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When it comes to “Top Speed Running,” you hear me talk a lot about how important it is to generate a tremendous amount force into the ground, and do it quickly. However, in order to do that, it is important to know what your legs and body are doing when they are not on the ground and are in the “Recovery Stage.” So for this month’s training tip, my son Will and I are going to focus on, “Leg Recovery Mechanics.” We will show you a couple of different tips to improve your technique and form while your legs are in the air, so you can generate more power and force when your feet hit the ground.

The first motion we will take you through is a “Lying Leg Recovery,” drill. Start off by lying on your side, on top of a straight line so your body is nice and straight. Then you want to take the leg that is off the ground, and crash your calf up to your hamstring as fast as you possibly can. Then slightly after, almost in the same motion you want to bring your knee up. This is a great elastic type of drill and really gets you to fire your hamstrings. Next, you are going to take that same concept of what you were doing on the ground, and do it while standing. This is called a “Standing Leg Recovery Drill.” If you do both of these when working on your top speed training, your recovery mechanics will improve, helping you to cycle your legs more efficiently and generate more force into the ground, and ultimately improve your speed. So incorporate these drills into your routine at home, and feel your legs move faster when you sprint.