Plyometrics and running drills represent specialized training methods that bridge the gap between general strength training and running-specific performance. While distance running occurs at submaximal intensities, the ability to generate force quickly, coordinate complex movement patterns, and maintain efficient mechanics under fatigue directly influences marathon success. Plyometric exercises harness the stretch-shortening cycle to build explosive power, while running drills reinforce proper mechanics and neuromuscular coordination through focused technical practice.
This article examines the physiological basis of plyometrics and drills, explains the most effective exercises for distance runners, provides progression frameworks for safe implementation, and demonstrates how to integrate these methods into marathon training without excessive fatigue or injury risk.
Definition and physiological basis
Plyometrics, sometimes called jump training, involves exercises where muscles undergo rapid stretching immediately followed by forceful shortening. This eccentric-to-concentric sequence leverages the stretch-shortening cycle, where elastic energy stored during the landing or lowering phase releases to enhance the subsequent propulsive phase. The classic example is a depth jump, where an athlete drops from a box, absorbs the landing, and immediately explodes upward. The brief ground contact time and explosive takeoff characterize plyometric training.
Running drills, by contrast, isolate and emphasize specific components of the running gait through exaggerated movements performed with focused technique. While running itself is continuous and automatic, drills break the motion into teachable elements, allowing conscious practice of proper mechanics. A-skips emphasize knee drive and ground contact. B-skips add the pawing action of foot placement. C-skips develop ankle stiffness and quick ground contact. These drills don't replicate actual running but instead reinforce the neuromuscular patterns that compose efficient running.
The physiological mechanisms underlying these training methods center on neuromuscular adaptation rather than muscular hypertrophy or cardiovascular improvement. Plyometrics improve the nervous system's ability to activate large numbers of motor units synchronously and rapidly. This enhanced neural drive generates more force in less time—the definition of power. Additionally, plyometric training increases tendon stiffness, particularly in the Achilles, improving elastic energy storage and return during running.
Running drills create similar neuromuscular refinement through pattern repetition and conscious attention to movement quality. The focused, deliberate practice strengthens neural pathways controlling running mechanics, making proper form more automatic and requiring less conscious thought. Over time, drills help establish efficient default movement patterns that persist when attention shifts to pace or strategy during races.
Benefits for marathon runners
Improved running economy through enhanced elastic energy return
Running economy—the oxygen cost of maintaining a given pace—improves significantly when the musculotendinous system effectively stores and releases elastic energy. Each running stride involves a brief ground contact where the leg absorbs impact forces while the Achilles tendon and other connective tissues stretch under load. In efficient runners, this stored elastic energy releases during toe-off, providing "free" propulsive force that reduces the muscular work required for forward motion.
Plyometric training directly enhances this stretch-shortening cycle efficiency. Research demonstrates that plyometric exercise, particularly exercises emphasizing quick ground contacts like repeated hops or jump rope, increases tendon stiffness and improves the rate of force development. Stiffer tendons deform less during loading, storing energy more effectively and releasing it more rapidly. Studies examining distance runners who add plyometric training show running economy improvements of three to six percent—gains that translate to significant performance enhancement over marathon distance.
The mechanism operates through both structural and neural adaptations. Structurally, tendons adapt to repeated rapid loading by increasing collagen cross-linking and density, making them stiffer and more resilient. Neurally, the nervous system learns to activate muscles with precise timing and magnitude during the stretch-shortening cycle, maximizing energy storage and release while minimizing energy waste through poorly timed or excessive muscle activation.
Increased power for hills, surges, and late-race efforts
While marathon racing occurs primarily at steady submaximal paces, races frequently demand power reserves. Hills require greater force production than flat running. Strategic surges to respond to competitors or break away from packs need explosive acceleration. Maintaining form and pace through the final miles as fatigue accumulates depends partly on having sufficient power to continue generating necessary force.
Plyometric training develops this power capacity by improving the rate of force development—how quickly muscles can generate force. Traditional strength training increases maximal force production, but plyometrics specifically target the speed of force generation. This enhanced quickness manifests in several running contexts. Uphill running becomes less taxing when each push-off generates force more powerfully. Accelerations require less effort when the neuromuscular system can recruit motor units rapidly. Even maintaining steady pace on flat terrain benefits from powerful, efficient force application with each stride.
