The more efficient an athlete becomes at running, the better they will become at running faster. A great time of year to work on running technique and specific drills is when the athlete has no planned races and has taken a sufficient rest period to re-generate and re-motivate.
Running drills can dramatically improve running technique and ultimately running times. It’s easy and efficient to fit running drills into weekly workouts. By visiting the track once a week for specific drill work and adding strides into a post-long run, running efficiency can be improved.
Begin by adding technique work after your longer aerobic run. After finishing the run, add somewhere between four to six building up to eight, Ten Second fast strides on a flat or slightly negative grade. Be sure to jog slowly and fully recovery between each one. Focus on a quick turnover and perform it with perfect form. Lean slightly forward, land and spring off the ball of the foot. The legs should tire and this will simulate a late race push to the finish. ? Other focal points: Concentrate on swinging arms and lifting knees. Arm swing should reach the hand as far back as the hip and as far forward as the cheek. The angle of the elbow should be at 90 degrees. A dorsiflexed foot position is also important. This means the toe is pulled up toward the knee and the muscles in the shin are flexing. Optimizing every muscle in the body enables the body to run faster!
Next, add a specific drill session once or twice a week by going to the track or another stable and soft surface. Begin the workout with a nice warm up of easy running of about ten minutes. Then allow 15 to 20 minutes to do Drill Work. Do the drill, then jog back to start and do the next drill. Begin in order as the drills progressively get more challenging. If any strains or pain in muscles occur during the drills, stop the drill immediately. Perhaps improper technique is being executed.
Drills:
- Light Skip – A mild skip, like a child skips. ? Hold the chin up and keep the chest high. Relax the face and shoulders. Skip lightly for about 50 meters. This is a great warm up for the following drills.
- High Knees – Distance and speed is not important here. The focus is on keeping the feet in a dorsiflexed foot position, lifting knees as high as possible within the constraints of comfort. Each step is about a foot or so in front of the last. Do High Knees for 25 meters.
- Butt Kicks – Bring the heels up to kick your bottom and lift your heels up straight under your hips (heels should contact your back side under your body instead of behind it). Again, tight and quick steps so one foot lands slightly in front of the other. Do Butt Kicks for 25 meters.
- Lunges – Perform forward walking lunges with as close as possible to a 90 degree angle bend at the knee. Do not touch your knee to the ground but come close. Focus on a long stride out and keep chin and chest up. Do not bend forward at the waist. Perform Lunges for 25 meters.
- Backwards Running – Run backwards with perfect form. Concentrate on heel recovery and dorsiflexed foot position. A slight forward lean will help push the legs behind the body. Perform Backwards Running for 50 meters.
- Quick Feet – Think of football players running through a rope ladder. Use short, fast steps with no emphasis on forward speed. Keep knees low, use a high cadence with legs and arms and work on agility. Perform Quick Feet for 25 meters.
- Long skip – This is an exaggerated skip gaining height and distance with each bound. Arm swing should be long and high. Hold the skip position in the air for as long as possible before contacting the ground. Perform Long Skip for 50 meters.
- Side Shuffle – Shuffle sideways like a basketball shuffle. Keep knees bent, stay low to the ground, use quick steps to scuff the feet along and use the core for balance. Work in a different plane of motion now. Perform Side Shuffle right for 25 meters then switch to Side Shuffle left for 25 meters.
- Bounding – Keep the feet together and push off for long bounding jumps, “hanging” in the air as long as possible. Knees are high and parallel to the ground as the body propels forward. This should feel similar to the Long Skip but now with feet together and the focus is on length rather than height. Also, focus on the feet contacting the ground for as short amount of time as possible. Perform Bounding for 25 meters.
- Strides – Think of a long, exaggerated running form. This long stride will increase in speed as the legs begin to get into a rhythm. Perform Strides for 50 meters and by the end the pace will feel to be nearly a sprint.
Be sure to follow the drills in order from 1 through 10 and fully recover between each one. Again, a slow jog back to the starting position should suffice. If not, do not hesitate to jog for a bit longer between the intervals. A short cool down jog should then complete this workout. Run easy for another steady 10 minutes. Finish the workout with an extensive stretching routine.
These drills should be a fun and refreshing break from the normal workout routine. So get out there and enjoy your run!
Article Provided by Energy Fitness Coaching.
Energy Fitness Coaching, led by Coach Kelly, is dedicated to providing every client topnotch, extremely personalized support. Our training techniques are based on thoroughly researched scientific approaches and personal experience to give you, the athlete, that competitive edge.
EFC is devoted to providing personalized coaching that encompasses physical performance, mental and physical wellness, and overall balance in your life! Teaming with EFC is your first step in reaching your athletic aspirations! Learn more today at http://www.energyfitnesscoaching.com.
|
