Running Drills
- Paul Williamson
- Oct 17, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 1
Running drills are essential for enhancing sprinting performance by improving technique, timing, and muscle coordination. Renowned sprint coaches have long advocated for the use of drills to perfect sprint mechanics, based on extensive practical experience.
Drills are crucial for developing efficient movement patterns, they help athletes refine their sprinting technique by reinforcing good posture, arm swing, and leg drive. By focusing on specific elements of sprinting in isolation, these drills allow for targeted improvement in key areas like foot placement and hip mobility.
Sprinting drills improve timing by synchronisation of muscle contractions. This leads to improved coordination between the prime movers such as the hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteals and stabilising muscles, resulting in a smoother, more explosive stride. Experts emphasise that the ability to recruit musculature at the right moment in the sprint cycle is a defining factor in top-level performance.
Regular use of these drills enhances neuromuscular coordination. As athletes repeat them, their central nervous system becomes efficient at firing the necessary muscles in the correct sequence, boosting both speed and efficiency. For vaulters, mastering these elements through drills is fundamental to reaching full potential. The integration of sprinting drills with Speed Development is essential for achieving optimal horizontal velocity. It is highly recommended to explore the content available on this page.
Here is a list of our basic running drills we complete
Videos
Advanced technique runs over wickets
Running over cones, low hurdles or wickets is an excellent way to improve technical proficiency. Here are some of the examples of how we integrate this into our running preparation. We can also include 1cm matts alternating between cones or hurdles in order to change the horizontal or vertical eccentric contact forces depending on what we are aiming to achieve.
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