Sprint drills serve as a bridge between general warm-up activities and full-speed running. They reinforce posture, coordination, rhythm, and force application while keeping intensity controlled.
Drills should never feel rushed or fatiguing. Quality of movement is the priority — crisp positions, relaxed execution, and consistent rhythm. When drills lose shape, they lose value.
Ankling is a low-amplitude drill that develops ankle stiffness, elastic ground contact, and proper foot placement by using small, rhythmic steps on the balls of the feet.
1. Set tall posture
Stand tall with your chest up and head neutral, eyes looking forward. Keep your hips high and stacked under your shoulders with no forward lean.
2. Stay on the balls of the feet
Perform the drill on the balls of your feet with the heels hovering just off the ground or lightly brushing it. The ankles should feel stiff but relaxed, not tense.
3. Take short, quick steps
Move forward using very small steps, placing each foot directly under your hips. Avoid reaching forward with the foot or lifting the knees high.
4. Light, elastic bounce
Each step should have a gentle, springy bounce created by the ankles. The knees and hips stay relatively quiet, allowing the lower legs to do most of the work.
5. Minimal arm action
Let the arms move naturally and subtly for balance. Avoid exaggerated arm swings or tension in the shoulders.
6. Tempo and control
Perform ankling at a slow, rhythmic tempo. The goal is consistent, quiet ground contact rather than speed or distance.
Key cues to remember:
Ankling is an ideal preparatory drill, especially in small spaces, and serves as an effective warm-up for more dynamic sprint drills.
The A-March is a slow, controlled drill that teaches proper sprint posture and knee lift mechanics.
1. Start with your posture
Stand tall with your chest up and head neutral, eyes looking forward. Imagine a string gently pulling you upward from the top of your head. Your hips should feel stacked directly under your shoulders — not sitting back or leaning forward.
2. Arm position
Bend your arms about 90 degrees at the elbows. One arm moves forward while the opposite arm moves back. Keep your shoulders relaxed and let the arms move naturally with the legs.
3. Lift one knee slowly
Lift one knee until your thigh is roughly parallel to the ground, or as high as comfortable. Keep the ankle dorsiflexed — toes pulled up toward the shin. Think “knee up, foot up,” not swinging the leg forward.
4. Controlled foot placement
Lower the foot straight down and place it gently under your hips. Avoid reaching forward with the foot. Contact the ground softly, usually on the ball of the foot or midfoot.
5. Alternate legs like a march
Switch sides and repeat in a slow, rhythmic march. Each step should look the same — balanced, controlled, and smooth. You can stay in place or move forward slowly.
6. Tempo and focus
This drill is intentionally slow. Pause briefly at the top of each knee lift if needed. Focus on posture, balance, and coordination rather than speed.
Key cues to remember:
The A-March builds the foundation for faster drills like A-Skips, B-Skips, and sprinting by reinforcing posture, knee lift, and proper foot placement.
The A-Skip builds on the A-March by adding rhythm and light elasticity while reinforcing sprint posture, knee lift, and ground contact mechanics.
1. Start with tall posture
Stand tall with your chest up and head neutral, eyes looking forward. Keep your hips stacked under your shoulders and avoid leaning forward or sitting back.
2. Arm action
Bend your arms about 90 degrees and move them naturally in opposition to the legs. Keep the shoulders relaxed and let the arms help maintain rhythm.
3. Knee lift with a skip
Lift one knee up while performing a small, quick hop off the opposite foot. The thigh should rise comfortably, and the ankle of the lifted leg stays dorsiflexed with toes pulled up.
4. Quick, elastic ground contact
As the lifted leg comes down, place the foot under your hips with a light, springy contact. Think “tap and lift” rather than pushing or bounding forward.
5. Alternate rhythmically
Alternate sides in a smooth skipping pattern. Each skip should look the same — tall posture, quick contact, and controlled knee lift. Move forward gradually without rushing.
6. Tempo and intent
The A-Skip is faster than the A-March but still controlled. Stay relaxed, rhythmic, and light on the ground rather than trying to cover distance quickly.
Key cues to remember:
The A-Skip bridges slow technical drills and faster sprinting by introducing rhythm, elasticity, and reactive ground contact while maintaining proper mechanics.
The A-Run is a low-intensity running drill that applies A-March and A-Skip mechanics to continuous movement, reinforcing sprint posture, rhythm, and foot placement at a relaxed running speed.
1. Establish tall running posture
Begin in an upright, tall posture with your chest up and head neutral, eyes looking forward. Your hips should remain stacked under your shoulders, with no forward lean or sitting back.
2. Smooth arm action
Keep your arms bent around 90 degrees and moving naturally in opposition to the legs. The arms should swing smoothly front to back with relaxed shoulders, helping maintain rhythm and balance.
3. Lift the knees rhythmically
As you move forward, lift each knee in a relaxed, rhythmic manner similar to the A-Skip, but without an exaggerated hop. The thigh rises comfortably, and the ankle stays dorsiflexed with toes pulled up.
