{"id":92007,"date":"2023-05-10T12:15:39","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T10:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/42krunning.com\/running-technique-drills-essential-for-improving-your-running-form\/"},"modified":"2023-05-10T12:15:39","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T10:15:39","slug":"running-technique-drills-essential-for-improving-your-running-form","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/42krunning.com\/en\/running-technique-drills-essential-for-improving-your-running-form\/","title":{"rendered":"Running technique drills: essential for improving your running form"},"content":{"rendered":"

A question I hear fairly often is… “But is it really important to include running technique drills in my training?”<\/em> My answer is always this clear-cut: “Yes, absolutely”<\/em>. Then the next question comes right away: “And which running technique drills should I do?”<\/em> <\/p>\n

In this article, I\u2019m going to explain the benefits<\/strong> of running technique drills<\/strong> and suggest the ones I consider suitable to do before and after…<\/p>\n

What are running technique drills?<\/h2>\n

If we surveyed runners, we\u2019d find a huge number of suggestions about which running technique drills are the most effective or most recommended. The truth is, every athlete has their favourite running technique drills. But one thing everyone will agree on is the importance of running technique drills because of the benefits<\/strong> they undoubtedly have for improving as a runner<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
Runner Jaume Albar\u00e1\u00f1ez during one of his training sessions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Benefits: posture, efficiency, and injury prevention<\/h3>\n

Basically, these three:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Running technique drills help you be more efficient when you run<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  2. Running technique drills help prevent many unwanted injuries<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  3. Running technique drills help improve coordination and agility<\/strong> when running.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Various studies by experts state that doing 15\u201320 minutes of running technique drills in each session leads, after an 8-week programme, to a clear improvement in the athlete\u2019s running technique.<\/p>\n

    The problem for many people, especially recreational runners, is that they think doing running technique drills is a waste of time because they don\u2019t end up tired; in other words, they think they\u2019d be using their time better by running more, doing intervals, or anything else that requires effort and therefore fatigue. But that\u2019s not the case. <\/p>\n

    Why you should include them in your training routine<\/h3>\n

    Running technique drills are essential for making progress<\/strong> in running, and we\u2019re going to prove it with a simple practical example.<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s imagine we\u2019re going to run a 10K, the race we\u2019ve been preparing for with so much effort and dedication to run it in, say, 40 minutes; but it turns out that with our running technique we usually land on the heel and take 220 milliseconds to lift the foot off the ground instead of landing on the forefoot (on the balls of the feet), which would allow us to take 200 milliseconds. We might think the difference between heel striking and forefoot striking is imperceptible because it\u2019s only 0.02 seconds, but remember we\u2019re talking about 10 kilometres. <\/p>\n

    A simple calculation is enough to understand what we\u2019re talking about: 40\u2019 x 0.02 x 170 spm (steps per minute) = 136 seconds, which is no less than 2 minutes and 16 seconds. That makes it clear just how much of a difference running technique can make in running more efficiently and, as a result, lowering your final time in a race. <\/p>\n

    Everything feels pointless or like a hassle until you see your times can improve a lot, which is why it\u2019s really important to do running technique drills in every training session: yes, every single one.<\/p>\n

    And once we\u2019ve shown how important running technique drills are if you want to improve your race times, the next question is, logically… but how do I do them, when, and which drills?<\/p>\n

    Ideally, you should put yourself in the hands of a qualified physical activity and sports professional. Having a specialist plan and assess your work will ensure you get better results. <\/p>\n

    When and how to do running technique drills?<\/h2>\n

    First, choose a set of drills, which I\u2019ll leave at the end of the post. In my personal case, there are running technique drills I focus on more on interval days, and others I prefer to do after easy runs as a complementary session. <\/p>\n

    These drills should be done over 30\u201340 metres + a 30\u201340 metre straight as well to achieve that positive transfer.<\/p>\n

    The best time to do them during the week<\/h3>\n

    When to do this complementary training\u2014almost “mandatory” for improving our running technique\u2014will depend on the day\u2019s goal; if we\u2019re doing interval work, it should be about 15\u201320 minutes before the effort (whether interval or split work), during that specific warm-up phase that helps us fully activate, adding a few strides at the end.<\/p>\n

    To make it clearer, the full session would look like this: easy run + active joint mobility (if you usually do it) + running technique (10\u2019\u201315\u2019) + 2\u20133 strides + intervals + easy jog to cool down.<\/p>\n

    We\u2019ve talked about interval days, but there are also easy run days; on those days we\u2019ll do the running technique work after the run, as specific complementary work.<\/p>\n

    Personally, on easy run days I\u2019m in favour of spending more time on running technique drills, around 30 minutes. Specifically: I do a 12-kilometre easy run below my first threshold and then do about 30 minutes of running technique drills. And so those 30 minutes don\u2019t feel too boring, I try to create positive transfer: every 5 minutes I do a 100\u2013120 metre straight at 90%. <\/p>\n

    As a recommendation, I\u2019d like to point out that the running technique work that will help us improve efficiency and running economy should be done in a planned way, and we shouldn\u2019t do it (unless that\u2019s the goal) when we\u2019re very, very fatigued.<\/p>\n

    Types of running technique drills<\/h2>\n

    We\u2019ve reached the point you\u2019ve been waiting for. The drills should start from the most general to the most specific\u2014that is, from arm mobility to the full running movement. <\/p>\n

    Drills for interval days: intensity and coordination<\/h3>\n

    Recommended structure to follow: 30\u201340 metres of drills + 30 metres running fast + walk back.<\/p>\n