For runners of all levels, from weekend joggers to marathon competitors, the quest for improvement often centers on logging more miles or increasing speed. Yet, one of the most powerful tools for unlocking potential and preventing injury lies in a series of simple, targeted exercises known as running drills. These specific movements, typically performed as part of a warm-up over a short distance, are designed to deconstruct the running motion, exaggerate key mechanics, and build the neuromuscular pathways necessary for a more efficient and powerful stride. By consistently incorporating drills, runners can improve their posture, cadence, and power, ultimately leading to faster times, reduced physical stress, and a more sustainable, lifelong relationship with the sport.
Why Running Form Matters More Than You Think
At its core, running is a series of single-leg hops repeated thousands of times. Every stride generates impact forces that travel up through your body. How efficiently you manage these forces and propel yourself forward determines not only your speed but also your risk of injury.
This is where running economy comes into play. Running economy is the measure of how much oxygen (and therefore, energy) you use to maintain a certain pace. A runner with good economy uses less energy to run at the same speed as a runner with poor economy, allowing them to run faster, longer, or both.
Flaws in your running form—like overstriding, a slow cadence, or poor posture—waste precious energy. Your body has to work harder to brake and re-accelerate with each step, and muscles that should be relaxed are forced to engage to maintain stability. Over time, this inefficiency not only holds you back but also places undue stress on specific joints and tissues, leading to common running ailments like shin splints, runner’s knee, and IT band syndrome.
The Core Principles of Good Running Form
Before diving into the drills, it’s crucial to understand what “good form” looks like. While every runner has a unique gait, several universal principles underpin efficient movement. The drills you perform are all designed to reinforce these fundamental elements.
Posture and Alignment
Efficient running starts with a tall, stable posture. Imagine a string pulling you upward from the crown of your head. Your spine should be straight, your shoulders relaxed and pulled back slightly, and your gaze directed forward toward the horizon, not down at your feet.
A key component of this posture is a slight forward lean. Crucially, this lean should originate from your ankles, not your waist. Hinging at the waist can restrict breathing and put pressure on your lower back. Leaning from the ankles allows you to work with gravity, encouraging your feet to land underneath your center of mass.
Cadence (Step Rate)
Cadence refers to the number of steps you take per minute (spm). For years, 180 spm was touted as the magic number, but modern coaching recognizes that optimal cadence is individual. However, most recreational runners have a cadence that is too slow, often below 165 spm.
A slower cadence is almost always linked to overstriding—landing with your foot far out in front of your body. This acts as a braking force with every step. Increasing your cadence, even by 5-10%, encourages shorter, quicker steps, which helps ensure your foot lands closer to your center of mass, reducing impact forces and improving efficiency.
Foot Strike
The debate over heel striking versus forefoot striking is often misguided. The most important factor is not *what part* of your foot hits the ground first, but *where* it hits the ground in relation to your body. The goal is to have your foot land directly underneath your hips or center of mass.
When you overstride, you are forced to land on your heel with a straight leg, sending jarring impact forces up your kinetic chain. By focusing on a quicker cadence and landing “underneath” yourself, your foot strike will naturally become lighter and more efficient, whether it’s a midfoot, forefoot, or light heel strike.
Arm Swing
Your arms are not just along for the ride; they are critical for balance, rhythm, and propulsion. An effective arm swing is compact and relaxed, moving forward and backward, not across your body. Your elbows should be bent at approximately 90 degrees.
Think “cheek to pocket.” Your hands should swing from roughly your hip or pocket area up toward your chin. This controlled, front-to-back motion helps drive your legs and prevents the wasteful side-to-side torso rotation that comes from swinging your arms across your chest.
The Essential Running Drills for Every Runner
These drills should be performed on a flat, soft surface like grass or a track, if possible. Focus on executing each movement with precision and control. The goal is quality of movement, not speed or distance. Perform one or two sets of each drill for about 20-30 meters.
A-Skips
The A-Skip is a foundational drill for reinforcing good running posture and developing a quick, powerful knee drive. It teaches the body to lift the knee and then drive the foot down powerfully underneath the hips.
