Max Velocity drill
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Add sprint rhythm to the A-march position so you arrive at training ready to run fast.
- Time
- 6 minutes
- Players
- 1 to 30 players
- Intensity
- Medium
- Equipment
- None
- Space
- 15m lane
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
A 15m lane marked with two cones on flat grass.
How to run it
- Set up the same as an A-march but add a small skip on your standing leg between each knee drive.
- Drive the knee up with your toes pulled up, then strike the ground down underneath your hips while your arms drive fully.
- Keep your chest tall with only a slight forward lean.
- Do 4 passes of 15m, walking back between each.
- Treat this as preparation for sprinting - it makes you ready to sprint well, it does not replace actually sprinting.
Coaching cues
- Knees up, feet down
- Heel up, knee up, toe up
- Hips up and forward
Common mistakes
- Sitting back so your hips end up behind your foot strike
- Landing out in front of your body, which puts the brakes on
Session plans that use this drill
- Under 16 rugby training session planTackle and breakdown technique, attacking overloads.
- Under 18 rugby training session planBreakdown decisions, scanning, units and game tempo.
- Senior club rugby training session planQuick ruck ball, set piece and attacking tempo.
- Rugby pre-season fitness session planRepeat sprint ability, game fitness and repeated efforts.
Related drills
- Dribble SeriesTrain the stepping-over action and foot contact of upright sprinting with no equipment at all.
- Straight-Leg BoundsTeach the hamstrings and glutes to pull the ground underneath you at top speed.
- Flying 20Develop and hold genuine top-end speed, which is where line breaks are finished.
- Float RunLearn to run at 90-93% of top speed while relaxed, so you have a gear left late in games.
- Sprint-Float-SprintTrain re-accelerating back to top speed after easing off, which is exactly what a support runner does.
- Wicket RunsForce front-side knee recovery and a tall sprint rhythm at close to top speed.