Analysis of Hurdle Running at Various Inter-Hurdle Distances in an Elementary School PE Class Mitsuo Otsuka, Michiko Ito and Akira Ito
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Int. J. Sport Health Sci. Paper : Pedagogy Analysis of Hurdle Running at Various Inter-hurdle Distances in an Elementary School PE Class Mitsuo Otsuka, Michiko Ito and Akira Ito Graduate School of Sport and Exercise Science, Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences 1-1, Asashirodai, Kumatori, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0496 Japan 208d02@ouhs.ac.jp [Received September 7, 2009; Accepted February 24, 2010; Published online April 7, 2010] The present study examined relationships between hurdle running performance of elementary school students at various inter-hurdle distances and measurement items such as body characteristics and take-oŠ distance. Subjects were 30 6th-grade students in an elementary school physical education class. Each student freely selected one of four inter-hurdle distances (4.5, 5.0, 5.5, or 6.0 m) based on their ability to run the inter-hurdle distances in a three-step rhythm, and hurdle running record was measured. Body height in the 6.0-m inter-hurdle distance group was signiˆcantly higher than that in the other groups, and hurdle running record, sprint record, and hurdle loss time in the 6.0-m group were signiˆcantly shorter than those in the other groups. In contrast, no signiˆcant diŠerences in body height, weight, hurdle running record, sprint record, or hurdle loss time were observed in the 4.5-, 5.0-, and 5.5-m groups. These results suggest that the 6.0-m group comprised early-maturing students. Thus, subjects were reclassiˆed into two groups: the 6.0-m group and the 4.5-5.5-m group. In the 4.5-5.5-m group, in which there were no diŠerences in maturity level, hurdle running record was not signiˆcantly correlated with body height or weight, suggesting that the in‰uence of body characteristics on hurdle running in elementary school PE classes can be reduced by shortening the inter-hurdle distance. In both the 6.0- and 4.5-5.5-m groups, hurdle loss time was not aŠected by take-oŠ distance and landing distance. In addition, students did not attempt to lower hurdle clearance height in order to improve hurdle loss time. Keywords: hurdle loss time, early-maturing students, hurdling distance, hurdle clearance time 1. Introduction the relationship between hurdle running record and measurement items such as body characteristics and In physical education (PE) classes, including those hurdle loss time at various inter-hurdle distances in in elementary schools, various inter-hurdle distances elementary school students. are usually prepared for hurdle running, and In contrast, many studies have clariˆed the students select an inter-hurdle distance based on relationship between hurdle running record and their ability to run the hurdles in a three-step rhythm various aspects of hurdle performance in athletes. (Doi, 2000; Koriyama, 2000; Sugiyama, 2000; Letzelter (1991) found that faster athletes had Tamagawa, 2004; Nagashima and Saeki, 2005). Ito shorter hurdle loss time, and subsequent studies (1985) prepared three diŠerent inter-hurdle distances revealed that hurdle running record was related to for university students, and found that faster the distance from take-oŠ to the hurdle (take-oŠ students tended to have a lower Rohrer's Index for distance) and from the hurdle to the landing point longer inter-hurdle distances, while hurdle running (landing distance). Some studies have shown that a record was not correlated with body height, weight, longer take-oŠ distance improves hurdle running or Rohrer's Index for shorter inter-hurdle distances. record (Obens, 1985; Mero and Luhtanen, 1991; In addition, Ito found that the diŠerence between Salo et al., 1997), and Enoki et al. (1981) hurdle running record and sprint record (hurdle loss demonstrated that take-oŠ distance was shorter in time) was smaller for faster students at all inter- accomplished university hurdlers. Vaiksaar (1979) hurdle distances. However, to the best of our and Arnold and Hommel (1993) found that a short knowledge, there have been no studies investigating landing distance results in ‰at hurdle clearance, International Journal of Sport and Health Science Vol.8, 35-42, 2010 35 http://www.soc.nii.ac.jp/jspe3/index.htm Otsuka, M., Ito, M. and Ito, A. while Obens (1985) found that a long landing on dirt ground, referring to Japanese PE textbooks distance allows long and ‰at hurdle clearance. (Doi, 2000; Koriyama, 2000; Sugiyama, 2000; Many reports have investigated the relationship Tamagawa, 2004; Nagashima and Saeki, 2005). The between hurdle running record and the length of the distance between start and ˆnish was set as 40 m air-borne phase between take-oŠ and landing (Figure 1). (hurdle clearance time) in athletes. Some researchers After two hurdle running lessons, subjects found that faster hurdlers had shorter hurdle selected one of four inter-hurdle distances (4.5, 5.0, clearance times (Mann and Herman, 1985; Fortune, 5.5, or 6.0 m) based on their ability to run the 1991; Coh, 2004). However, Morita et al. (1994) hurdles in a three-step rhythm, and hurdle running found that hurdle running record was not in‰uenced record was measured. Three, 11, 9, and 7 subjects by hurdle clearance time. chose4.5,5.0,5.5,and6.0minter-hurdledistances, Past studies on hurdle running in athletes have respectively (hereafter referred to as the 4.5-, 5.0-, shown various ˆndings, and the results are 5.5-, and 6.0-m groups, respectively). In order to contradictory. In addition, few studies on hurdle eliminate the eŠect of reaction time after the start running in elementary school PE classes have been signal, measurement started from the moment of the reported. Therefore, we investigated the subject'sˆrststep. relationships between hurdle running record at various inter-hurdle distances and measurement 2.3. Videotaping and Analysis items such as body characteristics and take-oŠ distance in elementary school students with the aim Hurdle running movements from start to ˆnish of providing useful data for future PE teaching. were videotaped with six digital video cameras (DSR-PD150×2 and DCR-350×4, SONY Inc., 2. Method Japan, Figure 1). The cameras were located 30 m from the right side of the course and operated at 60 2.1. Subjects Hz with 1/500 s exposure time. Images of hurdle clearance movement were Subjects were 30 students in two 6th-grade classes analyzed using a Frame-DIAS system (DKH Inc., (16 boys and 14 girls; age, 11-12 years) at a Japanese Japan, Figure 2). The following items were elementary school who were novices in hurdle analyzed: running (Table 1). (1) 40-m hurdle running record The purpose and details of the data collection (2) 40-m sprint record process were explained to the subjects and their (3) Hurdle loss time (diŠerence between (1) and (2)) guardians before the experiment, and informed consent was obtained. 2.2. Measurement of hurdle running and sprint record Four diŠerent inter-hurdle distances (4.5, 5.0, 5.5, and6.0m)weresetupwithˆvehurdles(68cmhigh) Table 1 Subjects' characteristics Boys Girls n1614 Body height (cm) 150.2±8.5 149.7±5.3 Body weight (kg) 40.6±8.2 38.3±6.2 Note: Data represent mean±SD. No signiˆcant diŠerences existed between the groups with respect to body height and Figure 1 Distances between hurdles (68 cm high) and camera weight. placement 36 International Journal of Sport and Health Science Vol.8, 35-42, 2010 http://www.soc.nii.ac.jp/jspe3/index.htm Analysis of Hurdle Running in an Elementary School PE Class (4) Take-oŠ distance (horizontal distance from the 3. Results toe at point of take-oŠ to the hurdle) (5) Landing distance (horizontal distance from the 3.1. DiŠerences among the four groups (Table 2) hurdle to the toe at landing point) (6) Hurdling distance (horizontal distance from The hurdle running record and sprint record in the take-oŠ to landing; (4)+(5)) 6.0-m group were signiˆcantly better than those in (7) Hurdle clearance time (length of the air-borne the other groups (pº0.001), and hurdle loss time in phase between take-oŠ and landing) the 6.0-m group was signiˆcantly shorter than in the The average of each value was computed from ˆve 4.5- and 5.0-m groups (pº0.01). hurdle clearance movements. Body height in the 6.0-m group was signiˆcantly larger than other groups (pº0.001).However,there 2.4. Statistical procedure were no signiˆcant diŠerences in body weight among all four groups. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to These results suggest that subjects in the 6.0-m compare measurement items in the 4.5-, 5.0-, 5.5-, group might be early-maturing students, according and 6.0-m groups. Bonferroni's test for multiple to a previous study (Katoh et al., 1999). The 6.0-m comparisons was performed when signiˆcance was group was therefore considered to represent a noted. Pearson's correlation coe‹cients were used diŠerent population of students than the other three to identify relationships between hurdle running groups, and subjects were reclassiˆed into two record and measurement items. A p value º0.05 groups: the 6.0-m group and the 4.5-5.5-m group indicated statistical signiˆcance. (including the 4.5-, 5.0-, and 5.5-m groups). Relationships between hurdle running record and measurement items were then analyzed separately in these new groups. 3.2. Correlations between hurdle running performance and measurement items in early- maturing students and other subjects In both the 6.0- and 4.5-5.5-m groups, hurdle running record was not signiˆcantly correlated with body height or weight (Figure 3).