Is your Training an Omnishambles?– Diary of an Intern

Posted On Friday, 08th June 2012 at 07:43

Improving running technique (again)

I have been helping to develop sprint technique with the Sports Fitness Training group in Exeter. I haven’t looked at running technique in depth before so this has been really interesting for me.

After watching the group running and seeing each individual style, we noticed that some tend to run as if they are on a beam. They put the foot directly in front of the other causing the knee to twist slightly as it has to go around the leg at the front instead of being efficient and going straight with no obstacle.

Other tips that the group and I learnt was to run like a rock skimming on water; minimal contact on the surface, long period in flight but not necessarily long stride lengths. Also, elbows should go backwards rather than bringing the elbows forwards to decrease trunk rotation.

I have been practicing some of the drills at home and seen a difference already.

Coaching the blind footballers

I am also still learning new ways to coach with the two blind footballers James trains. I tend to forget that they can’t see visual cues. so I need to describe movements in a different way for them.

It is a good coaching skill to develop as some sighted people aren’t visual learners too.I am not the only one to forget the guys are blind sometimes: Keryn did try looking for his foot behind him at one point.

Robin has had a slight injury recently, so his session was taken back down to basics to make sure he was moving properly and efficiently. Basics should always be re-visited to make sure the body is balanced and still moving efficiently.

Without getting the basic movements correct, the harder and more complicated movements will be a lot more difficult to perform and control which then leads to injury.

 Gemma Robertson 

Next training block starts in Exeter on Wednesday 20th June at 2030.