Conditioning · Running · Sprinting
Forward Hurdle Run
The forward hurdle run is a running drill over low hurdles that trains quick foot contacts, coordination, and leg turnover while you maintain a steady forward rhythm.
- Intermediate
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Arrange low hurdles in a straight line with spacing that matches your comfortable running stride.
- Stand several strides before the first hurdle, facing down the lane.
- Build to a controlled running pace on your approach.
- Run over the hurdles with alternating legs, making one foot contact in each gap.
- Continue running beyond the final hurdle.
- Slow gradually to a walk in the open finish area.
Form cues
- Keep your hips tall
- Drive your elbows back
- Look ahead, not at your feet
Common mistakes
- Jumping over each hurdleLift each foot only enough to clear the obstacle rather than bouncing upward.
- Reaching forward to find the gapsShorten the hurdle spacing if you cannot land with your foot close beneath your hips.
Safety
Catching a foot on a hurdle can cause a fall or ankle twist. Excessive speed or fatigue can make obstacle clearance less reliable.
- Use flexible or collapsible training hurdles rather than rigid obstacles.
- Keep the lane and finish area clear on a dry, level surface.
- Rehearse the route at a walk before your first running pass.
- End the set if you repeatedly clip hurdles or lose your rhythm.
If you have current foot, ankle, knee, or hip pain, or difficulty with balance, choose an obstacle-free drill or get advice from a physiotherapist first.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Training Hurdle
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–5
- Target
- 10–20 meters
- Rest
- 45 sec
Use a controlled pace rather than treating each pass as an all-out sprint.