Max Velocity drill
Float Run
Learn to run at 90-93% of top speed while relaxed, so you have a gear left late in games.
- Time
- 30 minutes
- Players
- 1 to 4 players
- Intensity
- High
- Equipment
- Cones
- Space
- 60m straight line
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
Three cones on flat grass at 0m, 30m and 60m. A stopwatch or phone timer.
How to run it
- Accelerate hard from the start cone to the 30m cone.
- From 30m to 60m, hold about 90-93% of your top speed while deliberately relaxing your shoulders, jaw and hands - this is relaxed, not slow.
- Run past the last cone before easing off.
- Do 5 reps with 4-6 minutes rest between each.
- If you want a hard target, time your best flat-out 30m, add roughly 8% to that time, and try to hit that number in the float section every rep.
Coaching cues
- Relaxed, not slow
- Keep a gear in reserve
- Loose hands, loose jaw
Common mistakes
- Floating at about 80%, which turns it into a jog with no speed benefit
- Floating at 100%, which turns it into a full sprint you haven't rested enough for
Related drills
- 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.
- A-MarchGroove the knee drive, foot strike and tall posture used at top speed.
- A-SkipAdd sprint rhythm to the A-march position so you arrive at training ready to run fast.
- 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.