How to Build a Track Hurdle

Track hurdles are adjustable to five different heights.

Purchasing official track hurdles can be expensive. Practice track hurdles, on the other hand, can be made for a much lower cost and used for your practice training sessions and also be adjusted to meet regulation height to simulate the official hurdles used in competition.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Permanent marker
• Circular saw
• 1-inch PVC pipe
• 2 PVC elbow fittings
• 2 PVC schedule-40 side outlet elbow
• 8 PVC pipe T-fittings
• 8 PVC pipe end caps

Instructions

1. Measure, mark and cut two pieces of 1-inch PVC pipe which measure 39 inches long. These are the cross members of your hurdle.

2. Measure, mark and cut two pieces of 1-inch PVC pipe which measure 28 inches long. These are the base uprights of your hurdle.

3. Measure, mark and cut eight pieces of 1-inch PVC pipe which measure 1-inch long. These are your hurdle adjustment pieces.

4. Measure, mark and cut two pieces of 1-inch PVC pipe which measure 41 inches long. These are your hurdle base pieces.

5. Place the two 41-inch hurdle base pieces cut in Step 4 parallel to each other on a flat surface. The pipe should be placed horizontally. Slide a PVC end cap on the left end of each piece. Slide a schedule-40 side outlet elbow on the right end of each piece. Position the outlet elbow so the side outlets face up and toward the inside of the base pieces.

6. Slide a cross member between the side outlets on the schedule-40 side outlet elbow to secure the base pieces together.

7. Slide a base upright into the top opening on each schedule-40 side outlet elbow. Place a T-joint on top of each base upright so the side opening faces the inside of the base pieces.

8. Slide a hurdle adjustment piece in the upright of each T-joint. Place a T-joint on the top of each adjustment piece. Repeat this procedure until all of the T-joints and uprights are used.

9. Slide an elbow joint on the top of each vertical support structure. Position the elbow so the outlet faces the inside of the supports. Slide a cross member into the elbow outlets.

10. Slide end caps on each of T-joint outlets which are not holding a cross member.

Tips & Warnings

• The hurdle height can be adjusted by moving the cross member between the corresponding T-joints.

• The track hurdle may tip over when adjusted to different heights. If this occurs, you can remove the hurdle base pieces and replace them with longer sections. These longer sections will allow the weight of the top of the hurdle to be equaled out.

References

• Hurdler 49: PVC Hurdles
• TrackInfo.org: Hurdles 101
• Today Fitness: Make Your Own Agility Hurdles