Running Drills to Develop Technique
Whether you are a sprinter, hurdler, distance runner or jumper, you want to develop an efficient running form through proper techniques and mechanics to run better and faster. While you work on speed and endurance, you need to condition, reinforce and maintain your strength, flexibility, and agility. In addition, injuries may result from physical stresses that come from routine running workouts and daily activities, which you want to counter with proper running techniques and mechanics. We’ve designed running drills and built them into our Sunday practice. It can help our members become better sprinters, hurdlers, distance runners or jumpers, as well as staying healthy in their active daily life.
Below is a collection of running drill videos that we curated from various online resources and posted on our San Francisco Track and Field Club Facebook Page. Watch and practice! See you at the track!
Fast Leg
This drill is a perfect tool to evaluate your running form. It lets you break down your running form, isolate your running range of motion, and focus on the running mechanics. At each fast leg, focus on your heel recovery, knee lift and foot strike. This is easier than it looks. Watch this drill to get used to the rhythm.
Drill Points
Simulate your actual running but one leg at a time.
Recover the heel from previous foot strike – remember butt kicks.
Step over the knee – don’t over extend your knee.
Drive the foot into the ground so it lands underneath the hips.
Maintain upright posture throughout this drill. Don’t bend forward or dip.
Benefits
Simulate your running range of motion.
Isolate your running range of motion and focus on mechanics
Pinocchio (Straight Leg Shuffle)
This drill improves agility and balance, while promoting proper mid-foot and forefoot strike techniques. Focus points for this drill are quick turnover and foot strike with quick pull. Also important is to maintain the upright posture. We tend to lean backwards when we do this drill.
Drill Points
Raise your leg up to 45 degree angle.
Dorsiflex your foot as you quickly pull into the ground.
Strike the ground with mid foot and forefoot.
Maintain upright posture throughout this drill. Don’t lean backwards.
Benefits
Improves agility and balance.
Promotes proper foot strike.
Knee Hug, Elbow Snaps & Hand Kick
This week’s drill is about a series of hip mobility exercises to warm up: Knee hug, Elbow snaps and Hand kick. We are all familiar with these drills, but it is helpful to watch an Olympic gold medalist do these properly.
Drill Points—Knee Hug
Roll off your heel onto the ball of your foot and push off.
Drive your knee up, grab and pull it to your chest.
Dorsiflex your foot as you lift your knee.
Maintain upright posture throughout this drill.
Drill Points—Elbow Snaps
Hands behind your head.
Same foot and knee movement as Knee hug.
Drive up your knee and roll your torso slightly so that your knee touches your elbow.
Do not bend over to bring your elbow to the knee.
Drill Points—Hand Kick
Keep your arms extended and parallel to the ground.
Roll off your heel and kick your leg towards your hand.
Kick slowly and lower slowly to prevent hamstring injuries.
Maintain upright posture throughout this drill.
Benefits
Warm up and loosen your glutes, hamstrings, quads, ankles and feet.
Improve range of motion of hip flexors and hamstrings.
Skip for Height
Today’s running drill video is all about powerful push-offs. Skip for height is not just an exaggerated running form nor a manifestation of your joy at the track, but is a great drill to build stronger lower legs, as well as to develop stronger quads, hamstrings and glutes. Reach for the sky and let’s get vertical! Demonstration of your pride and happiness is optional.
Drill Points
Jump powerfully off one leg, driving the opposite knew as high as you can.
Activate your glute of the jumping leg for height.
Use your arms to gain vertical skip.
Maintain upright posture throughout this drill.
Benefits
Develop a running form with powerful push-offs and greater knee lift.
Develop skill to use the elastic energy in the muscles and tendons.
Prevent leg collapse by strengthening glutes, hamstrings, quads and knees.
Better body balance, coordination and agility for efficient running.
Pistol Squat (Single-leg Squat)
Today’s drill is for advanced athletes. It’s more of a “Can you do this?” type of challenge for a change. Pistol squat, aka single-leg squat, tests your strength, stability and balance, all at the same time. Watch this video by Oakland Chiropractor – Dr. Jordan Fairley and give it a try. If too difficult, you might want to come to our practice on Sundays and build your strength first.
