This is a list of drills that will help you get in shape for trail and cross country races, and the reason why each of them is useful.  You don’t need to do all of them every time, but if you include them regularly they should make you less injury prone, stronger and quicker on your feet.  Begin by mastering the drills as part of a warm up, but later progress to do some of them at the end of training, when you are tired.

• Walking on toes/heels/edge of feet- stretches and strengthens you feet and ankles to prevent injury. Build to 2x10m of each drill.
• Leg swings- gets your glute muscles working and improves balance. Aim to complete 12x backwards and forwards swings, side to side swings and hip rotation on one leg without putting it down, then swap legs.
• Hopping in different directions- controlling landing, improves balance and leg strength. 3×6 hops around a square on each leg.
• Hurdle drills- improves core strength, mobility and coordination when done with a skip. There are endless variation, start by mastering walking drills forwards, backwards and sideways, then add skips, use 6-8 hurdles.
• Ladder drills- improves agility, speed of feet and foot placement.  Progress to doing them up and down hill. Example drills are run through with 1 foot in each gap, the same but with high knees, two feet in each gap, sideways, two foot jumps, hopping.
• Step and hold/eccentric bounding- working on controlling landing forces to strengthen legs for downhills. Build to 4×10 bounds, hold each landing.
• Steps- improves leg strength and up hill run technique. Example drills: single steps, double steps, sideways both directions and 2 feet on each step, skater steps. Build the number of repeats gradually and run down using single steps and fast arm drive.
• Carioca drill where you travel sideways, crossing in front and behind- makes you light and quick on your feet and works muscles to control twisting forces.