Run Drills 1

Running drills

Try to master the running drill videos below.

Goal: Improve hip mobility. Refer to videos.

Descending through the drills you will find they become more dynamic and complex. Master the easier ones and then progress.

Focus on technique. Complete 2x10m (minimum).

A Step – Begin in the ‘A’ position, try to hold it for 2 seconds (this will help improve your balance), walk forwards and balance in that position on the other leg, continue for 20 – 30 metres.Body check – do you have a 90 degree angle at the ankle, knee and hip? Make sure your toes are pointed up towards your shins.
B Step – Why? This improves specific running hamstring strength.How:As per the “A Step” but you will extend your leg. Begin in the ‘A’ position, try to hold it for 2 seconds (this will help improve your balance), walk forwards and balance in that position on the other leg, continue for 20 – 30 metres. Body check – do you have a 90 degree angle at the ankle, knee and hip? Make sure your toes are pointed up towards your shins.
Running wall drill -Why? We want to create a ‘tall posture’ with this exercise.How: Keep the chest up and hips forward – so we can draw somewhat of a straight line from raised heel to shoulder.Hands should be flat on the wall and arms extended below shoulder height. Find an even “right / left” rhythm.
Heel to butt -Why?To improve your run stride ‘recovery phase’ – When the leg has driven down and back to move the body up and forwards it recovers underneath your centre of mass (or underneath the backside!).How: Run with fast feet, but hardly moving forward, as you do bring your heel up and under your backside. You should be working hard, taking very fast but very small steps.
Carioca – Why?This drill improve your knee lift and hips’ range of motion. Which can improve ground contact time and efficiency.How:In an athletic position, push off with the left foot and bring it towards the right foot.2 While maintaining balance, cross the left foot behind the right foot and plant it on the ground.3 Move the right foot laterally so you return to the athletic position.4 While maintaining balance, cross the left foot in front of the right foot and plant it on the ground.5 Move the right foot laterally so you return to the athletic position.6 Reverse the steps to perform this drill while moving to the left.
A Skip – Why? To improve the drive phase of your running stride. When you are in the drive phase you have the leg that is in contact with the ground in triple extension: hip, knee and ankle all extended upwards. The other leg will have all of those joints positioned at 90 degrees: hip, knee and ankle.It will also assist in activating the glutes for improved run performance.How:Try to get into a rhythm, feeling the arms and legs moving together in time.Light & Quick Foot Contacts – This is a great drill to develop quick and light foot contacts, developing desired ankle stiffness and reaction to the ground.Maintain Good Posture – Stay tall in your movements.Stay Loose & Relaxed – Allow all your movements to ‘flow’.
B Skips – Why? This improves specific running hamstring strength and flexibility.How:Find Your Rhythm. Light & Quick Foot Contacts – Like the ‘A Skip’, this is another great drill to develop quick and light foot contacts, developing desired ankle stiffness and reaction to the ground.Powerful Snap Back – Use your Hamstrings to pull the leg back to make ground contact under your body with considerable power.Maintain Good Posture.Stay Loose & Relaxed.

7 Videos

Run phases and Run drills.

Running drills improve our speed, efficiency, balance and coordination. Essentially they assist us in improving our technique and hence running economy.

We need to be prepared to practice the same drills over weeks, months and years to really perfect them..from here we then add complexity or speed the drill up.

Run drills are aligned with the four phases of running:

These four phases are:

A – Drive phase

B – Flight phase

C – Support phase and

D – Recovery phase.

With all run drills we need to ensure that we maintain a tall posture / high hips / chest up / head up and maintain a view towards the horizon.

The arms should drive back and not come across the body.

Phase A – Drive phase – We aim to have our leg in contact with the ground in full extension at the hip knee and ankle – we call this – triple extension – the other leg will have all those joints hip, knee and ankle – positioned at 90 degrees. To improve the drive phase we can practice – “A steps/skips/wall drills/” and fast feet.

Phase B – Flight phase – this is when both legs are off the ground – you’re in full flight – the foot that is about to come into contact with the ground should be pointing towards the shin ready ready to land with what we call an “active foot.” To improve the flight phase we should practice – “B steps, skips / Carioca / Straight leg runs.” All with a circular motion.

Phase C – landing/support phase – Our foot should ideally make contact with the ground as close to underneath our centre of mass and preferably with a mid-foot landing. To improve the landing phase we should practice – “ankling” (stepping over the ankle)/ recovery phase, stepping over the calf, stepping over the knee.

Phase D – Recovery phase – When the leg has driven down and back to move the body up and forward, it recovers underneath your centre of mass (underneath the backside). During this phase of running action we want our body levers to be short. This is achieved by closing the knee (a bent knee) and pulling our heel to butt – this creates a faster ‘pull through’ on to the flight phase and a more efficient run gait. To improve the recovery phase we should practice – fast feet with heel to butt, A skips, single heel to butt, and B run.

All drills should be combined with strides to help combine and sequence the new improved run motor patterns into your new improved running efficiency!