The impact of physique on strategy and performance in the 400 m hurdles race among elite male athletes

Authors

Janusz Iskra, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Opole, PolandFollow
Subir Gupta, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of West Indies, Cave Hill, BarbadosFollow
Krzysztof Przednowek, Faculty of Physical Education, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow, PolandFollow
René V. Best, Warren’s Healthcare Complex, St Michael, BarbadosFollow
Arkadiusz Stanula, Department of Exercise and Sport Performance, Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, PolandFollow

Abstract

Introduction: the objective of this study was to assess the impact of physique on the stride pattern and performance of elite male 400-m hurdles runners. Materials and Methods: this study is based on the analysis of the performance of 297 male 400-m hurdlers in 13 Olympic games, 16 world championships, and 15 European championships. The hurdlers were divided into 4 groups, based on their height and body mass index (BMI) – taller and heavier (TH), taller and lighter (TL), shorter and heavier (SH), and shorter and lighter (SL). Times taken to complete various phases of the 400-m hurdles race – H0-1 (from starting line to hurdle 1), H1-3 (from hurdle 1 to hurdle 3), H3-5, H6-8, H8-10, and H10-F (from hurdle 10 to the finishing line) – were noted. Similarly, the number of strides to complete 3 inter-hurdle phases (H1-4, H4-7, and H7-10) was recorded. Results: The technical index (TI = time for 400m hurdles run – time for 400m flat run) was the lowest in TH, followed by TL, SL, and SH. The stride number increased from H1-4 to H7-10. Taller hurdlers took fewer strides than shorter ones. Only 8.5% of the hurdlers followed a uniform stride number (13 or 15). Conclusions: the physique of elite 400-m men hurdlers can vary widely. Taller hurdlers fly over hurdles more efficiently; a uniform stride pattern is independent of height and BMI, and is followed by a few hurdlers only, and physique has a significant impact on running performance at a few phases of the 400-m hurdles run.

Recommended Citation

Iskra J, Gupta S, Przednowek K, Best RV, Stanula A. The impact of physique on strategy and performance in the 400 m hurdles race among elite male athletes. Balt J Health Phys Act. 2024;16(1):Article4. https://doi.org/10.29359/BJHPA.16.1.04

Author ORCID Identifier

Janusz ISKRA ORCID: 0000-0001-8626-8881

Subir GUPTA ORCID: 0000-0002-0512-6652

Krzysztof PRZEDNOWEK ORCID: 0000-0002-2128-4116

Arkadiusz STANULA ORCID: 0000-0003-1759-6456

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.