The practical performance benefits appear both in race situations and training adaptations. Runners with good plyometric backgrounds often negative-split marathons more successfully, having power reserves to maintain or increase pace late in races. They handle hilly courses with less relative effort, covering vertical gain more economically. The increased power provides a larger performance buffer, making goal pace feel easier relative to maximum capability.
Enhanced neuromuscular coordination and movement quality
Running appears simple from the outside—repetitive forward motion using the same basic pattern thousands of times. However, efficient running requires remarkably precise coordination of dozens of muscles firing in proper sequence with appropriate magnitude and timing. This coordination happens largely unconsciously in experienced runners, but efficiency varies widely based on the quality of these neuromuscular patterns.
Running drills develop coordination explicitly by isolating and practicing specific components of the running gait. A-skips force attention to knee drive height and forward positioning, quick ground contact, and proper foot placement under the center of mass. B-skips add the pawing action where the foot sweeps back before ground contact, teaching active ground engagement rather than passive landing. High knees emphasize rapid turnover and quick leg recovery. Each drill addresses specific mechanical elements that compose efficient running.
The repetition inherent in drill work strengthens neural pathways controlling these movements, making proper mechanics more automatic. Neuroscience research demonstrates that focused practice with attention to movement quality creates stronger, more efficient neural connections than unfocused repetition. Drills provide exactly this type of deliberate practice—conscious attention to specific movement components executed repeatedly until they become ingrained.
The transfer to running performance manifests as improved form, particularly under fatigue. Runners who regularly practice drills maintain better mechanics through the late miles of marathons, avoiding the posture collapse, shuffling gait, and inefficient compensations that plague runners lacking this foundation. The automatic, unconscious nature of well-drilled movement patterns means proper form persists even when cognitive attention focuses on pacing or managing discomfort rather than mechanics.
Injury prevention through improved landing mechanics and tissue resilience
Many running injuries stem from poor landing mechanics, excessive ground contact times, or insufficient tissue capacity to handle repetitive loading. Plyometric training and running drills address these risk factors through multiple mechanisms.
Plyometrics teach the neuromuscular system to absorb and redirect landing forces efficiently. The emphasis on quick ground contacts and explosive takeoffs trains rapid force absorption and dissipation rather than passive collapse. This improved landing stiffness distributes forces across multiple joints and tissues rather than concentrating stress in vulnerable areas. Research shows that plyometric training reduces ground contact time and increases leg stiffness during running—biomechanical changes associated with better shock absorption and reduced injury risk.
The structural adaptations from plyometric training—increased tendon stiffness, enhanced muscle-tendon unit compliance, and improved eccentric strength—directly increase tissue capacity to handle running's repetitive stress. Tendons become more resilient. Muscles better control eccentric loading. The entire kinetic chain becomes more robust.
Running drills contribute to injury prevention by establishing proper movement patterns that distribute stress appropriately. Drills emphasizing mid-foot landing rather than heel striking may reduce impact forces. Those teaching compact leg recovery reduce muscular work and energy waste. Drills focusing on upright posture prevent the forward lean and hip flexion that contribute to various pain syndromes. While drill work alone doesn't prevent all injuries, it establishes movement foundations that reduce many common risk factors.
Essential running drills
A-skips
A-skips emphasize vertical force production, high knee drive, and quick ground contact—fundamental elements of efficient running form. The movement involves a skipping motion where the athlete drives one knee upward to hip level while the opposite leg contacts the ground briefly and forcefully before switching.
Proper A-skip technique requires active, dorsiflexed ankles with the foot pulled upward toward the shin throughout the movement. The knee drives upward powerfully until the thigh reaches parallel to the ground. The stance leg contacts the ground on the ball of the foot with a stiff ankle and leg, creating a bouncy, elastic ground contact rather than a soft, absorptive landing. The arms swing vigorously in opposition to leg movement, maintaining running-like coordination. The movement progresses forward slowly—the focus lies on vertical force and proper mechanics rather than horizontal displacement.
The purpose of A-skips centers on teaching powerful knee drive and reinforcing the active foot strike that occurs when the foot contacts the ground directly under the center of mass. Many runners, especially beginners, develop passive landing patterns where the foot reaches forward and lands in front of the body, creating braking forces. A-skips groove the active, vertical emphasis that reduces braking and improves economy.
