You may know it from physical education class or see professional athletes doing it – ABC running drills, fast and energetic athletic exercises that can look almost funny to some. Why are they so important in every runner’s preparation?
Every workout should have its own rules. The ideal is a warm-up, dynamic stretching, and then the ABC running drills should come into play at least once a week. If you are going to do speed training, then it is a direct obligation, because thanks to it you prevent injuries. It’s in fact a running stride, a drill that strengthens the areas of the legs that are most stressed during running (like the ankles) and by practicing them you improve your running style, flexibility and coordination.
It merely takes a few minutes before a training or a race, and it pays off. You only need to do each exercise on a short stretch (about 30 meters), incorporate it directly into your run or you can do it on the spot. Don’t be afraid of a higher frequency, but do it properly. And what drills are actually waiting for you? High knee skips, butt kickers, skipping, high knee running, foreleg extension marching, straight leg running, high knee bounce skips, bounding; in short, everything that strengthens ankles, muscles, improves rebound, coordination and also warms up the body and prepares it for performance. It’s not about how far you run, but how well you perform the drills.
Concentrate on the technique of each exercise. Ideally, someone else will be checking on you – perhaps a coach, a fellow runner, or even check yourself – record yourself on a mobile phone. You may find the drills difficult at first and it will cost you a lot of energy. However, if you do it regularly, you’ll automate it and it will be easier and you won’t have to think about it so much.
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