switch to 4 steps so they don't stutter, and finally to 3 steps as their technique, speed, and strength improve. 

Mr. Reason also teaches hurdlers how to sprint between the hurdles and not bound between them like an antelope, especially when they are first learning to 3-step.

Having the mentality and confidence to attack the hurdles and barely clear them without being scared of hitting them, as well as doing mental visualization of what their technique and their stepping between hurdles should look like prior to racing, are just a couple aspects of the mental preparation that Mr. Reason teaches.

For 7th and 8th grade boys - The jump from 30" hurdles to the high school's 39" hurdles is a huge difference and can take boys a couple of years to adjust. This sometimes causes them to initially develop bad habits to try and get over the taller hurdles. 

To help them begin to adjust and develop correct habits, 7th grade boys will practice with the 33" hurdles and 8th grade boys will practice with the 36" hurdles in preparation for the high school's 39" high hurdles. 

Additionally, to prepare both boys and girls for the 300-meter hurdles, hurdlers will learn how to run the 300's including stride pattern, stride length, and stepping between the hurdles.