Hurdle and Cone Circuit for Faster Footwork: Setup Guide

Quick answer

Set six hurdles in a straight line about 60–90 cm apart, then place six cones in a short slalom 3–5 m beyond the last hurdle. Run the circuit as one continuous sequence, walk back, and repeat for 4–6 quality reps.

How to set up and run the circuit

1. 1. Mark a straight hurdle lane: Lay out six hurdles in a line with 60–90 cm between them, using a tape measure or consistent foot placements. Check that the lane is at least 10 m long so athletes have room to decelerate. Common mistake: guessing the spacing, which makes the drill inconsistent between reps. Walk the lane once and fix any gap that looks wider than the rest.
2. 2. Set the cone slalom beyond the last hurdle: Place six cones in a zigzag starting 3–5 m past the final hurdle, with 1–1.5 m between cones. Keep the first cone offset to one side so athletes exit the hurdles and enter the slalom without a sharp turn. Common mistake: putting the first cone directly in line with the hurdles, which forces a stutter step. Offset it by about a body width.
3. 3. Define the start and finish: Mark a start line 2 m before the first hurdle and a finish line 2 m after the last cone. Athletes should run through the finish, not stop on the last cone. Common mistake: stopping the clock at the last cone, which rewards slowing down early. Time the full run-through.
4. 4. Walk the circuit once: Have each athlete walk or jog the route slowly, stepping over each hurdle and weaving each cone. This confirms the spacing suits their stride and that nothing is loose underfoot. Common mistake: skipping the walk-through and going straight to full speed. One slow rep prevents most clipped hurdles.
5. 5. Run quality reps with full recovery: Perform 4–6 reps at near-maximum footwork speed, walking back between reps. Stop the set when steps get loud or a hurdle is clipped twice. Common mistake: turning the drill into conditioning. If athletes are breathing hard, the next rep will be sloppy; rest longer.
6. 6. Progress the setup, not the volume: When every rep is clean, widen the cone spacing slightly or raise the hurdles if they are adjustable. Keep the same number of reps and add difficulty through the layout. Common mistake: adding reps before the setup is mastered. A clean, faster circuit beats a tired, longer one.

Equipment notes for this circuit

• Marking Cone - 6 Cones: Marking Cone - 6 Cones are 34 cm (1.12 ft) high, made of soft plastic, and weigh 310 g per set of six. A six-cone set gives you exactly the slalom length in this circuit, and the soft plastic is more forgiving if a foot catches a cone.

  

• Training Hurdle 6 Pack and Bag: Training Hurdle 6 Pack and Bag includes six training hurdles and one carry bag that holds all six. Six matching hurdles let you keep spacing consistent from session to session, and the bag makes setup and teardown faster.