Lockdown Training Tip #3: Practice puts brains in your muscles

Okay, I realise that the mere use of the word 'drills' has many runners cringing. They can be difficult to grasp, look weird, take time and at the end of the day just aren't running.

But that's kind of the point. Running drills are designed to be exaggerated individual elements of running movement that emphasis specific aspects of technique that are hard (nay impossible) to get to grips of when actually out running.

The reason they are difficult and feel awkward is because we're tend not to be very good at them. And how do we get good at something? Yep, that's right, we practice.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit" (Aristotle)

By practicing key running drills we strengthen the neuro-muscular pathways between our brain and our legs, so that in time these key movements become automatic.

So by practicing running drills regularly we improve our form, our strength, our efficiency and of course our speed, all through the encouragement of correct movement.

Normally I would recommend fitting drills in after a warm-up run and before a high intensity session. But lockdown is the perfect opportunity to just get out in the garden or on the pavement and do 10-15 minutes of drills on a rest day.

If nothing else, it will get you out of the house for a bit and 'technically' you're not going for a run!

There are any number of drills that you could do to improve your running, but here's a short video with some of my own personal highlights.

Got your own personal favourite or perhaps even one you hate but know you just need to do, then share it in the comments below.