4. Quick, light ground contact
Place each foot down directly under your hips with a light, quick contact. Avoid reaching forward with the foot or pushing forcefully into the ground. Think “touch and lift” rather than “push and drive.”
5. Continuous relaxed running
Continue moving forward smoothly, maintaining the same posture and mechanics on every step. The A-Run should feel fluid and controlled, not fast or strained.
6. Tempo and intent
The A-Run is performed at an easy running pace, faster than A-Skips but well below sprint speed. Focus on consistency, relaxation, and quality movement rather than speed.
Key cues to remember:
The A-Run connects technical drills to actual running, allowing athletes to practice sprint mechanics continuously while staying relaxed and in control.
The B-March builds on the A-March by introducing controlled lower-leg extension and active ground preparation, helping athletes learn how the foot moves from knee lift into ground contact during sprinting.
1. Begin with tall posture
Stand tall with your chest up and head neutral, eyes looking forward. Keep your hips stacked under your shoulders and maintain balance over the stance leg.
2. Lift the knee first
Lift one knee up in the same controlled manner as the A-March. The thigh rises comfortably, the ankle is dorsiflexed, and the foot stays underneath the knee rather than swinging forward.
3. Extend the lower leg
From the knee-up position, slowly extend the lower leg forward by opening the knee joint. The toes remain pulled up, and the movement should feel smooth and deliberate, not forced.
4. Sweep the foot down and back
After the leg extends, actively sweep the foot down and back toward the ground under your hips. Think of pulling the foot down rather than reaching forward to place it.
5. Step through and alternate
Once the foot contacts the ground, step through into the next march on the opposite leg. Move slowly and deliberately, keeping posture and balance consistent on each repetition.
6. Tempo and control
The B-March is intentionally slow. Pause briefly at the top if needed and focus on smooth sequencing: knee up, extend, sweep, step.
Key cues to remember:
The B-March teaches how the foot transitions from knee lift into the ground, reinforcing proper front-side mechanics and preparing the athlete for B-Skips, B-Runs, and sprinting.
The B-Skip builds on the B-March by adding rhythm and light elasticity while teaching how the lower leg extends and actively sweeps into ground contact during sprinting.
1. Establish tall posture
Stand tall with your chest up and head neutral, eyes forward. Keep your hips stacked under your shoulders and stay balanced over the stance leg.
2. Lift the knee first
Lift one knee up in a controlled manner, just like an A-Skip. The thigh rises comfortably, and the ankle stays dorsiflexed with toes pulled up.
3. Extend the lower leg
From the knee-up position, extend the lower leg forward by opening the knee joint. The movement should be smooth and relaxed, not forced or aggressive.
4. Sweep the foot down and back
After the extension, actively sweep the foot down and back toward the ground beneath your hips. Think “down and back” rather than reaching forward to land.
5. Add a light skip and alternate
As the foot sweeps down, perform a small, quick skip off the stance leg and transition into the next repetition on the opposite side. Keep the skip light and rhythmic.
6. Tempo and intent
The B-Skip is faster than the B-March but still controlled. Focus on clean sequencing and posture rather than speed or distance.
Key cues to remember:
The B-Skip teaches how the lower leg transitions into the ground during sprinting, helping athletes understand front-side mechanics without excessive speed or force.
Straight-leg bounds develop front-side mechanics, lower-leg stiffness, and elastic ground contact by emphasizing quick, rhythmic contacts with minimal knee bend.
1. Set tall, upright posture
Stand tall with your chest up and head neutral, eyes looking forward. Keep your hips high and stacked under your shoulders, avoiding any forward lean.
2. Keep the legs mostly straight
As you move forward, keep each leg relatively straight with only a slight natural bend at the knee. The movement comes from the hip and ankle rather than deep knee flexion.
3. Strike down under the hips
Bring the foot down quickly and actively under your hips, contacting the ground on the ball of the foot. Avoid reaching forward or letting the foot land far in front of your body.
4. Fast, elastic ground contact
Keep ground contact quick and springy. Think “bounce” rather than “push,” allowing the ankle and lower leg to react elastically off the ground.
5. Coordinate arms with the legs
Use relaxed arm action to match the rhythm of the legs. Arms swing naturally front to back, helping maintain timing and balance.
6. Rhythm and distance
Perform the drill with a steady, rhythmic cadence. The goal is consistent elastic contacts rather than covering maximum distance or moving fast.
Key cues to remember:
Straight-leg bounds help athletes feel proper front-side timing and stiffness, making them an effective bridge between technical drills and sprinting.
A hybrid drill combining the rhythm of an A-skip with the vertical emphasis of bounding. Each step is a powerful but controlled takeoff, focusing on height, posture, and long airtime rather than forward distance. The knee rises into an A-position, followed by a clean, underneath-the-body ground contact.
Drills are tools — not techniques to be copied rigidly. Their purpose is to reinforce qualities that emerge naturally during sprinting: posture, timing, stiffness, and relaxation.
The best drills disappear into the sprint itself. If a drill changes how an athlete sprints for the worse, it should be modified or removed.
Once drills are completed with consistency and rhythm, athletes may progress to acceleration development.
Continue to Acceleration Training