Hear from our Podiatrist, Michael Nitschke.

Adding running drills & strides into your schedule

Running drills are often viewed to many recreational runners as an ‘elitist’ aspect of running training or as 'those running stepping, skipping and bounding’ actions performed by ‘fast runners’ prior to racing. Coaches and athletes often prescribe particular running drills prior to ‘specific’ running sessions to ‘prepare’ them physically for the demands of the upcoming running session.

Running drills are not just for the ‘elite/advanced’ runner and may have great benefits for almost every runner. There are many potential benefits for running drills.

Specific running drills arguably ‘bridge the gap’ between strength training and running itself, and they can be designed to have the following benefits for the runner:

• Creating increased dynamic range of motion for running

  
  

• Decrease contact time on the ground (better ‘timing’)

  
  

• Build strength relative to running

• Allows the runner to ‘focus’ on specific mechanical attributes and symmetry in a controlled/closed setting:

- Increase Hip Flexion/Extension

- Forefoot Running (relative to sprinting)

- Increase stride rate

- Increase stride length

- Increase ankle dorsiflexion

- Focus on position of the head/arms and trunk

- Prepares us to run fast (interval/repetition training) – both mentally and physically

- Assist the transition to forefoot running relative to faster running

- Prepares lower-leg tissues to handle stresses of running with less risk

Demonstration of the angles of the A Step Drill

While we may never run ‘exactly’ the way we perform out specific running drills, by adding running drills into a regular running program may promote our central nervous system to take what we learn/practice in the closed running drill setting, and transfer some of those attributes into our running gait (specifically faster running). These drills are not directly ‘technical drills’, they aim to strengthen structures related to those specific running postures. The effect on running technique is ancillary.

Running drills can be added into a runner’s strength regime, or even into the warm up or cool down of a session or 2 throughout the week. I often like to prescribe running drills in conjunction with running strides (or hill sprints), thus giving the runner a chance to think and replicate the running drill attributes over a straight line, at a relaxed running effort. Other times I may prescribe running drills for the runner returning from injury, in an attempt to give the runner confidence of loading dynamically, while trying to focus on symmetry and timing prior to return to full training.

Taking strong running mechanics up a hill

Running drills are a great learning tool to allow a runner to take difficult aspects of running, isolate them and then practice them. They add to the runners ‘tool belt’ of ‘adjusting’ or ‘improving’ their mechanical running attributes – whether they are searching for increased performance or decreasing specific loading injuries running load.

For more information regarding running drills, or whether you are looking to learn common running drills to add to your running tool belt please contact Michael or the Clinic at Bayside.

Ph 8376 2000 or email reception@baysidesh.com.au

Video References of some running drills/plyometrics:

Note: The naming of Drills can fluctuate between sources. Click on drill to enter the educational video link.

A Skip

B Skip

A Run

Heel Flicks

A Quick Step

Toe Taps

Speed Bounds

Strides

BUPA Patients Please Note the following:

As of July 1st Bayside Sport and Health Clinic will no longer be a BUPA Members First Chiropractic provider. BUPA members are still very welcome, but rebates may differ, and our consultation fees will now be charged at the same rate as all other private health funds. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our reception team, we’re happy to assist!