Ok according to MINDEF’s IPPT website, the shuttle run is a test of “General speed, agility and coordination”. Yup it is. It tests very similar attributes to the broad jump. But there is the addition of the turning and acceleration/deceleration which requires additional skill. But again, once the physical attributes are in place, skills become fairly easy to learn. (Assuming you were not locked up as a child).
If you are already doing lots of leg training for the broad jump. There will be a large carry-over of the strength that you have gained from broad jump training into your shuttle run performance.
However, every move of the shuttle run is different from the broad jump in one very significant way. It is performed on one leg.
From the starting stance, to the turn to each stride that you run, they are performed with one leg dominating the movement.
Because of that, single leg exercises become important for the shuttle run.
The next main item to take care of is technique. Here are the mistakes I have observed participants make when performing the shuttle run.
No Routine
The shuttle run is a test. It is the same every time. (All this sounds familiar?) Just like the broad jump, you must have a routine.
For example, do you know…
- Which leg you will put forward in your starting stance?
- How far apart your feet will be in the starting stance?
- Where will your arms be when you start?
- Where you should look when you start?
- How many steps to the first turn?
- Which leg will be in front when you turn?
- And more!
No Specific Warm Up
- Yes, we do a general warm up before the tests start, but the Shuttle run has special turning and acceleration components that need specific warm-up.
Poor Stance
- The stance determines your first step and that is the key to good performance. Even in a 100m race, the first step is vital. Imagine how important it is in a race as short as a 10m shuttle run.
Poor Acceleration Posture
- Running “up”, not “out”. The common mistake is that the first move for many people is to stand up. This is not a good idea because the end point that we want to reach is in front, not above.
Incorrect running position
- This is not a 100m or 200m sprint. Once a track and field sprinter gets out of his starting blocks, he starts to rise to a vertical sprint position (the best way to run fast) by about 30-40m. But this is a 10m race, there is no need for the vertical sprint position because we NEVER reach top speed in this race.
- All our time is spent accelerating and decelerating. For this, a low running position is best.
- Oh yeah, way too many people run in a circle i.e. not a straight line. It goes without saying that a straight line is the fastest way
Incorrect turning
- Taking a big hop does not allow you to keep your feet on the ground to decelerate correctly
- Taking too many small steps wastes a lot of time
Once you know these things, which will be taught in this section on the shuttle run, do you believe your time will improve? Of course it will.
Firstly because your technique will improve, and secondly because you will be mentally sure of a consistent performance that you can do any time.
Can you imagine an Olympic sprinter not being sure which leg should be in front in the starting blocks? Of course he is sure. So you should be too.