I know there has to be threads on this before, but I couldn’t find any…
So what are the best running drills to do a couple times a week?
A-skips
B-skips
Heel kickers
High knees
Karaokes
?
Thanks
best: strides, that is all.
worst: everything else
Care to elaborate at all on that?
Prior to EVERY run, I do the following progression:
DYNAMIC WARM-UP DRILLS
Prior to commencing with an active workout, it is beneficial to warm up the large muscles of the body. By
completing the exercises in this section, you will ensure adequate blood flow to the peripheral muscles in
preparation for the workout that’s coming up. The entire warm-up takes 9 minutes.
Walking High-Knees – At a walking pace, lift your knees as high as they will go without forcing them. You should
get your upper leg at least parallel with the ground, but you should try to slightly higher than that. Arms swing
naturally. Continue for 30 seconds.
Walking Butt-Kicks – At a walking pace, kick your heals forcefully back and straight up towards your behind. You
may even make contact with your bum if your flexibility permits but it’s not necessary to do by any means.
Continue for 30 seconds.
Walking Knee-raise Pulls – At a walking pace, lift your knee toward your chest, similar to the walking high-knees
above. When you reach the height of your relaxed range of motion, wrap your arms around your upward knee
and pull it toward your chin and release it after a ½ second pause at the top of your range of motion. Switch legs
every step. Continue for 30 seconds
Walking Quad Stretch – At a walking pace, lift your heel toward your butt as you did in the butt-kickers above.
When your foot reaches the top of the kick-up, grab the top of the foot with your hand on the same side of your
body. (if your left foot went back, grab it with your left hand) Lightly pull up on the foot while extending the
pelvis forward and engaging your gluteal (butt) muscles on the same side. Pause at the top of your range of
motion for 1 second before releasing the foot back to the floor. Switch sides every step. Continue for 30
seconds.
Controlled Straight Leg Kicks – (AKA – military march) Walk like a toy soldier. Arms are relaxed and swing
opposite your legs. Leg stays straight throughout the motion. Keeping your ankle at a 90 degree angle and your
knee at 170° (almost locked straight) extend your leg out in front of you and up to the top of your range of
motion. Drop your leg down in a controlled manner, take a small step forward and extend the other leg in the
same manner. Continue for 30 seconds.
Side Squats w/ high knees – Starting position is with your arms in the ready boxing position and legs about
shoulder width apart. Start by lifting your left knee straight up. At the top of your range of motion, keep your
foot elevated and step out to the left side as if you are stepping over a tall object directly in front of your foot.
Set the foot down about 1-2 feet over to the left so you are now in a very wide stance. Lower yourself at the
knees, butt pushed out behind you and your back straight, until your butt is a few inches from the ground. Raise
yourself back up while simultaneously brining your right foot over to assume the starting position again.
Continue for 30 seconds in each direction.(right and left).
Walking Lunges – Start in a standing position. Step out with a large step on the left foot while simultaneously
outstretching the right arm. In a controlled manner, lower your body down until your trailing (right) knee almost
makes contact with the ground. Press into the bent left knee to raise yourself back up to the starting position
directly above it, letting the right lag simply swing forward. Alternate starting leg with each step. Continue for 30
seconds.
Toe Walks – Slow and controlled. Walk on your tippy-toes for 30 seconds.
Heel Walks – Slow and controlled. Walk on your heels for 30 seconds.
Quick-step Butt-kicks – Simply a speeded up version of the walking but kicks. As right foot goes back towards
your butt, the left arm moves forward and up. Take very short strides, focusing on kicking up in the back, not
forward progress. Continue for 30 seconds
Quick-step High-knees - Simply a speeded up version of the walking high-knees. Fast arm swing will accompany
the fast high-knees. Continue for 30 seconds.
Power Skips – Skipping drill that places emphasis on the push-off and high knees. When the knee reaches full
height, the push off occurs and arms freeze in place for the jumping motion. Continue for 30 seconds.
Quick-steps – Very fast, very short strides. Rapid arm swing accompanies this drill. Continue for 30 seconds.
A-Skips – One leg at a time with recovery step between leg switches. Emphasis is primarily on the knee lift and
engaging the quad muscles. Continue for 30 seconds.
B-Skips - One leg at a time with recovery step between leg switches. Emphasis is on the activation of the glutes
by extending a nearly straight leg out during the skipping motion. Continue for 30 seconds.
