Sprint Striding Drills
Reprinted from:
Trackcoach.com
1. Butt Kicks:
The aim of this drill is to teach a good active
heel recovery, while it also teaches proper hamstring conditioning
and speed movement. Emphasize the following:
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Cues: Hips tall. Toe up. Heel
up. Do not scuff foot into the track.
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Tall posture with foot plants under the center of
mass.
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Quick and continuous snap of the heel to the butt
without compromising posture.
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Slow, horizontal displacement of the body at a
jogging pace or done in place.
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Initiate leg movements with the hands and arms.
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Running kicks where movement is performed on every
step.
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Varied rhythm kicks where athlete performs movement
on every 2nd, 3rd, or 4th step.
2. High Knees:
The aim is to enforce proper posture and range of
motion with both legs and arms. Drill can be performed in
either a marching, skipping and running mode. Emphasize the
following:
-
Cues: Toes up. Heel up. Knee
up. Hips tall. Ankle step over the knee.
-
Tall posture with foot plants under the center of
mass.
-
Knees lifted to position where thighs are parallel
with horizontal running surface.
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Heel drawn tight to buttocks and toe
dorsiflexed.
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Arms move through full range of sprint
arm-action.
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Horizontal displacement of body is not as important
as proper movements of arms and legs.
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Speed of displacement down the track may vary and
care must be taken to maintain control.
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Straighten the support leg on each step.
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Keep the body leaning slightly forward at the
waist.
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Emphasize rhythm and consistency of movements.
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Legs work directly up and down, allow for lower-leg
extension on the downward movement to simulate an active, clawing
action.
-
Progress from marching to skipping.. Then, to
running with emphasis on preparing for an active ground contact
with the foot.
3. Fast Leg:
The aim is to isolate the proper motion of the
sprint stride into its respective left and right - side movements in
order to teach the proper mechanics of the leg through the recovery
cycle. This is a advanced drill, speed of movement is the
ultimate goal, but most athletes will need to learn this drill at a
slower speed before progressing to faster speeds. There are
two main types of the fast leg drill (see A and B).
3A.. Single Side Actions:
This is a form of the fast leg drill. To
perform this drill, the athlete from a jog with tall posture on the
balls of their feet will quickly bring one leg through the recovery
cycle in concert with the arms. The keys are to lift the
thigh, snapping the heel to the butt, and accelerating the foot back
to the track. Perform the movement every 2-3 jog steps.
When performed properly, the athlete will sense a feeling of
acceleration with each contact of the foot on the track.
Emphasize the following:
