Now we move on to the shuttle run technique. The shuttle run is an extremely technical test. Every component has a good technique that can cut 0.3 to 0.5 seconds off your final time. And since you need to do some components 3 or 4 times, that’s 2 or more seconds off your total time. Just like magic. Just do each component correctly.
Stance
The stance affects how you take your first step. In such a short race, that first step is very important. The important thing about the stance is getting your body in a position to go forward rather than anywhere else.
There are many wrong stances that I have seen. The rules state that your entire body must be behind the line, and that that you respond to the Instructor’s command “go” or your press a plate that starts your timing.
Feet slightly narrower than shoulder width, front foot about 1/2 foot length behind the start line, rear foot about 1/2 foot length behind front foot (adjust this according to your own body type and length, but remain balanced)
Get down onto your knees and without moving your feet.
From this position, tuck your entire body behind the line as of you are loading yourself into a cannon. Head down, body tight and coiled backward (not downward). We want to drive forward not upward.
This is the final stance, you should feel like you are about to fall forward. You can see that your stance is correct by observing the position of your lower back just above the belt line. Your lower back is almost parallel to the ground.
NOTE: About 80% of your weight is on your feet not your hands. After all you are going to run with your legs right!
This means that when I fire my leg muscles I will propel myself forward. If the lower back is at any other angle, I will go upward instead. One hand is on the floor and one is bent and at your hip.
First Step
The first step feels like a jump. You should feel like you are falling forward. You need to get used to this feeling because it means you are coming out of your stance at the correct angle. Remember you are not a rocket taking off vertically. You are a racecar accelerating forward, out of the starting position.
- Explode out of the stance with torso at a 30 degree angle to the ground or less (this means that you will go forward not up)
- Throw arm forward
- Positive shin angle (take a first step about 1m ahead of your front foot)
- Big stride (small choppy steps go nowhere)
- Head goes forward not up (keep looking DOWN)