Acceleration drill
Hill Sprints
Overload the drive phase and horizontal force production without any equipment.
- Time
- 30 minutes
- Players
- 1 to 4 players
- Intensity
- High
- Equipment
- None
- Space
- 25-30m of gradual hill
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
A gradual grass hill of roughly a 5-10 degree slope with a clear 25-30m run. Do not use anything steep.
How to run it
- Start at the bottom in a two-point crouch.
- Sprint 30m up the hill at full effort, letting the hill create your forward lean rather than adding extra lean on top of it.
- Focus on powerful pushes into the ground rather than fast, short steps.
- Walk all the way back down and rest a full 5 minutes before the next one.
- Do 5 reps total.
Coaching cues
- Push the ground away
- Powerful steps, not quick steps
- Let the hill make the lean
Common mistakes
- Picking a hill that's too steep, which teaches a shuffling stride
- Running too far so it becomes a fitness session instead of a speed session
Related drills
- 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.
- 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.