Location: I could almost say anywhere. You don’t need a lot of space to practice running drills, however you do need a relatively unobstructed and open environment. You can even do running drills inside when you’re at the gym, but it’s preferable to be outdoors where it’s convenient to sneak in a few drills before and after your runs.
A flat firm surface is best when you’re starting out - so packed granite sand trails, firm dirt roads without too many rocks, sealed roads, closely cut firm grass ovals or golf fairways will all suffice. It’s best to avoid very soft or uneven ground as you want to feel your body reacting against the ground, especially when you progress into the skipping components of each drill.
Footwear : Some would argue that to do drills effectively you need to take off your shoes and go barefoot. While there are some circumstances where this might be warranted, discarding your shoes isn’t necessary to do these drills correctly. In fact, as you move towards generating more power (as your strength and coordination improves) you may find shoes to be a welcome means of dissipating the force generated by your more dynamic drills.
However, if your regular running shoes are so stiff and heavily cushioned that you can’t feel the ground, it may be worth investing in a flexible, light-weight pair to practice drills. A benefit of the minimal and barefoot running boom has been the release of many lightweight and flexible running shoe models by all the major brands. Most of these still retain some cushioning and ramp from heel to toe (otherwise known as heel-toe-drop). Get some help from you local specialty running store so you find something that is not too aggressively different compared to your regular running shoes.
Posture: I am a natural slouch, years of office work and sitting about in front of a computer really mean I have to concentrate to adopt good posture anytime, let alone when I run or practice running form drills. When coach Mark Gorski teaches children to run and especially when practicing running drills he puts a lot of focus on getting posture right before movement commences. Check out the resources page for a video on getting set up to drill.
There’s nothing unique about the posture required to perform running drills, think about your spine lengthening out such that you’re being pulled up by the top of your head isn’t a bad way to get yourself started. For me I like to stick my bum out a bit, flex my knees, set my core and try and imagine a nice curve in my lower back before I begin.
Start deep: If you’re having trouble getting into the swing of the A and B drills try setting yourself up in a deeper posture where your hips and knees are a bit more flexed than usual. This sitting starting point allows me to get more drive going from the hips (glutes and hamstrings) and helps my foot and ankle contact at a better, more neutral posture.
****