9 replies to this topic

[karisma]

Years ago when I did sprint training we used to do running drills after our warmup and stretches. Is this still the best way to begin a session? What drills do you think work the best? I can only remember a couple and I know I always struggled with the "horse-canter-hop type one'" Is there a book where I can find some better descriptions and How many of these do most people do?

Thank you

[Freddycoleman]

I'm against drills. nearly all the athletes i see doing drills will do high knees or butt kicks etc. but don't continue it on for a further 20 metres to run it out, they just stop. i don't understand it. The athlete should do the drill then run the drill out trying to involve the drill into your running action.

I think drills should only be done to correct problems with athletes techniques.

[karisma]

I remember doing each drill for about 10metres, turning, repeating this back to the starting point and repeating this again, hence each drill 40 metres.

Coach always watched whilst commenting:
straight back, chin up, head tall, eyes ahead, keep on your toes, use your arms, your legs will follow

I thought that doing these drills like this was meant to teach our legs to move fast whilst also teaching us the posture and leg movements that we were to carry into our running...however I am not sure of the reason for the scissor legs? maybe more to practise arm action? sometimes we also sat on the ground and had to move our arms so fast they made us bounce.

Drills teach good technique don't they?

I would be interested to hear others opinions.

Edited by karisma, 15 July 2006 - 07:50 PM.

[tank girl]

I did my drills for two years and didn't get injured. I bludged this year and stopped doing my drills and I got injured. That's enough data for me! Some people, like me, have shocking biomechanics. The drills focus on developing the neural patterns you need to maintain a strong gait. If you've been running for ten years and never had an injury, you probably don't need them.

Ashley Mahoney from The Foot Analysis Centre wrote some books on drills which are focussed on injury prevention. I am currently doing hip hitching and walking like this, whereas previously I was doing take-off drills. I use them in the middle of long runs as well, if I feel my form slipping, and it picks me back up.

[Sprinter]

My training group does drills at the start of every track session. It is a great way to gain strength and conditioning and not just for the legs back also for the back and arms. We do close to 3-5 sets of each drill. And there would manly be up to 6 different drills. Drills do help with improving your running stride, gaining great arm movement and also helps with gaining a nice strong posture.

[wombatface]

karisma, I'm very much in favour of drills as part of a track session and even just as a session of drills. This comes from seeing the results (from PBs through to national medals) of athletes who have learned 'how to run'.

tank girl is right about neural patterns. It's through repetition of good patterns of movement that these patterns become relaxed and efficient when racing.

The coach I assist predominantly uses drills that help the actual pattern of running. There are many different drills but not all are helpful (for instance, we don't use 'butt kicks'). Drills need to be done with a 'strong core'. Pilates is very helpful for developing a strong core. Some of the drills start out as 'standing drills', before transferring to 'moving drills' and then extending that movement into running.

We also use 'backwards/forwards' drills where athletes alternate between forwards and backwards 'light springing running' with good drive off the ground. The coach will call 'backwards' or 'forwards' so the athlete is not aware when the change in direction will happen. This helps the athlete learn body awareness of the movement.

As well as 'pattern drills' I'd also suggest arm and leg speed drills such as 10 fast, 10 normal etc for arm drills but with 'good arms' and posture, not just threshing away for maximum speed. For 'foot speed', running across a track two steps per lane (also with good posture) is useful.

It would be difficult to learn these drills from a book, or, even a video. It's better to have a coach or knowledgeable person demonstrate them as well as watch you perform them so corrections can be made on the spot. It's counter-productive to do drills incorrectly.

Good luck with finding someone good to help you. It's very worthwhile incorporating drills into your training but you need to persist (and do them correctly) for some time to see the results.

[runningcat]

How often should you do a speed drill training in a week?

is there a too much and too less to get your goal to be better in speed?

[BigAdam]

I would only use drills to work on technique and warm up and cool down.
For training drills, Gentle runner and I experimented with KM repeats on the weekend. Hard work, but felt good! Measure out 1km then repeat the damn thing as quick as you can. The fastest I got was 4:44, so plenty more work to do....

[freespiritfitness]

Drills are an important part of each run club session and I've seen them quickly correct a lot of minor and not so minor biomechanical issues.

The points made about neural patterns are especially relevant with many runners having spent years reinforcing poor form.

Freddy's point about a 10 - 20 metre run-through to 'assimilate' the drill is also very valid.

Another option that we occasionally use is to do the drill 'back to back'- ie drill - 20 metre- run through - same drill -20 metre run through or drill followed by a 400.

[Jason M]

I don't think there is much point in doing drills if you don't know what your goal is.

Using drills to address technique faults requires that you actually know what your technique faults are. Not as easy as it sounds. You definitely need someone knowledgeable to assess your running (or if you know what you're doing assess video footage of yourself).

Doing carry over exercises, such as running those extra metres after a drill to "assimilate" is important. There's no point doing drill work if it doesn't carry over and improve your real running.

Other uses of drill work is as a form or plyometric, power and strength training. You can focus the loading to certain areas, such as the ankle joint or hamstrings. Also they can form a way of increasing your dynamic range of motion.

As for myself, I incorporate some form of conditioning drill work most days, and will only focus on technique work for about 7-10 days if a fault is identified. Combined with appropriate podiatric treatment, some barefoot running and a holistic training approach I have improved my running biomechanics from a heel striker with overpronation to a midfoot striker, landing under my centre of gravity with appropriate pronation. I now suffer from a lot less injuries, but it is process that took over 5 years.