Drills and Transitions
Drills can help one develop an efficient techique for easing into a walk break and easing into the run segment. Each of the following drills targets key capabilities. When you put all of them together, running and walking motion are smoother and more efficient and times are often faster. The drills can help you run lighter on your feet and strengthen your muscles groups. When runners do these drills regurlarly there is a significant reduction of excess motion in feet and legs with reduced impact. Running is easier when you run smoother and improved cadence of your feet and legs can also result in faster running.
These drills will stimulate activity in the conscious executive brain. This will help you keep focused on the task and excercise control over the emotional subconscious reflex brain.
Cadence Drill: CD
Everyone can benefit from doing this drill. It helps to pull all the elements of good running form together at the same time. The Cadence drill rewards you for finding an efficient, but shorter stride with feet directly underneath the body which makes it easy to transition into walk breaks.
Over the training period do this drill once every week. You will in time find that your normal cadence will slowly increase. During this drill you are shifting control into the conscious brain-counting, adjusting and empowering the right side of the frontal lode to find more efficient ways of running and easing into the walk.
How to:
*Warm up 5-10 mins.
*Start to jog 1 to 2 minutes and then time yourself for 30 or 1 minute. During this time start counting your steps either when the left or right leg touches the ground, not both.
*At the end of this interval ease into a walk for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
*At the end of the walking interval ease back into the run segment and begin to count your steps again but this time try to increase your number of steps by taking shorted strides.
*If you reach a number you cannot exceed-try to just maintain with a smooth motion.
In this drill you are inproving cadence. The right side of the brain coordinate a series of adaptations which helps the legs, feet, nervous system and timing mechanism as an efficient team.
Acceleration Glider Drills-ACG
This is another cognitive drill that keeps you focused on each component of running form. By using this drill 1-2 times a week you develope a range of speed with the conditioning to move more smoothly from one to the next. The greatest benefit comes as you learn how to glide or coast off your momentium directly into walk breaks.
Done on a non-long run day. You can use this in the middle of a short run. You may also use this drill as a warm up before a race. Do at least 4-9 of this drills. Never run these all out. Do not sprint.
**NEVER! do these drills if you have an injury and stop immediately if you have irritated a weak link!!
How to:
*Start walking for about 30 seconds. Walk gently as you would during the walk break then Ease into a jog.
*Jog for about 15 steps, this will help transition from walking to running after the walk break.
*Next, now jog faster for about 30 steps, increasing the speed to a faster pace for you, comfort level at a non talking pace, meaning you can talk if you want to but the comfort level you are running at you would rather not talk.. Never all out!
*Ok now its time to slow down, time to glide back into the jog, about 15 steps.
*Now ease into your walk break. As you do these regularly the transition will become smoother.
*At first you may find yourself only able to glide for 4-6 steps but with weeks of training, you will get up to 20 steps and beyond.
*Walk about 30 seconds as you would a walk break, catch your breathe and Repeat!
There will be some weeks when you will glide better than others, No Worries!, by doing this drill regularly you will find yourself coasting down the smallest inclines. Gliding conserves energy, reduces soreness, fatiquue and helps you mainitain a faster pace in races with less effort.