Execution typically involves two to four sets of 20-30 meters, performed two to three times weekly after warm-up but before running workouts. The focus should remain on quality—each skip demonstrating proper knee height, ankle position, and ground contact—rather than volume or speed. Common errors include insufficient knee drive, soft ground contacts instead of quick bounces, and excessive forward progression that sacrifices vertical emphasis.
B-skips
B-skips build upon A-skips by adding the pawing action that characterizes proper foot placement during running. The movement begins identically to A-skips with high knee drive, but instead of immediately returning to the ground, the leg extends forward before actively sweeping backward (pawing) just before ground contact.
The technique involves driving the knee upward as in A-skips, briefly extending the lower leg forward, then rapidly pulling the foot backward and down beneath the hips before ground contact. This pawing motion teaches the active foot placement where the ground contact occurs with the foot moving slightly backward rather than forward relative to the body. The ground contact itself remains quick and elastic, similar to A-skips. The movement still progresses forward slowly, maintaining emphasis on vertical mechanics and technical precision.
B-skips serve multiple purposes. The pawing action reinforces proper foot strike positioning under the center of mass rather than out in front, reducing braking forces and improving efficiency. The rapid backward sweep develops hamstring engagement during late swing phase, teaching active ground preparation rather than passive foot fall. The drill also challenges coordination more than A-skips, demanding precise timing between knee drive, leg extension, and the pawing motion.
Implementation follows similar parameters to A-skips: two to four sets of 20-30 meters, performed after A-skips in the drill sequence. The increased complexity means some runners require several practice sessions to coordinate the movement smoothly. Early attempts often lack the crisp pawing action or timing, but repetition develops the pattern. Common errors include insufficient pawing vigor, allowing the foot to land in front of the body despite the backward sweep, and losing the elastic ground contact quality.
C-skips (straight-leg skips)
C-skips emphasize ankle stiffness and elastic ground contact through a straight-leg skipping motion. Unlike A- and B-skips which involve significant knee flexion, C-skips maintain relatively straight legs throughout, placing demand squarely on the ankle and calf complex.
The technique involves skipping forward with minimal knee bend, using primarily ankle flexion and extension to generate upward force. The foot dorsiflex powerfully before each ground contact, then the ankle plantar flexes explosively to propel the body upward and forward. The ground contact duration is extremely brief—just long enough for force transmission before the opposite leg swings through. The hips remain level without excessive vertical oscillation. Arms swing naturally in opposition to leg motion.
C-skips develop ankle stiffness and the rapid force transmission that characterizes efficient running. The brief ground contacts train the calf-Achilles complex to store and release energy quickly rather than absorbing force through prolonged contact. This directly transfers to running economy by improving the elastic contribution to propulsion. The drill also reinforces straight-leg mechanics during late stance phase when the trailing leg extends behind the body.
Performance typically follows A- and B-skips in the drill sequence, using two to three sets of 20-30 meters. The movement feels unusual initially, and many runners struggle to maintain straight legs while generating sufficient force for continuous skipping. Practice develops the ankle stiffness and calf strength required for smooth execution. Common errors include allowing excessive knee bend, soft ground contacts instead of quick elastic rebounds, and bouncing too high vertically rather than translating force horizontally.
High knees
High knees emphasize rapid leg turnover and quick recovery, training fast stride frequency and compact leg position during the recovery phase. The movement involves running in place or moving forward slowly while driving the knees upward rapidly to hip level with each step.
Proper technique demands quick, rhythmic knee drive with the thighs reaching parallel to the ground on each step. The arms pump vigorously in time with leg motion. Ground contacts remain brief and on the balls of the feet. The torso stays upright without backward lean. When performed in place, the athlete maintains position without forward drift. When performed while moving forward, progression remains slow—the emphasis stays on rapid turnover rather than horizontal speed.
High knees serve several training purposes. They develop the hip flexor strength and power required for rapid knee drive. The fast turnover rate trains the neuromuscular system for quick stride frequency, combating the shuffling, low-cadence gait that develops in fatigued or untrained runners. The upright posture requirement reinforces proper running position. The compact leg position during recovery (knee up, heel close to glutes) improves recovery mechanics.
