Running Drills - Drills for Improving Your Running Form and Running Economy

By Rick Morris

These running drills are great for improving your running form and running economy. Incorporate these dynamic exercises into your warm up

ACCELERATION STRIDES

Warm up with 2 to 5 minutes of easy running. You may also do these drills after your daily workout. Begin by performing a slow jog. Gradually increase your speed to 100 percent effort. The total distance run should be around 100 meters. Jog easy for 100 meters and repeat. Be sure to steadily and gradually increase your speed over the entire distance. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

HEEL SLIDES

Begin by performing a slow jog. Using a short stride and bouncing on your toes, raise your heels as high as possible but do not allow your heels to travel behind your body. Imagine a wall at your back. Bring your heels back so that your feet are flat against the imaginary wall and bring them up as high as possible. Your heels should nearly reach your buttocks. Both upper and lower leg action is involved in this exercise. There should be little forward distance covered, but keep moving forward. Repeat for 30 to 50 meters. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

QUICK FEET DRILL

Begin by performing a slow jog. Using a short stride and bouncing on your toes, raise your knees as high as possible on each stride. Concentrate on decreasing the time of contact between your foot and the ground. As soon as your foot hits the ground, quickly spring if off of the ground and into the high knee position. There will be little forward distance covered, but keep moving forward. Repeat for 30 to 50 meters. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

STRIDES

Warm up with 2 to 5 minutes of easy running. You may also do these drills at the end of your daily workout. Begin by performing a slow jog. Gradually increase your speed to about 90 percent effort in the first third of the total distance. The total distance run should be around 100 meters. Maintain a 90 percent effort through the second third of the stride and gradually slow down to a jog during the last third of the stride. Jog easy for 100 meters and repeat. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

HEEL KICK DRILL

Begin by performing a slow jog. Using a short stride and bouncing on your toes, raise your heels as high as possible behind your body. Attempt to bounce your heels off of your buttocks. Most of the movement should be with the lower leg. The upper leg should not move very much. Concentrate on raising your heels as high as possible. There should be little forward distance covered, but keep moving forward. Repeat for 30 to 50 meters. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions. These are similar to heel slides except that you allow your feet to move behind your body and concentrate on heel height.

HIGH KNEE DRILL

Begin by performing a slow jog. Using a short stride and bouncing on your toes, raise your knees as high as possible on each stride. Concentrate on raising your knees as high as possible. There should be little forward distance covered, but keep moving forward. Repeat for 30 to 50 meters. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

QUICK STRIDE DRILL

Begin by performing a slow jog. Increase your stride rate so that you are taking as many strides as possible in 25 meters. Concentrate on foot speed and quickness. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Running Planet

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