Why most kids run slower than they could

Speed isn't about running more. It's about running better. Most kids 7–14 lose tenths of a second every sprint to a slumped chest, lazy arms, or a foot that lands too far in front of the body. Fix any one of those and they'll feel faster within a week.

The good news: sprint technique is a skill, not a talent. It can be coached — and it's far more effective than just "running more laps."

1. Posture: tall and proud

Imagine a string pulling the top of the head straight up. Hips forward, chest open, eyes ten metres ahead — not at the ground. Kids who fix posture alone often pick up half a metre over 30 metres.

Coaching cue: "Stand tall like a giraffe, then run from there."

2. Arm drive: the secret turbo

Legs go as fast as arms. Elbows bent at 90°, hands relaxed (not fists), driving from the shoulder — not the elbow. The arms swing front-to-back, not across the body.

Coaching cue: "Cheek to cheek — chin cheek to bum cheek."

3. Knee lift and foot recovery

Slow runners shuffle. Fast runners pick the knee up and let the foot recover under the bum. Drills like A-skips and high knees teach this without your child having to think about it.

4. Foot strike under the hip

The biggest single brake on a young runner's speed is landing with the foot way out in front of the body. The foot should land underneath the hip, not ahead of it. This is what wall drives and falling-start drills teach.

5. Practise short, fast, and rested

Speed is trained in 10–40 metre bursts, with full recoverybetween reps (1–3 minutes). Long, tired running teaches the body to be slow. Quality first, distance later.

A great kids' speed session is six to eight 20–30m sprints, with walking rest between, twice a week.

How to practise this without becoming "that parent"

Pick one cue per session. Don't fix everything at once.
Praise effort and form, not just times.
Film one sprint a week — even a phone is enough.
Keep sessions under 25 minutes. Kids want to win, not survive.

Want a structured plan?

The next two guides go deeper: 10 sprint drills for kids gives you the actual drills with reps and cues, and 100m training for kids lays out a 6-week build for athletics carnival season.