Implementation uses time rather than distance: two to four sets of 10-15 seconds, performed as part of the drill sequence. The focus should be maximum turnover rate while maintaining proper knee height and ground contact quality. Fatigue arrives quickly during high knees, so sets remain brief to preserve quality. Common errors include insufficient knee height, slow turnover, allowing the torso to lean backward, and prolonged ground contact times.
Butt kicks
Butt kicks emphasize rapid hamstring contraction and compact leg recovery by bringing the heel toward the gluteal muscles with each step. This drill complements high knees by focusing on the recovery phase after toe-off rather than the knee drive phase before ground contact.
The technique involves running in place or moving forward slowly while rapidly pulling each heel upward toward the buttocks. The thigh remains relatively vertical—unlike high knees where the thigh drives forward, butt kicks keep the knee pointing down while the lower leg flexes rapidly upward. Ground contacts remain brief and light on the balls of the feet. Arms swing naturally. The torso maintains upright posture.
Butt kicks develop hamstring engagement during the recovery phase, teaching compact leg position that minimizes rotational inertia and allows faster swing-through. Many runners allow the trailing leg to extend far behind them after toe-off before slowly swinging forward—an inefficient pattern that wastes energy and limits turnover rate. Butt kicks groove the rapid leg recovery that characterizes efficient mechanics.
The drill typically uses two to four sets of 10-15 seconds, similar to high knees. The focus should be maximum heel height (approaching or touching the glutes) with rapid turnover. Quality deteriorates with fatigue, so sets remain brief. Common errors include insufficient heel height, slow turnover, excessive forward lean, and raising the knees forward rather than keeping them vertical.
Bounding and skipping variations
Bounding involves exaggerated running strides emphasizing maximum distance and power with each step. The athlete drives off one leg powerfully, achieves significant flight time and horizontal displacement, lands on the opposite leg, and immediately explodes into the next bound. This creates a slow-motion, powerful running motion emphasizing force production over turnover.
Proper bounding technique requires powerful drive-off from full ankle, knee, and hip extension, achieving maximum height and distance. The flight phase is prolonged as the athlete travels through the air. Landing on the opposite leg occurs with some knee flexion to absorb force, followed immediately by powerful re-extension into the next bound. Arms drive vigorously to assist propulsion. The focus remains on power and distance per bound rather than speed or continuous rhythm.
Bounding develops maximum force production and teaches full triple extension (ankle, knee, hip) during push-off. The exaggerated nature of the movement strengthens the glutes, hamstrings, and calves powerfully while training the neuromuscular system for coordinated explosive movement. The landing phase builds eccentric strength and resilience.
Single-leg bounding, where the athlete bounds repeatedly on one leg before switching, increases the difficulty and isolates unilateral power development. Double-leg bounding, taking off and landing on both feet simultaneously, creates different demands and works well as a progression toward single-leg work.
Implementation typically involves two to four sets of 20-40 meters, performed once or twice weekly during base and early build phases. The high force production demands adequate recovery—bounding the day before hard running workouts or races impairs performance. Common errors include insufficient push-off power leading to short bounds, poor landing mechanics that don't smoothly transition to the next bound, and excessive ground contact time.
Plyometric progressions
Low-level plyometrics for beginners
Runners new to plyometric training should begin with lower-intensity exercises that introduce the rapid stretch-shortening cycle without excessive force or complexity. These foundational exercises build tolerance and teach basic landing mechanics before progressing to higher-level work.
Jumping rope provides an excellent entry point, offering repetitive low-level plyometric stimulus in a controlled, rhythmic fashion. The repeated small hops on the balls of the feet with quick ground contacts trains ankle stiffness and calf-Achilles resilience. Sessions might begin with two to three sets of 30-60 seconds, gradually extending duration as fitness improves.
Pogo hops, standing in place and hopping straight up and down on both feet with minimal knee bend and quick ground contacts, isolate ankle plyometric work. The focus should be on bouncing like a pogo stick—stiff legs, quick elastic rebounds, minimum ground contact time. Two to three sets of 10-20 hops build ankle reactive strength.
