Acceleration drill
Falling Start
Teach the forward body lean that lets you accelerate without wasting a step.
- Time
- 12 minutes
- Players
- 1 to 2 players
- Intensity
- High
- Equipment
- Cones
- Space
- 10m straight line
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
Two cones 10m apart on flat grass.
How to run it
- Stand tall at the first cone with your feet close together and your arms relaxed.
- Keeping your whole body stiff like a plank, let yourself fall forward from the ankles only - do not bend at the waist.
- Let the fall carry on past the point where you can hold it, then let your first step come out to catch you and sprint flat out to the second cone.
- Walk back slowly and do 5 reps, resting 2-3 minutes between each so every rep is fully fresh.
Coaching cues
- Fall from the ankles, not the waist
- Stay tall until you can't
- First steps short and powerful
Common mistakes
- Bending at the waist so the chest drops and the hips stay behind
- Bending the knees early to try to force knee drive
Related drills
- Two-Point StartSharpen the standing sprint start used off the mark by backs and outside runners.
- Three-Point StartDevelop the low, powerful start position that suits forwards driving off the mark.
- Half-Kneeling StartTrain the shin and chest angles that stop you standing upright on the first step.
- Push-Up StartTrain getting up and accelerating from the ground, like reloading after a tackle or a clear-out.
- Walk-In AccelerationBuild sprint volume with less strain by accelerating out of movement instead of from a dead stop.
- Hill SprintsOverload the drive phase and horizontal force production without any equipment.