Drill Points
Stand tall and extend your arms outward to balance.
As you squat slowly, don’t allow the food of the standing leg to turn outward or inward.
Keep your heel on the ground.
Squat as low as you can.
As you press to stand, picture pushing your knee outward a bit to apply torque.
If too difficult, use a chair behind you for support.
Benefits
Test your strength in glutes, hamstrings, quads and other core muscles, as well as ankles and knees.
Develop coordination and balance.
Develop skills to apply torque for stability.
Hurdle Mobility Drills
This week’s drills require equipment, but are great to increase the range of motion in your hips, as well as to enhance coordination and balance. Start with the lowest hurdle height and maintain as much control of your movements as we step over hurdles.
Drill Points
Start with the lowest hurdle height. Adjust hurdle height as you feel more comfortable with these drills.
Stand tall as you step over each hurdle. Don’t look down at the hurdles. Maintain control of your movements.
Dorsiflex your lead foot.
Benefits
Increase the range of motion in your hips, flexibility and strength.
Enhance core strength, single-leg stability, coordination and balance.
Warm up your back, hip and legs for track workouts.
Lateral Lunges
Let’s do some side-to-side drills! Lateral lunges, or side lunges, will work on your adductor muscles of the inner thigh, quads and glutes and develop better range of motion and balance. Since we are not used to lateral moves, start slowly with this drill. Make sure to keep your toes pointed forward when you side step into the lunge position.
Drill Points
Start slowly as you may not be used to this exercise. Nice and easy.
As you lunge side to side, keep your toes pointed forward.
Keep upright posture and sit on the bent leg.
When coming back to standing, activate your glutes to power off the ground.
Benefits
Strengthen your adductor muscles of the inner thigh, quads and glutes.
Develop better range of motion and balance.
High Knees
Yes, high knees… Not everyone’s favorite, but this drill helps you develop strength and endurance of the hip flexors and quads. Once you master it, you will be able to generate more power and lengthen your stride. Don’t forget to drive your knees high with your strong arm swings!
Drill Points
Lift your knee high above your waistline.
Stay on the balls of your feet.
Look forward, keeping a good posture.
Use your arms to drive you forward fast.
Benefits
Strengthen your hip flexors and quads.
Develop more dynamic, powerful and longer stride.
Grapevine (Carioca)
We know this drill can make us a little awkward or unbalanced at times. Here Bobby McGee Running breaks it down to show you how it’s done effectively. The focus of this drill is hip mobility and foot work. As you get better at it, work on agility to perfect this drill.
Drill Points
If this is new to you, try the stool dance as seen in the video to get a good feel of crossing one leg in front of the other. You may also try the stool dance lifting one knee and leg in front of the other.
Start moving slowly sideways, crossing one leg over the other.
Stay on the balls of your feet.
Don’t look down.
Hold the arms up parallel to the track. Relax your shoulders and balance while you move sideways.
Benefits
Stretch and loosen muscles in the hips, groin and abs.
Improves balance and coordination that build better footwork and agility.
Butt Kicks
We do this every Sunday, but some people don’t know there is a new method. Watch this video and learn how to kick butt the right way.
Drill Points
Lift your knee and bring your ankle all the way up to your butt. Do NOT kick your foot out behind you! Your thigh of the kicking leg should be parallel to the track.
Maintain the 90-degree angle at your ankle.
Look forward, keeping a good posture.
Stay on the balls of your foot.
Kick as quickly as you can.
Benefits
Strengthen hamstrings by kicking quickly with force.
Build proper running mechanics.
A-Skips & B-Skips
Drill Points
Focus on activating your glutes to skip.
Dorsiflex your foot as you raise your knee.
Stay on the balls of your foot.
Maintain good rhythm and skip as high as possible with good arm swings.
Chin up and look forward.
When doing B-Skips, extend your leg out in front of you and claw the ground with the ball of your foot.
Benefits
Develop powerful push-offs and stride.
Strengthen quads, hamstrings and glutes.
Build proper running mechanics.
Contact us.
For questions about the San Francisco Track and Field Club, information on attending weekly practice sessions and how to join our WhatsApp and Google Groups please send us a message.
