Very often in manuals for the development of speed endurance, there is an advice to use shuttle running as the main exercise. Regular shuttle running classes are found in the training plans of basketball players, parkour athletes, and boxers. Even among the sports standards, which are passed by the military, you can see the "shuttle run 4x100 m." What is shuttle running and why is it so common in the training programs of various athletes?
Shuttle run is a type of training run during which an athlete runs the same short distance repeatedly. The athlete's movements imitate the movements of the weaving shuttle: in the forward and reverse directions several times. Hence the corresponding name of this running exercise, as a rule, the distance for shuttle running does not exceed 100 meters. Each time, reaching the end of the distance, the athlete must touch the finish line or go around an obstacle. Shuttle running is often used in physical education classes at school, especially when there is no possibility of conditions for running 60 and 100 meters distances. This type of running is used by the organizers of various competitions such as "Funny starts" or "Mom, Dad, I am a sports family." This is not surprising, athletes cover the distance very quickly, recklessly, with a lot of stops and turns. Although it is the sharp turns and changes in movement at the ends of the course that make shuttle running the most traumatic running exercise, shuttle starts can be low or high. However, starting blocks, which are mandatory for sprint disciplines, are not used in shuttle racing. A high start in shuttle running is similar to the start of speed skaters: the jogging leg is as tense as possible, the swing leg stands behind on the toe with a slight turn. The ability to start quickly is the main success factor in shuttle running. It is for the development of the starting speed that this type of running is used in the training of sprinters. To develop the maximum speed in shuttle running, the technique of passing the distance should be the same as in running for short distances: running on toes, high cadence, high lifting of the hip … But speed is not the main thing in this running discipline. It is very important to develop dexterity in order to pass the finish line and turns with minimal loss of time. Working out the stopping step, which the athlete performs before the turn, is necessary in such game disciplines as basketball, football, handball. Explosive jogging is an essential skill for a good boxer, and the shuttle finish is no different than the 100m finish. In the final segment of the distance, the athlete tries to develop maximum speed and run the finish line with the greatest acceleration. Do not try to finish with a forward body throw, as experienced athletes do in competition. This requires very good body coordination. Just finish at top speed. Shuttle running is a very serious stress on the body, so in order not to injure joints or muscles during these exercises, you must have good running training. At the same time, shuttle running is one of the best running exercises for developing starting speed, agility, and finishing spurt. Practicing this type of running helps to develop coordination of movements, improve your speed qualities, and learn how to properly distribute forces at a distance.
