Basic Racewalking Tips For Kids, Coaches & Parents
Check out this Little Athletics NSW video – featuring Australian Olympian Cheryl Webb – that is aimed at helping kids to learn how to racewalk.
A handy summary containing some key points can be found below.
Video Key Points
Tip 1: Posture & Arms
- Keep tall.
- To remind yourself to move smoothly, pretend that you are balancing an apple on your head.
- Keep your arms and shoulders relaxed.
- Keep your arms bent and swinging as you are walking.
Tip 2: Hip Movement
- The hip movement is forwards and backwards; not side-to-side.
- When the leg is going forward, the hip is pushed forward.
- When the leg is going backwards, the hip is pushed backward.
- Practise this hip movement by standing in front of a mirror. Keep arms relaxed, move hips back and forth, and keep the knees bending to allow the hip movement without twisting from side-to-side.
Tip 3: Foot Strike & Leg Action
- Land on the heel with the leg straight.
- Push back on each stride.
Game: Racewalking Tag
- One player starts slightly ahead of another player.
- On “go” both players racewalk.
- The player in front tries to reach a marker a few metres away before being tagged by the player behind.
- Start the players closer or further apart to increase or decrease the difficulty of the challenge.
Further reading
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Darren Wensor is a sports development professional, coach educator, specialist coach of young athletes, and founder of the blog coachingyoungathletes.com. Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, or via email. Check out Coaching Young Athletes on YouTube, the Coaching Young Athletes podcast, and the Coaching Young Athletes E-Book Series.
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