Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Teaching a good technique
• Method 2 of 3: Keep the child motivated
• Method 3 of 3: Make running fun

The development of a child's walking speed is very important, especially when they participate in sports. And many children would like to run faster just for fun or to achieve a personal goal. Teaching children to walk faster means helping them develop good technique and having fun while practicing. Track their progress to keep them motivated, and don't forget to run with them!

To step

Method 1 of 3: Teaching a good technique

1. Warm up with jumping exercises. Jumping can help kids build the muscles they need to become strong runners. Before you start running, you can have the kids jump a few times or use a skipping rope.
2. Check their technique as they run in place. Ask the children to run as fast as they can in place for five seconds. Pay attention to their technique and see if they have any weaknesses. Good sprint technique means:
   • Push with the front foot.
   • Bend forward so that the feet are behind the hips and the hips behind the shoulders (also known as the triple extension).
   • Keep the upper body vertical.
   • Keep your head still and your face relaxed.
   • Bend the elbows at right angles.
   • The arms close to the sides as they pump up and down.
   • Lift the front knee high while extending the back leg.
3. Practice the right technique. If you notice any problems, speak up right away. Then run on the place with the kids. Indicate the correct technique.They can then look to you to see what is the right way to do things, and you can look to them to check for improvement.
4. Help the children visualize how good running feels. Briefly reminding children what to do while running can make a big difference. For example, tell the children to imagine their feet pushing their hips forward. This helps them remember that most of the power for sprinting should come from the feet pushing away from the ground.
   • You can also tell the kids to imagine holding a chick in each hand while they run. That way, they remember to keep their hands closed, but not clenched.
5. Give them verbal cues. Have the children practice sprinting. As you run, shout out directions so they can focus on the aspects of the technique they need to work on in order to improve. For instance:
   • If you have a child who doesn't swing their arms wide enough, shout "Hip to head!" As they run. That will remind them to swing the arms all the way from the sides to their faces.
   • If a child does not lift their legs enough, shout "Knees up!" Knees up! "

Method 2 of 3: Keep the child motivated

1. Set a running goal. A child will only want to get better if it wants to. Make sure a child is really interested in learning to walk faster and ask why. Then set an appropriate goal.
   • For example, if a child is playing another sport, such as basketball, they may want to run faster to improve their own performance. Remind the child from time to time.
   • Set goals that focus on improvement instead of winning. Taking a second off the 40 meters is a more attainable goal than wanting to become a Dutch champion.
2. Keep track of the children's progress. For example, you can keep a graph or diagram showing the times of the 40 meters over a period of six months. If the children can see how they have progressed, they will be more motivated to keep trying and make even more progress.
   • Make sure to keep track of kids' time during the exercises so you can monitor their progress.
3. Don't demand too much from them. Learning to walk faster does not happen overnight. It takes patience and a lot of practice. If you put too much pressure on children or try to speed up their training, they will become discouraged and not move forward. Instead, focus on making incremental progress with regular practice.
   • Only practice the sprint 3-4 times a week. A child can run out if they exercise too often.
   • Mix the practice sessions so that some days focus on playing sports that provide good running practice, such as football, rugby, basketball and kickball. This also makes practicing more fun!
   • Additional activities such as weight lifting, yoga and swimming are good for overall athletic development. However, to improve running speed, it is best to prioritize activities that involve sprinting.

Method 3 of 3: Make running fun

1. Combine training with games. Just doing exercises becomes boring and demotivating. Fortunately, it is easy to combine sprinting with different games. Get the kids together and try things like:
   • Playing tag.
   • A relay run.
   • A game of "Red light, green light".
2. Make time to practice other sports. Running is an important part of many sports. If the kids can run when they are playing soccer, they will also get better, even if it's not really a sprint workout. And by varying things, everyone stays interested. Sports that offer good opportunities for running include:
   • Baseball
   • Football
   • Basketball
   • Kickball
   • Dodge ball
3. Run with the child. A coach doesn't just have to be on the sidelines. Running with your child gives him moral support, shows that you want to work hard too and it is also a lot of fun. For example, you can do exercises or play games together. If the child is interested, you can even run a race together.