Carioca (Grape Vines) – Quick step drill focusing on side to side movement and high knees. Trunk stays stable
while arms swing opposite the feet for this drill. Done on the balls of the feet. While constantly moving the feet,
Step the left foot out and over like you did in the high knee squats but don’t step wide. As soon as the left foot
hits the floor the right foot comes around the back of the left foot. Continue for 30 seconds, then switch leading
leg and go for another 30 seconds.
Prior to EVERY run, I do the following progression:
DYNAMIC WARM-UP DRILLS
Prior to commencing with an active workout, it is beneficial to warm up the large muscles of the body. By
completing the exercises in this section, you will ensure adequate blood flow to the peripheral muscles in
preparation for the workout that’s coming up. The entire warm-up takes 9 minutes.
Walking High-Knees – At a walking pace, lift your knees as high as they will go without forcing them. You should
get your upper leg at least parallel with the ground, but you should try to slightly higher than that. Arms swing
naturally. Continue for 30 seconds.
Walking Butt-Kicks – At a walking pace, kick your heals forcefully back and straight up towards your behind. You
may even make contact with your bum if your flexibility permits but it’s not necessary to do by any means.
Continue for 30 seconds.
Walking Knee-raise Pulls – At a walking pace, lift your knee toward your chest, similar to the walking high-knees
above. When you reach the height of your relaxed range of motion, wrap your arms around your upward knee
and pull it toward your chin and release it after a ½ second pause at the top of your range of motion. Switch legs
every step. Continue for 30 seconds
Walking Quad Stretch – At a walking pace, lift your heel toward your butt as you did in the butt-kickers above.
When your foot reaches the top of the kick-up, grab the top of the foot with your hand on the same side of your
body. (if your left foot went back, grab it with your left hand) Lightly pull up on the foot while extending the
pelvis forward and engaging your gluteal (butt) muscles on the same side. Pause at the top of your range of
motion for 1 second before releasing the foot back to the floor. Switch sides every step. Continue for 30
seconds.
Controlled Straight Leg Kicks – (AKA – military march) Walk like a toy soldier. Arms are relaxed and swing
opposite your legs. Leg stays straight throughout the motion. Keeping your ankle at a 90 degree angle and your
knee at 170° (almost locked straight) extend your leg out in front of you and up to the top of your range of
motion. Drop your leg down in a controlled manner, take a small step forward and extend the other leg in the
same manner. Continue for 30 seconds.
Side Squats w/ high knees – Starting position is with your arms in the ready boxing position and legs about
shoulder width apart. Start by lifting your left knee straight up. At the top of your range of motion, keep your
foot elevated and step out to the left side as if you are stepping over a tall object directly in front of your foot.
Set the foot down about 1-2 feet over to the left so you are now in a very wide stance. Lower yourself at the
knees, butt pushed out behind you and your back straight, until your butt is a few inches from the ground. Raise
yourself back up while simultaneously brining your right foot over to assume the starting position again.
Continue for 30 seconds in each direction.(right and left).
Walking Lunges – Start in a standing position. Step out with a large step on the left foot while simultaneously
outstretching the right arm. In a controlled manner, lower your body down until your trailing (right) knee almost
makes contact with the ground. Press into the bent left knee to raise yourself back up to the starting position
directly above it, letting the right lag simply swing forward. Alternate starting leg with each step. Continue for 30
seconds.
Toe Walks – Slow and controlled. Walk on your tippy-toes for 30 seconds.
Heel Walks – Slow and controlled. Walk on your heels for 30 seconds.
Quick-step Butt-kicks – Simply a speeded up version of the walking but kicks. As right foot goes back towards
your butt, the left arm moves forward and up. Take very short strides, focusing on kicking up in the back, not
forward progress. Continue for 30 seconds
Quick-step High-knees - Simply a speeded up version of the walking high-knees. Fast arm swing will accompany
the fast high-knees. Continue for 30 seconds.
Power Skips – Skipping drill that places emphasis on the push-off and high knees. When the knee reaches full
height, the push off occurs and arms freeze in place for the jumping motion. Continue for 30 seconds.
Quick-steps – Very fast, very short strides. Rapid arm swing accompanies this drill. Continue for 30 seconds.
