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Purpose: 

To improve a sprinter’s ability to accelerate out of the blocks.

Setup:

Setup 6-10 cones in a line about 10 meters apart.
Have the sprinters begin at one end of the line.

Roll to Knee Drill: Athlete curling into a ball and getting their nose over their knee before taking an explosive step forward.

Instructions:

  1. On the coach’s command, the athlete will get into a starting position, with one foot slightly behind the other.
  2. They will then bend down, curling into a tight ball, getting their nose right down to level with their lead knee.
  3. As they feel the weight transfer forward, they will push, scrape that back foot off the ground, make contact with the ground at a negative shin angle and accelerate forwards.
  4. The sprinter will accelerate forward for about 20 meters before breaking back down into a light job for the next 10 meters.

Coaching Tips:

  • One of the most common issues we see in young sprinters is being able to get their body in the proper position to sprint. They will often step straight down into the ground and lose power as they stand straight up.
  • By focusing on keeping the nose on the knee, they learn to feel the weight transfer onto the balls of their feet and then accelerate.
  • When first learning this drill, you will often see sprinters step straight out onto the ground after coming out of this position – this can be because they lack the strength or confidence.
  • Ideally the sprinter will spend more time on that front foot, really feeling the weight transfer and pushing out off the blocks.
  • If the sprinter is taking the first step correctly, they should have a straight line from their back heel all the way up their legs and spine up to their head.

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