Game version
Form spotters: one runs easily past while the partner shares one thing they liked, like tall posture or quick feet. Swap.
Swinging Arms Game
Learn a forward-and-back arm swing that does not cross your body.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Stand and swing your arms like you are running, elbows bent.
Core: Posture and arms. Beat your own smoothest stride.
- Ages
- 7 and up
- Time
- 6 min
- Players
- You and a partner
- Space
- Yard or field
- Bring
- Partner or mirror
- Level · skill
- Beginner · Running Form
The steps
How it works
- Stand and swing your arms like you are running, elbows bent.
- Your partner checks your hands do not cross your middle.
- Jog 30 yards keeping the same swing.
- Do 6 reps.
Coaching point
Forward and back, not across.
Safety: Warm up first. Stop if a muscle feels tight or something hurts. Pain in one spot that gets worse each run, or a limp: stop and see a doctor.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Pick a focus: Less (posture), Core (posture and arms), More (posture, arms and quick feet). Beat your own smoothest stride.
Story
You are a gazelle running tall and light.
My best
Beat your own count
Beat your own smoothest stride. 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.