Low box jumps, stepping up onto a 6-12 inch box and stepping down, introduce landing force absorption with minimal drop height. Progression involves jumping up rather than stepping, then eventually adding a small hop upon landing on the box. Two to three sets of 6-10 repetitions familiarize the body with impact absorption and power generation.
Lateral bounds, hopping side to side over a line or small cone, add lateral movement component while keeping intensity moderate. Two sets of 10-12 bounds in each direction develop lateral stability and power. Single-leg lateral hops increase difficulty once bilateral work feels comfortable.
This foundational phase might last four to eight weeks depending on training history and adaptation rate. The emphasis remains on movement quality, proper landing mechanics, and gradual progression rather than aggressive loading.
Intermediate plyometrics
Once foundational tolerance develops, intermediate plyometrics increase intensity through higher forces, longer drop heights, or more complex movements. This level provides significant training stimulus for improving power and running economy.
Box jumps onto boxes 12-24 inches high develop explosive triple extension and teach forceful takeoff. The focus should be powerful drive off the ground, compact flight position, and controlled landing on the box. Three sets of 6-10 jumps challenge power production significantly. Progression involves increasing box height or adding single-leg variations.
Depth jumps from 12-18 inch boxes introduce rapid absorption and re-extension. The athlete steps off the box, lands, and immediately explodes upward in a vertical jump or forward bound. The ground contact should be brief—the goal is absorbing landing forces and converting them immediately to upward or forward propulsion. Two to three sets of 4-8 repetitions provide substantial stimulus without excessive volume.
Broad jumps, jumping forward for maximum distance from a standing position, develop horizontal power specifically applicable to running propulsion. Three sets of 4-6 jumps build explosive forward drive. Single-leg broad jumps increase difficulty and address imbalances.
Bounding for distance, covered previously under drills, fits well in intermediate programming. Two to three sets of 30-50 meters once or twice weekly during base and early build phases provides powerful lower body conditioning.
Split jumps, starting in a lunge position and explosively jumping to switch leg positions in mid-air, combine power development with single-leg landing control. Three sets of 6-10 total jumps (3-5 per leg) challenge both power production and eccentric strength.
Intermediate plyometrics might continue for many months or indefinitely for most distance runners, providing adequate stimulus without the injury risk of advanced work. Frequency typically ranges from one to three sessions weekly depending on training phase and running volume.
Advanced plyometrics and considerations
Advanced plyometric training involves higher drop heights, greater complexity, or more demanding volume that creates significant neuromuscular stress. Most distance runners need not progress to this level—intermediate work provides sufficient benefit. However, some competitive runners with specific power development needs or strong plyometric backgrounds may incorporate advanced methods judiciously.
Depth jumps from boxes exceeding 24 inches create substantial landing forces requiring excellent eccentric strength and landing mechanics. The brief ground contact time and explosive re-extension demand well-developed reactive strength. Two sets of 4-6 repetitions provide maximum stimulus; more volume risks excessive fatigue or injury.
Single-leg depth jumps dramatically increase force concentration on one leg while demanding extreme balance and coordination. These should appear only after mastering bilateral depth jumps and demonstrating solid single-leg strength through other exercises.
Reactive hurdle hops, jumping over a series of small hurdles in rapid succession with minimal ground contact between jumps, combine power, coordination, and repeated stretch-shortening cycles. The continuous nature creates accumulated fatigue, demanding both power and power endurance.
Complex training, pairing heavy strength exercise with explosive plyometric movement (example: heavy squats immediately followed by box jumps), attempts to potentiate the nervous system for enhanced power output. While effective for some athletes, the fatigue from heavy strength work can compromise running performance, making this approach questionable for distance runners during heavy training periods.
The primary consideration at advanced levels involves managing fatigue and injury risk. Higher forces mean greater recovery demands and elevated injury potential. Advanced plyometrics should occur only during base or early build phases when running volume remains moderate, never during peak training or near competitions. Frequency should stay low—one session weekly provides adequate stimulus. Any sign of excessive soreness, joint pain, or declining running performance signals the need to reduce or eliminate advanced plyometric work.
Integration into marathon training
Plyometrics and running drills integrate most successfully when matched appropriately to training phase and programmed with attention to total training stress. The goal is enhancement of running performance, not maximal plyometric development, so conservative programming that complements rather than competes with running takes precedence.
