Advanced

Hurdle Hop to Sprint

This contrast drill pairs reactive hopping with sprinting: you clear a few low hurdles with quick two-foot hops, then explode off the last one into a maximal acceleration run. Priming the legs with stiff, fast contacts tends to sharpen the sprint that follows, and the drill teaches athletes to convert vertical bounce into horizontal drive. Keep hurdles low and sprints short so quality stays high.

Equipment
Agility Gear
Body part
Glutes, Quads
Type
Cardio, Plyometric
Browse by movement
Gait Drill
Muscles worked
Target
Gluteus Maximus, Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis
Secondary
Gastrocnemius Lateral Head, Gastrocnemius Medial Head, Biceps Femoris
Tertiary
Soleus Gastrocnemius, Gluteus Medius

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set two or three low hurdles with a clear sprint lane beyond the last one.

  2. 2

    Hop over each hurdle with both feet, keeping contacts short and springy.

  3. 3

    Off the final hurdle, drive out immediately into an acceleration sprint.

  4. 4

    Lean forward and push the ground back hard for the first several strides.

  5. 5

    Sprint at full effort through your target distance, then decelerate gradually.

  6. 6

    Walk back and rest fully before the next repetition.

Tips

  • Attack the transition from the last hop into the first sprint step without hesitating.
  • Keep hurdle contacts quick rather than jumping for maximum height.
  • Rest fully between reps so every sprint is genuinely fast.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The last hop lands with the body upright instead of already leaning forward, so the first sprint step starts tall instead of driving into acceleration position.
  • Some athletes shorten the rest between reps to fit more volume in, so later sprints are only a fraction as fast as the first, undermining the point of the drill.
  • The arms stay locked in the hopping pattern for a stride or two after the transition, delaying the full sprint arm action that drives the acceleration.
  • Decelerating abruptly at the end of the sprint instead of easing down over several strides puts unexpected braking force through the hamstrings and calves.
  • Spacing the hurdles too far apart forces a stutter-step to reach the next one, breaking up the short, springy rhythm the hops are supposed to keep.

Frequently asked

What is a sensible starting dose for the Hurdle Hop to Sprint?
Start with 3 to 4 reps of 2 to 3 low hurdles into a 15 to 20 meter sprint, resting a full 2 to 3 minutes between reps so every sprint is genuinely fast. You should already be comfortable sprinting from a standing start and hopping hurdles separately before combining them in one continuous effort.
What can I use instead of hurdles for the Hurdle Hop to Sprint?
Small cones or a taped line spaced evenly stand in fine for hurdles, since the hops only need to be quick and low, not high. What you cannot substitute is the open sprint lane afterward — without at least 15 to 20 meters of clear, flat space to run, this drill does not translate to a cramped room.
What is the Hurdle Hop to Sprint good for?
It primes the nervous system with fast, reactive contacts right before a maximal sprint, which tends to sharpen acceleration for athletes already comfortable with both hopping and sprinting on their own. It is a poor choice when you are fatigued from earlier training, since a tired sprint after the hops defeats the contrast effect the drill relies on.

Related exercises

Other movements among FitRay's 2,000+ exercises that load the same target muscle — same equipment and level first.

All Glutes exercises