Down the line
Why it works
A backpedal is easy in a straight line and falls apart the moment it has to become a sprint. Two lines going at once means everybody gets the rep at the same time, and the coach being the cue means there is no pattern to learn.
Run it
6 MINSix breaks, alternating sides at random. Six minutes. It is a warm-up, so stop while it still looks sharp.
Say this
“Turn and run, do not turn and look.”
Opening the hips is the movement; the head follows once the feet are going.
“Chest over your toes.”
Weight forward is what makes the turn possible at all.
“No crossover on the first step.”
The first step out of the turn is a drive step, not a cross.
Good looks like
- Heads stay at the same height all the way through the backpedal.
- The hips open before the head turns.
- First step out of the break is straight down the line of the run.
- Both lines turn at the same moment, because they are watching the coach and not each other.
The mistakes
Turning the head first, which leaves the hips square and the feet stuck.
Say: “Turn and run, do not turn and look.”
Standing up during the backpedal, which is when the hips lock.
Say: “Chest over your toes.”
Crossing the feet, which is a stumble about a third of the time.
Say: “No crossover on the first step.”
Walk the backpedal and point instead of moving. Get the hip turn before you add any speed.
Throw a ball to whichever side you broke them to, so the turn ends in a catch.