A-Skips – One leg at a time with recovery step between leg switches. Emphasis is primarily on the knee lift and
engaging the quad muscles. Continue for 30 seconds.
B-Skips - One leg at a time with recovery step between leg switches. Emphasis is on the activation of the glutes
by extending a nearly straight leg out during the skipping motion. Continue for 30 seconds.
Carioca (Grape Vines) – Quick step drill focusing on side to side movement and high knees. Trunk stays stable
while arms swing opposite the feet for this drill. Done on the balls of the feet. While constantly moving the feet,
Step the left foot out and over like you did in the high knee squats but don’t step wide. As soon as the left foot
hits the floor the right foot comes around the back of the left foot. Continue for 30 seconds, then switch leading
leg and go for another 30 seconds.
Damn, where do you find the time to actually run?
The one I do for every run is ‘Stand around like an ass waiting for your Garmin to locate’
This builds mental toughness and humility as the neighbors get you warmed up with cat calls.
The effect is multiplied by every accessory you wear.
.
It takes all of 9 minutes and has so far proved to be very helpful in reducing issues I used to get with my achiles and a surgically repaired knee. I got the drill set from Bobby McGee while at the USA Olympic Training Center last year. I trust his track record and success.
I like high knees and butt kicks. Also, the cable knee drive is pretty good. I recently started doing those once a week.
Here is the description:
Cable Knee Drive
Facing away from a cable stack, secure a strap around your ankle with the pulley near the floor. Stand 1 – 2 feet away from the stack on one leg. Drive the opposite knee up toward your chest with a quick, powerful pull. Complete one set, then switch legs.
From DailyBurn Life
http://su.pr/5dL1Gr
Butt kickers has helped me tremendously.
I also do the locating satellite warm up routine
The one I do for every run is ‘Stand around like an ass waiting for your Garmin to locate’
This builds mental toughness and humility as the neighbors get you warmed up with cat calls.
The effect is multiplied by every accessory you wear.
.
Haha. This is exactly what I do. Get shoes on, heart rate monitor on, garmin foot pod on, etc. Walk outside ready to run. Wait 2-3 minutes looking at my watch impatiently waiting for it to find satellites.
The one I do for every run is ‘Stand around like an ass waiting for your Garmin to locate’
This builds mental toughness and humility as the neighbors get you warmed up with cat calls.
The effect is multiplied by every accessory you wear.
+1!! It’s happened to me too many times.
The one I do for every run is ‘Stand around like an ass waiting for your Garmin to locate’
This builds mental toughness and humility as the neighbors get you warmed up with cat calls.
The effect is multiplied by every accessory you wear.
.
I used to do this. Now I put the Garmin on the windowsill when I start to get ready. It has acquired by the time I am dressed. My warmup is now the walk to the top of the driveway.
I’d vote for hill sprints
.
The one I do for every run is ‘Stand around like an ass waiting for your Garmin to locate’
This builds mental toughness and humility as the neighbors get you warmed up with cat calls.
The effect is multiplied by every accessory you wear.
.
BWAHAHAHAHA! Now excuse me while I clean partially chewed food from my keyboard but the laugh was worth it!
The one I do for every run is ‘Stand around like an ass waiting for your Garmin to locate’
This builds mental toughness and humility as the neighbors get you warmed up with cat calls.
The effect is multiplied by every accessory you wear.
.
Awesome!
strides…once per week
.
strides. unless you think they mean to over extend your front leg reaching really really far. Which is what a good number of people think it means when you say stride. Pickups is a better word for them.
also, I got significantly faster after spending a mile or two in each run over 2-3 weeks focusing on pushing off the ground with your rear leg instead of just lifting the leg off the ground. My cadence picked up and my overall form was just better. In in 45-60 minute runs I’d run miles 2 & 5 focusing on this. Eventually I’d add another mile in. Finally I started to notice that when I wasn’t thinking about it I could tell when I wasn’t doing it. So more and more of every run I’d do it. Now it’s instinctive. I suffered from some calf and quad soreness during the first couple weeks. DOMS from changing how I was using the different muscles. But 6 weeks later I think I’ve finally made the switch from a heal striker (2 years ago) to efficient fore/mid foot runner.
no to everything you wrote.
Hill repeats…
you’re wrong. I did get significantly faster thinking about pushing off the ground with my foot and not just lifting my leg.