Running Drills
Posted: August 4, 2008
Where to start?
Start with the range of motion drills, because this allows the ancillary muscles a chance to warm-up and in turn keep them from pulling those muscles.
Drill #1:
Watch the video:
Side to Side - http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=71
- Things coaches should look for:
· Toes should be point straight ahead – watch for toes that point the direction they are going instead of toward you or toes that point backwards
· Tell them to relax the shoulders and lightly swing the arms
· They should be pushing off the back foot
Reason: The point of this drill is to work the ancillary muscles not used in running. By working these muscles we will keep your leg muscles balanced.
Drill #2:
Grapevine - http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=73
- Things coaches should look for:
· Most important is rotating hips.
· That they are crossing under and under
· Under control
Reason: The point of this drill is to loosen your hip flexor and increase mobility in that region. It also helps to balance the different muscles in the legs.
Drill #3:
Marches(High Knees):
http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=63
- Things coaches should look for or express
- This should be done slowly
- The foot in the air should be flexed until impact with ground
- Foot placement: NOT on the heel! Instead land on mid-foot to fore-foot
- Running arms are at 90 degrees and arms swing from the shoulders
- An upright body posture
- Coordinated movement of the arms and legs
Reason: The point of this drill is to strengthen the calves and Achilles with no pounding. This is crucial to limiting shin splints and tendonitis. Also you are teaching them to roll all the way to the toes, teaching them to flex the foot during the flight portion of the leg movement, and then teaching them to land on the forefoot and not the heel. Last, you look at the arm carriage and make sure they are swinging from the shoulders (not the elbow) and that the elbows are kept at 90 degrees.
- Marches with a Hop:
- After they have mastered this drill add a hop to the drill to move to a more advanced drill.
Drill #4:
Paw Backs - http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=64
- Things coaches should look for or express
- This one should be done slowly as well
- This drill is difficult to master
- Posture is up right not leaning forward
- Foot is flexed in the air
- Movement of leg off the group is not kick but more of a circular motion
- Foot strike is never on the heel but mid-foot to fore-foot
- Arms @ 90 degrees
- Arms swing from the shoulder
- Roll up to the toe from the mid-foot strike
Reason: The point of this drill is to lengthen the running stride and mimic the running motion. It will also strength the Achilles and calves.
- Next level is to add a hop to the paw backs
-
- Paw Backs with a hop:
Description: It is the same motion as the marching, but adding a small hops or skip to the movement. This is usually easier because the pause is taken out and balance is not as difficult.
Drill #5:
Running backwards - http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=72
- Things coaches should look for or express
- Upright posture
- Push off from toe
- Heel of foot that just pushed off become parallel to the ground
- This is not a shuffle
Reason: The point of this drill is to activate the same muscles of the quad that are used in landing in the opposite way this helps to balance out the forward motion of running.
EXTRA DRILLS:
Quick Skips:
Description: Standing upright, you will begin by skipping like you did when you were in P.E. class as a kid. After a couple weeks of skipping like a kid, we will change to a quicker, more exaggerated skip. The emphasis is placed on the upward motion provided by the roll off the leg and the use of deep elbows in the arm motion.
- Things coaches should look for or express
- These are not explosive
- Emphasize the forward/upward motion
- Emphasize the deep elbows in the arm motion
Reason: The point of this drill is to increase efficiency by exaggerating the running motion & then speeding it up.
Strides:
- Things coaches should look for or express
- These can be done at the end of the drills
- Make sure they don’t over do it the first time out
- They can be use to get use to or set a pace for longer interval work
Description:
For 100 meters you will begin by running. Focus on quick turnover and light feet. Visualize yourself with perfect form. You will begin running the 100 meters with a build up for about 20 –30 meters, hold that increased pace for the middle 40 –50 meters, and then slowly come back down in speed, thus no body slamming into the end. Let your heart rate recover before you begin the next one.
Reason: The goal of the stride is to fire the fast twitch muscle fibers and “remind” you of how it feels to run fast.
