Running Posture
Remember that this is not a 3000m, 800m, 400m, 100m, or even 60m race. This is only 10m between turning points. Because of this, we never need to stand upright. We are in a crouch run all the way thru the race.
At first this might seem unnatural. But you just need to imagine that you are in a room with a really low ceiling about waist high. So stay LOW all the way.
The reason for this is the turns. The turns require you to keep a low position to touch the lines. We can save 0.3-0.5 seconds per turn by already being in that low position. We don’t need to waste that time standing, crouching, and then standing again.
So stay LOW and save time! You look at the ground the ENTIRE TIME during the 10m Shuttle Run.
Turning
The turns are where good times become great. The key to turning correctly is called the “turn position”. This position requires strength, coordination, flexibility and practice. But it is the best way to save time on the turns.
One reason that you save time is that you will never overrun the line. That makes each 10m leg of the shuttle run only 9m because your body never goes that last meter. Only one of your legs and one of your hands do. Cutting off 1 meter per turn is 3m in total over a 40m race! That’s 8% less to run.
Another reason you save time is that you can accelerate very well out of the “turn-position”. You are already halfway “out” of the turn even as you touch the line. More time saved.
The thing that needs practice is the transition between the crouched running posture and the turn position. Remember to stay low and reach your hand DOWN toward the line. As seen in the picture below.
You should feel like a plane coming in for landing, at a gentle decent. Rather than a helicopter landing vertically on the line.
I see many people reach up with their arm before swinging the arm down and touching the line. That is more time wasted and it also prevents you from staying low.
Below is the “turn position”. You run only as far as you need to to touch the line. And you keep your weight and center of gravity on the BACK FOOT, in the picture below that’s my right leg. My weight NEVER passes this point. My left leg and hand just barely reach the line
The turn position takes practice! Spend some time in slow motion getting into this position till it becomes second nature. No it’s not easy, and yes you need to be strong to do it right. But that’s where the strength training in the shuttle run programs comes in.
Once again, at all times, you look downward.
Exiting from the turn is the next component. Once again. Airplane not helicopter. You ascend from the turn position the same way you descended into it. Gently and horizontally. No “popping up”. Just like the starting stance, drive forward not upward and remember to stay low again.
I pivot on the back leg (my right leg in the pictures) and drive forward keeping low as usual. My weight is always on the back leg so I’m ready to turn as soon as i touch the line. No time is wasted shifting my weight from foot to foot.
Now its just practice.
Race specific warm-up
The shuttle run requires a special warm-up because the crouch run position as well as the turn position are special movements that need specific warm-up. Here is how you warm-up.
Start in the starting stance and accelerate out at 80% speed. Go 5 steps and turn, then go back 3 steps, and turn, then 3 steps and turn and once more 3 steps and turn. All this is done at about 80% of your best speed. Do this twice and you should be ready for the real test without becoming too tired.