Base phase integration
Base building provides ideal timing for establishing or expanding plyometric and drill practice. With running composed primarily of easy aerobic work, athletes can allocate energy toward movement quality work without compromising running adaptations or recovery.
Running drills fit naturally into the warm-up routine before runs. After 10-15 minutes of easy jogging to elevate body temperature, performing a drill sequence (A-skips, B-skips, C-skips, high knees, butt kicks) for 20-30 meters each prepares the body for running while reinforcing proper mechanics. This practice two to four times weekly builds movement patterns that transfer to running performance.
Plyometric work can occur after easy runs when the body is warm but not depleted, or on separate days between running sessions. Beginning with low-level work (jump rope, pogo hops, low box work) builds tolerance. Progression to intermediate exercises (box jumps, depth jumps, bounding) should occur gradually over weeks. Two plyometric sessions weekly provide adequate stimulus during base phase.
The volume should remain moderate—enough to drive adaptation but not create soreness or fatigue that impairs subsequent running. Total ground contacts might range from 40-80 per session initially, progressing to 60-120 as tolerance improves. Quality takes precedence over volume at every stage.
Build and peak phase integration
As running intensity increases during build and peak phases, plyometric volume should decrease while running drills continue. The quality running workouts provide significant neuromuscular stimulus themselves, and excessive additional power training risks overtraining.
Drills remain valuable throughout these phases, continuing as warm-up routines before runs and particularly before quality workouts. The reinforcement of proper mechanics proves especially important as intensity increases and fatigue accumulates—maintaining form under stress depends on well-established patterns.
Plyometric work should reduce to one session weekly or less, using moderate volumes of exercises proven effective in earlier training. The goal shifts from development to maintenance. A brief session of box jumps, depth jumps, or bounding maintains power adaptations without creating fatigue that compromises running performance.
Some runners eliminate structured plyometric sessions entirely during peak phase, relying on running drills and the running workouts themselves for neuromuscular stimulus. This conservative approach prioritizes running-specific work and maximizes recovery capacity for quality sessions.
Timing within the week matters critically during these phases. Plyometric work should not occur within 48 hours before quality running workouts. Scheduling plyometrics the same day as hard running efforts (ideally after the run) or the day after concentrates stress and preserves recovery days.
Taper and transition phase programming
The taper minimizes plyometrics substantially or eliminates them entirely. Any residual fatigue or soreness from plyometric work compromises race-day performance. Most runners include running drills in reduced warm-up routines leading to the race but avoid plyometric exercises during the final 10-14 days.
The post-race transition phase allows return to plyometric work after initial recovery. Once running resumes gradually in weeks two through four post-marathon, re-introducing low to moderate level plyometrics rebuilds the neuromuscular foundation for the next training cycle. This timing allows power development without conflicting with heavy running loads, setting the stage for maintenance during subsequent training.
Summary
Plyometrics and running drills provide specialized neuromuscular training that enhances marathon performance through improved running economy, increased power output, enhanced coordination, and better injury resilience. Plyometric exercises leverage the stretch-shortening cycle to develop rapid force production and increase tendon stiffness, improving elastic energy storage and return during running. Running drills isolate and reinforce specific components of efficient running mechanics through focused technical practice.
Essential running drills include A-skips for knee drive and ground contact, B-skips adding the pawing action of proper foot placement, C-skips emphasizing ankle stiffness, high knees for rapid turnover, butt kicks for compact recovery, and bounding for maximum power development. Each drill addresses specific mechanical elements that compose efficient running form.
Plyometric progression begins with low-level exercises like jump rope and pogo hops, advances to intermediate work including box jumps and depth jumps, and potentially reaches advanced variations for experienced athletes with specific power development needs. Conservative progression that builds tolerance gradually prevents injury while allowing adaptations to accumulate.
Integration varies across training phases, with base building allowing highest volume and frequency of both drills and plyometrics. Build and peak phases reduce plyometric work to maintenance levels while continuing drill practice as warm-up routines. Taper minimizes or eliminates plyometrics while transition phases allow rebuilding for the next cycle. When programmed thoughtfully with attention to total training stress, plyometrics and drills provide high-value neuromuscular development that translates directly to improved marathon performance.