Acceleration drill
Half-Kneeling Start
Train the shin and chest angles that stop you standing upright on the first step.
- Time
- 15 minutes
- Players
- 1 to 2 players
- Intensity
- High
- Equipment
- Cones
- Space
- 10m straight line
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
Two cones 10m apart on grass. Start half-kneeling behind the first cone - one knee down, the other foot flat on the ground in front of you.
How to run it
- Get into half-kneeling with your front foot flat and press pressure through the ball of your big toe.
- Lean your chest forward and bend your front shin so it points at the same angle as your chest.
- On your own 'go', drive out of that position and sprint 10m, holding the forward lean through the first few steps.
- Do 4 reps off each leg with 2-3 minutes rest between reps.
Coaching cues
- Match your shin angle to your chest angle
- Pressure through the big toe
- Drive out, don't stand up
Common mistakes
- Front shin straight up and down, which makes you pop upright on the first step
- Hips folding so your chest goes flat and your front leg goes vertical
Related drills
- 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.
- Partner Resisted MarchLoad the acceleration position so you learn to hold your angles under resistance.
- Wall Drill AccelerationBuild the straight-line body position and knee drive used in the first steps of a sprint.
- Falling StartTeach the forward body lean that lets you accelerate without wasting a step.