To perform it, you will move forward in a skipping motion. With each skip, drive one knee up sharply until your thigh is parallel to the ground. At the same time, your opposite arm should drive forward, mimicking the running motion. The focus is on the “up” motion of the knee and the quick, “popping” contact with the ground.
B-Skips
The B-Skip builds on the A-Skip by adding a hamstring component. It exaggerates the “pull-through” phase of the running stride, teaching you to actively pull your foot back toward the ground rather than just letting it fall.
Begin with the A-Skip motion, driving your knee up. At the peak of the knee drive, extend your lower leg forward slightly, and then actively “paw” or pull it back down and under your body. This drill feels complex at first, but it is excellent for improving hamstring activation and reducing overstriding.
High Knees
This classic drill is a more intense version of the A-Skip’s knee drive. It focuses on hip flexor strength and the ability to turn your legs over quickly, which is essential for increasing your cadence.
While moving forward slowly, drive your knees up toward your chest as high and as fast as you can. Keep your torso upright and your core engaged. Your arms should be pumping in sync with your legs. The goal is rapid, explosive turnover, with minimal forward travel.
Butt Kicks
Butt Kicks are the opposite of High Knees and focus on the back half of the stride. They promote a quick heel recovery and efficient hamstring engagement, helping you shorten the lever of your leg for a faster turnover.
As you jog forward lightly, focus on pulling your heel directly up toward your glute as quickly as possible. Your thigh should remain pointing mostly downward. This is not about kicking your leg back, but rather about a fast contraction of the hamstring to bring the heel up efficiently.
Carioca (or Grapevine)
Running is a forward motion, but stability comes from all directions. The Carioca drill improves hip mobility, coordination, and lateral agility, which are crucial for stabilizing the pelvis with each stride.
Facing sideways, begin moving by crossing one foot in front of the other. Then, step out with the back foot to uncross your legs. Next, cross the first foot *behind* the other. Continue this “front, side, back, side” pattern down your designated distance, then repeat in the other direction. Keep your hips facing forward and your movements fluid.
Straight-Leg Bounds
This drill is excellent for developing hamstring flexibility and promoting a powerful push-off from the ground. It exaggerates the feeling of pushing off and pulling the foot through.
Keeping your legs relatively straight (with a soft knee), bound forward by pushing off powerfully from the balls of your feet. As you move, your legs will scissor back and forth. The focus is on a quick, elastic ground contact and getting a good stretch in the hamstrings as your leg swings forward.
How to Integrate Drills Into Your Training Routine
Knowing the drills is only half the battle; integrating them correctly is what produces results. Drills are a form of skill practice, and like any skill, they require consistency.
When to Do Drills
The ideal time to perform running drills is after a light warm-up jog and before your main run or workout. At this point, your muscles are warm and pliable, and your nervous system is primed to learn new movement patterns. Performing them pre-run helps activate the correct muscles and sets the stage for a more efficient run.
They can also be done post-run, but the focus should be on maintaining good form even while fatigued. This can be a powerful way to teach your body to hold its form when you’re tired at the end of a race.
Frequency and Volume
For most runners, incorporating a drill session two to three times per week is sufficient to see benefits. Start with a short routine, perhaps choosing three or four drills to focus on per session.
A good starting point is to perform two sets of each drill over a distance of 20 to 30 meters. After completing the drill, walk back to your starting point to recover before the next repetition. The entire routine should only take about 10-15 minutes.
Focus on Quality, Not Quantity
The single most important rule for running drills is to prioritize perfect execution. It is far better to do one set of A-Skips with perfect posture and sharp knee drive than to do three sloppy sets. If you feel your form breaking down, stop, rest, and reset. The purpose is to engrain good habits, not reinforce bad ones.
Think of it as deliberate practice. Be mindful of what each drill is trying to achieve. Feel the muscles working. Exaggerate the movements. Over time, these exaggerated motions will translate into subtle, automatic improvements in your natural running stride.
By dedicating just a small fraction of your training time to these targeted exercises, you are making a profound investment in your running future. Drills build a stronger, more resilient, and more efficient runner from the ground up. They are the bridge between simply logging miles and truly mastering the art and science of running, paving the way for new personal bests and a long, healthy life on your feet.
