Game version
Cut and point: a partner points left or right and you cut that way at the right angle. Swap.
Angled Cuts at 45 and 90 Degrees
Practice sharp cuts at two angles with the knee in line over the foot. This is the movement most knee-injury programs teach.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Set a cone 8 yards ahead; run to it at controlled speed.
Core: Jog. Keep your knee over your foot every time.
- Ages
- 13 and up
- Time
- 12 min
- Players
- Just you
- Space
- Yard or field
- Bring
- Cones
- Level · skill
- Advanced · Hills & Terrain
The steps
How it works
- Set a cone 8 yards ahead; run to it at controlled speed.
- Plant the outside foot, knee over toes, and cut 45 degrees for 5 yards.
- Repeat with a 90-degree cut.
- Do 4 each way at each angle; speed rises only if the knee stays in line.
Coaching point
Knee over toes, never caving in.
Safety: Use a clear, non-slip space and change direction only as fast as you can control. Stop if a knee or ankle hurts.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Pick a level: Less (walk the cut), Core (jog), More (a 45 then a 90). Keep your knee over your foot every time.
Story
You are a deer weaving through the trees.
My best
Beat your own count
Keep your knee over your foot every time. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
Print it now, or save it free
Free for families and teams
Save this drill to your child or team, free
Sign up and the free cross country week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.
14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free
Does your child's coach know about this?
An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.