Running Drills

No matter your distance—whether you're chasing a 5K PR or grinding through marathon training—running drills can be a game-changer. These simple, focused movements improve your form, increase your speed, and help prevent injury by reinforcing proper biomechanics. Used as part of your warm-up or sprinkled into your weekly routine, drills train your body to move more efficiently and powerfully. Below is a library of essential running drills you can use alongside any of the training plans on this site. Master the basics, move with intention, and watch your running transform.

• Include 3–6 drills before a quality run (tempo, intervals, long run).
• Each drill should last 20–30 meters or 20–30 seconds.
• Start slow to build coordination, then increase intensity over time.

Use these to get blood flowing and activate the right muscle groups:

Leg Swings (Front-to-Back + Side-to-Side)

Walking Lunges

High Knees (in place or forward)

Butt Kicks

Toy Soldiers (Straight-Leg Kicks)

World’s Greatest Stretch

A-Skips (Low Intensity)

Karaoke/ Grapevine (Lateral movement)

Great for improving stride, posture, and rhythm:

A-Skips (high knee skip with arm drive)

B-Skips (extend the leg after high knee)

High Knees (Running Form Focus)

Butt Kicks (Hamstring engagement)

Bounding (Long exaggerated strides to build strength)

Fast Feet (Quick, short ground contact)

Arm Swings (isolated upper-body drill)

Wall Drills (Leaning position running form)

Marching A-Drill (Slow A-skip with focus on knee lift)

Use these sparingly throughout the week for explosive power and turnover:

Strides (4-6x 60–100m, 70–90% max effort)

Hill Sprints (Short & steep, 10–20 seconds)

Acceleration Drills (20m, 30m, 40m builds)

Lateral Hops (Over a line or cone)

Hurdle Drills (real or imaginary, focusing on lift and rhythm)

Plyometric Skips (High skips for height and spring)

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