Workout Overview
Workout #006 focuses on improving your running form, cadence and speed. Speed skills or running “strides” is so important to running that it is a good idea to do these drills and other skill-enhancing workouts every week throughout the year. Just through refining your skill you will not only run more economically but also faster.
Biomechanically, there are only two things you can do to run faster. You can run with a faster cadence or you can run with a longer stride. The fastest runners in the world, such as the Kenyans, do both of these. The place for you to start in improving your running efficiency is with cadence. During all of the below drills ensure your hips, knees and ankles are in alignment, whilst recording your cadence in each drill. Repeat the drills for 2-3 sets so you can try and increase your cadence doing the same drill.
Workout Exercises
Running Drill 1 – Falling Forwards
1. The first running strides drill is falling forwards which teaches you to use your bodyweight and gravity to propel yourself in a forwards direction using much less muscular energy and running more efficiently.
2. Practise falling forwards a few times from a standing position by leaning forwards so you tip onto the balls of your feet before needed to go into run and avoid falling over completely.
3. Start the first drill running whilst leaning forward as if you are “falling” forward and land on the mid-sole rolling onto the forefoot. Avoid bending at the waist just let your whole body tip forward slightly throughout.
4. Count your left foot strike for the 30 seconds to record your cadence. Somewhere between 40-45 is good.
Running Drill 2 – Heel Flicks
1. The second running strides drill is heel flicks which activates the hamstrings more and helps equalise the muscles used when running and help with quad (thigh) fatigue.
2. As in the first drill start to run whilst leaning (falling) forwards a bit and landing on the mid-sole rolling onto the forefoot.
3. After the foot makes contact with the ground start to actively flick your heel up towards your bum, but not all the way up as in some warm up drills. Try to keep the recovery foot a bit more under the bum than behind.
4. Count your left foot strike for the 30 seconds to record your cadence. Somewhere between 40-45 is good.
Running Drill 3 – Standing Tall
1. The third running strides drill is standing tall and develops a strong powerful core mid-section which will deliver power and efficiency to the legs.
2. After a couple of steps straighten up your back by lifting your chest and shoulders back whilst still landing nicely on the forefoot.
3. Whilst maintaining a strong core really focus on running light by anticipating ground contact and performing a quick pick up.
4. Count your left foot strike for the 30 seconds to record your cadence. Somewhere close to 45 is good.
Running Drill 4 – Hot Coals
1. The fourth running strides drills is ‘hot coals’ which is a great drill to improve the speed of your running cadence.
2. Imagine you are about to run across a bed of hot coals. As soon as your foot strikes the ground you have a super quick “pick up as though the ground was to hot to stay on.
3. In this drill your running stride length will be a bit shorter but your cadence will be a lot faster to improve your leg turnover speed.
4. Count your left foot strike for the 30 seconds to record your cadence. Somewhere between 50-60 is good.
Running Drill 5 – Foot Clawing
1. The fifth and final running strides drill is foot clawing which will not only improve where your foot lands under your body but also how quickly your can get int the next stride.
2. As you start running shorten your stride slightly and starting to move the foot in the opposite direction just before you land. This will avoid ‘over striding’ where the foot lands to far in front and acts as a brake.
3.Also by starting to claw back you are preparing to connect with the ground and get into the next stride as soon as possible. You should hear a slight scrapping sound during this drill.
4. Count your left foot strike for the 30 seconds to record your cadence. Somewhere close to 45 is good.