How to use this list
Pick three drills. Do each one for the reps below with full recovery between sets. Two short sessions a week beats one long one. Always start with a 5-minute jog and some leg swings.
Drill 1
Marching A-skip
A slow march where the knee comes to 90°, the toe pulls toward the shin, and the foot lands under the hip. Teaches posture and foot strike without speed pressure.
Cue: "Knee up, toe up, heel up"
Reps: 2 × 20m (ages 7–10) · 3 × 20m (11+)
Drill 2
A-skip
The marching A with a skip between steps. The first drill that actually feels like running fast.
Cue: "Same as marching, but skip"
Reps: 3 × 20m
Drill 3
B-skip
Like A-skip, but extend the lower leg forward and 'paw' it back under the hip. Teaches the active landing top sprinters use.
Cue: "Reach and paw the ground back"
Reps: 3 × 20m
Drill 4
Wall drive — single leg
Lean into a wall at 45°, drive one knee up and hold for a count, then switch. Teaches the start position and posture under load.
Cue: "Drive the knee, push the wall away"
Reps: 3 × 10 reps per leg
Drill 5
Falling start
Stand tall, lean forward until you have to step — then sprint 15m. Teaches acceleration posture better than any cue.
Cue: "Stay tall, let yourself fall, then GO"
Reps: 4 × 15m
Drill 6
Fast feet
Tiny, ultra-fast steps in one spot. Builds the leg-turnover speed kids need at top-end.
Cue: "Quick, quick, quick — barely touch the ground"
Reps: 3 × 10 seconds
Drill 7
Acceleration ladder
Three sprints, each a little longer and a little faster. Teaches kids to build into top speed instead of trying to explode from rep one.
Cue: "Each one a little faster than the last"
Reps: 10m, 20m, 30m — 90s rest
Drill 8
Flying 20s
The classic top-speed drill. Get to a relaxed jog over 10m, then sprint flat-out for 20m. Don't try to start hard.
Cue: "Float through the gate, then full gas"
Reps: 3 × 20m flying (10m run-up)
Drill 9
Standing arm action
Stand still and drive the arms as fast as possible. Looks silly. Works.
Cue: "Cheek to cheek, hands relaxed"
Reps: 3 × 15 seconds
Drill 10
30m all-out
The real test. Time one rep a week so your child can see PBs over the month.
Cue: "Stay tall, drive the arms, breathe out hard"
Reps: 4 × 30m with 2 min rest
A simple weekly plan
- Session 1: Drills 1, 2, 4 + 4 × 30m
- Session 2: Drills 3, 6, 8 + 3 × Flying 20s
Want feedback on every sprint?
DashLab Kids films a sprint with a phone and uses an on-body skeleton overlay to score posture, arm drive, knee lift and foot strike — the exact things these drills are teaching. See it in action in Kid Mode, or read the companion guide on how to run faster for kids.