Improve your running form: 8 drills

Tria, Triaform's AI running coach, smiling in a blue running top and a yellow headband.

Tria

Your AI running coach

To improve your running form, do a few short drills two or three times a week, before an easy run or as part of your warm-up. The eight drills below, such as A-skips, high knees, the wall march and strides, each train one part of good form: landing under your body, running tall, a clean arm swing and staying relaxed. Pick the ones that match what you want to fix, do them with care rather than speed, and give them a few weeks.

How to use these drills

Running drills are exaggerated versions of one part of the running step. Doing them slowly and well teaches your body the movement, so it shows up later in your normal running without you having to think about it.

Do them after 10 minutes of easy jogging, when you are warm, and before the main part of your run. Two or three times a week is enough. Quality matters more than quantity: stop a drill when it gets sloppy.

You don't need all eight. Start with the section that matches what you want to fix, and add others later.

Drills to land closer under your body

If your foot lands far in front of your hips, these two drills teach a quicker step that lands under you. This is the most common fix for overstriding.

Drill

3 × 20 m, walk back between

A-skip

Skip forward lightly. On each skip, lift one knee to about hip height, then bring the foot down actively so it lands under your hips on the ball of the foot. Stay tall and let the opposite arm swing forward with the knee.

Drill

4 × 10 s quick feet, each followed by 20 m easy running

Quick feet

Run on the spot or move forward very slowly with tiny, fast steps, feet barely leaving the ground. Stay tall and keep your arms moving quickly with your feet. Then run 20 m at easy pace and keep the quick rhythm.

Drills for knee lift and leg recovery

These two classics from the running technique drills every club uses train the leg cycle: the knee coming through in front and the heel coming up behind. Both help you get the foot back under you quickly.

Drill

3 × 15 m, walk back between

High knees

Move forward slowly with short, quick steps, lifting each knee to about hip height. Land on the ball of the foot under your hips. Keep your upper body tall, not leaning back, and swing your arms forward and back.

Drill

3 × 15 m, walk back between

Butt kicks

Jog forward slowly and let each heel come up quickly towards your bottom, knees pointing down. Keep the steps quick and light, the upper body tall and relaxed.

Drills for posture and forward lean

If you sit back with your hips behind you, or fold forward at the waist, these two drills teach the tall, slightly forward position that makes landing under your body easier.

Drill

3 × 10 per leg

Wall march

Stand facing a wall, arms straight, hands on the wall at shoulder height. Lean in from the ankles so your body forms one straight line. Lift one knee to hip height, toes pulled up, then switch legs in a steady march. Hips stay forward, not pushed back.

Drill

5 × 20 m

Lean from the ankles

Stand tall, feet hip-width apart. Keep your body straight like a plank and lean forward from the ankles until you have to take a step. Let that step turn into 20 m of easy running and keep the tall feeling.

Drills for arm swing and relaxed speed

Your arms set the rhythm for your legs, and tension anywhere makes the whole stride stiff. The first drill fixes the arm swing on its own; the second puts everything together at a faster pace.

Drill

3 × 30 s

Standing arm swing

Stand tall, elbows bent at roughly a right angle. Swing your arms loosely forward and back, hands slightly open, passing your hips. Keep the hands below chest height, the shoulders down and the arms from crossing in front of your body.

Drill

4 to 6 × 80 m, at the end of an easy run

Strides

On flat ground, start at an easy jog and build up smoothly over about 80 m to a fast but relaxed pace, then ease off. Think tall, quick steps and loose shoulders. Walk back slowly to recover fully.

A simple routine to start with

If you want one routine for your easy days, this takes about 15 minutes after your warm-up jog:

  • Standing arm swing: 2 × 30 s
  • Wall march: 2 × 10 per leg
  • A-skip: 3 × 20 m
  • High knees and butt kicks: 2 × 15 m each
  • Then your easy run, finished with 4 strides

How to check if the drills work

Drills only help if the change carries over into your normal running. The easiest way to see that is to film yourself before you start and again after three to four weeks: phone at hip height, 3 to 5 metres away, 10 to 20 seconds of steady running from the side.

Compare the two clips at the moment your foot touches the ground. Or upload them to Triaform: Tria, Triaform's AI running coach, looks at your stride frame by frame and tells you what you do well, what to fix first and which drill helps most.

Common mistakes with running drills

Rushing: drills done fast and sloppy train the sloppy version. Slow down until each step looks clean.

Doing them tired: drills at the end of a hard session teach poor form. Do them fresh, after a short warm-up. And if a drill causes pain, stop and get it checked by a physiotherapist rather than pushing through.

Questions

How often should I do running form drills?

Two or three times a week, for about 10 to 15 minutes after a short warm-up jog. Regular short sessions work better than one long one.

Which running drill helps most with overstriding?

Quick feet and A-skips both teach a quicker step that lands under your hips. Follow each set with a few metres of easy running so the feeling carries over.

How long until drills improve my running form?

Usually a few weeks of regular practice before a change feels natural. Film yourself again after three to four weeks to see what has changed.

Are running drills useful for beginners?

Yes. Start with the standing arm swing, the wall march and strides, which are easy to learn, and add the skipping drills once you feel comfortable.

Tria is an AI. This guide is coaching information, not medical advice. If something hurts, see a physiotherapist.

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