hurdles anyone?

jake oleander · 01-07-2009, 03:18 PM

I've recently become very interested in track and field type training with plyometrics and speed work. A lot of the best exercises ive come across involve the use of hurdles (hurdle hops, high hurdles, hurdle hop to sprint, bounding over hurdles, etc) so I decided to build myself a pair today.

What i came up with is not the most professional of set ups, but it works. I made a base out of metal and wood with two 3/4 inch x 60 inch pvc pipe coming up from either side of the base. I then drilled holes through each pvc pipe at 30,40,50, and 60 inches and i will thread a rope through to train.

It cost way under 50 dollars to build both, but I think I'm going to build at least two more. Anyone have any ideas or experience with buying or building hurdles?

Allen Yeh · 01-07-2009, 04:20 PM

pictures?

jake oleander · 01-07-2009, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allen Yeh

pictures?

i suppose i can take one, but im not too proud of them, theyre far from perfect. thats really the reason i made this thread, to see if anyone more skilled than i am in 'ghetto rigging' has done this before.

Leo Soubbotine · 01-08-2009, 05:06 AM

Building something like this entirely out of PVC would be pretty quick and simple.

Blair Lowe · 01-08-2009, 06:27 AM

We made gym dividers at the gym out of PVC and put cloth over them in different colors. Cheap, too. Break easily though.

Good for hurdling, diving and flipping over.

Garrett Smith · 01-08-2009, 09:57 AM

These are nearly exactly the hurdles I made.

I have five, they're all the same height (basically my inseam height).

One addition--I used PVC glue on the top bar and the two connectors. It helps them stay together if I hit them while still allowing them to come apart for safety, transport, and storage.

Basically the same assembly as PVC parallettes. Just don't do gymnastics on them...

jake oleander · 01-08-2009, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

These are nearly exactly the hurdles I made.

I have five, they're all the same height (basically my inseam height).

One addition--I used PVC glue on the top bar and the two connectors. It helps them stay together if I hit them while still allowing them to come apart for safety, transport, and storage.

Basically the same assembly as PVC parallettes. Just don't do gymnastics on them...

that was the first design i considered, but i have two problems with those; 1) non-adjustibility and 2) i imagine bad things happening for a failed hurdle.

if you look at the picture leo posted, the real hurdles have an "L" shaped base so they tip over more easily. but its actually a lot harder than it seems to build that out of pvc, because you need the bottom to be weighted (i think) so it stands on its own.

anyway, heres a picture of what i built, with horrid quality.

Leo Soubbotine · 01-08-2009, 02:04 PM

I'd just put sand in the feet of the hurdle.

jake oleander · 01-08-2009, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo Soubbotine

I'd just put sand in the feet of the hurdle.

The problem i have with that design is still the adjustability, but theyre so simple i may just make a bunch of them at 40 inches or so...

On a semi-related note i cleared the 50 inch hurdle without even warming up and on a pretty sore feeling knee...

jake oleander · 01-23-2009, 10:16 PM

looks like i didnt make them high enough!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTcnY8cNetU

i still have a long way to go before i can do 60 inches in sets of right and left legs independantly, actually. but making these hurdles has done wonders for my jumping ability! highly recommended.