Art of Long Hurdling: A Racing &Training Guide for 400mH

Last Updated on March 10, 2013 by Jimson Lee

The Art of Long Hurdling: A Guide to Racing and Training for 400 meter Hurdles is Jim Hiserman’s latest book.

His previous 2 were Program Design Method for Sprint & Hurdle Training and Strength and Power for Maximum Speed

Few Track & Field coaches would argue the fact that the 400m Hurdle race is among the most demanding of all events. It is an event that combines the speed of a sprinter, special endurance of a 400 meter sprinter and hurdling skills of a sprint-hurdler.

The 400m Hurdles is a race that seems to be looking for a new forerunner creating a renaissance for getting into the low 47’s.

The top 6 times have remained untouched for the last 15 years and only 5 performances in the past 4 years have made the top 30 All-time list. (see dates in yellow below)

The question is, Why?

Is this a question of talent identification or lack of interest in the long hurdles by talented 400m athletes? Do coaches of potential long hurdle talent have access to pertinent information on long hurdle racing tactics and the training methods “specific” to implement proper Race Plans?

Other key questions might be:

• What are the other physical parameters that coaches should look for in athletes that may have the talent to become elite long hurdlers?
• In addition, what is the difference, if any, in training methods between 400m sprinters and long hurdlers?
• What Bio-Motor abilities need to be addressed to take quality 400m sprinters and 100/110 Hurdlers into elite 400 hurdlers?

In an attempt to answer these questions, a search of the training and racing principles for the long hurdles brought up 35 quality sources; with only one book among them (written in 1982). Of the 35 sources, 20 were written and published prior to 2000.

These questions, and many others concerning the long hurdles race, provided the motivation for publishing THE ART OF LONG HURDLING: A Guide to Racing and Training for 400m Hurdles.

The book is a product of twenty-seven years of partnering with athletes to attain success at the long hurdles and a collection of all the printed information specifically aimed at producing the best possible results for all the various physical types of long hurdlers.

The attraction to the long hurdle event in the mid-1980‘s was tied to turning above average sprinters with athletic ability into successful long hurdlers. This quickly developed into an insatiable thirst to learn everything possible about the long hurdle race and the principles of training best suited to “transform” decent sprinters and hurdlers into successful long hurdlers.

If you run or coach the 300mH or 400mH, this book is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

>> To purchase this book, or for more information, see THE ART OF LONG HURDLING: A Guide to Racing and Training for 400m Hurdles.