Acceleration Drills: Wall Drives and Falling Starts
A technical sequence for teaching the acceleration phase of the sprint: body lean, pushing the ground back and short steps that gradually lengthen. Students build starting power, posture and awareness of their own movement.
How to play
- In pairs, set 20 m lanes with a cone at 10 m; explain the key idea: lean like a plank, push the ground back and rise up gradually (2 min).
- Wall drives: hands on the wall at shoulder height, body straight and leaning about 45 degrees; on each clap, switch legs fast in sets of 1, 2 and 3 switches (3 min).
- Falling starts: standing with feet together, students lean forward with a straight body and, just before losing balance, sprint to the 10 m cone; 4 reps, walking back (3 min).
- Partner-assisted lean: the partner, in a split stance, holds the leaning runner by the shoulders and lets go without warning; the runner accelerates 10 m; 3 times each (3 min).
- Step count: over the 10 m, the partner counts the steps and says if the runner popped up too early during the first 4 or 5 steps (3 min).
- Final challenge: a timed 20 m from a falling start and another 20 m from a regular standing start; each student compares their two times (2 min).
Rules
- The partner holding keeps arms straight and one foot forward to stay balanced.
- One runner per lane, and everyone walks back outside the lanes.
- The assisted lean is done only on a dry surface with shoes tied tight.
Variations
Easier
The falling start begins from a slight lean and the run is shortened to 5 m.
Standard
Wall drives, falling starts and the partner-assisted lean with runs of 10 to 20 m.
Harder
For the assisted lean, the partner holds a resistance band around the runner's waist and slows them for the first 5 m.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a student in a wheelchair practices explosive starts with strong pushes over 5 m and serves as timer.
- Visual impairment: run with a guide connected by a tether and get the release signal with a tap on the shoulder.
- Advanced students: add 10 m while keeping a gradual rise and compare split times.
Learning goals
- Keep the body lean during the first steps of acceleration.
- Push the ground back with short, powerful steps.
- Compare how well different starts work using their own data.
Equipment for a class of 25
- cones: 26
- stopwatch: 13
Teacher tip
Many students pop straight up on the first step and lose their lean; ask them to look at the ground about 2 m ahead.
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