If you ask most athletes how to get faster, you’ll hear:
- “Get stronger”
- “Drive harder”
- “Explode off the ground”
👉 And to be fair…
👉 they’re not wrong
💥 But they’re not complete either
⚡ What Is the Push (Drive) Phase of Running?
The push phase—also called the drive phase—happens when your foot is on the ground
👉 and you push your body forward
This is where your body produces force using:
- glutes
- hamstrings
- quads
- calves
👉 It’s the most visible part of running
👉 and the most commonly trained
💥 And that’s where the problem begins
➡️ Running Phases Explained: How Your Legs Move When You Run
🧠 The Problem: This Is All Most Athletes Train
Walk into any gym and you’ll see:
- squats
- lunges
- deadlifts
- calf raises
Go to the track and you’ll see:
- sprinting
- hill runs
- sled work
- parachutes
👉 These are all useful
💥 But they all emphasize the same thing:
👉 the push phase
👉 same muscles
👉 same function
👉 same part of the stride
🔍 Do a Quick Self-Check
Think about your training:
- What do you rely on to get faster?
- What exercises come to mind first?
👉 Now ask:
👉 What muscles are doing the work?
💥 Most of the time:
👉 the same ones
👉 If your training always comes back to these muscles:
👉 you’re only developing part of the running process
⚖️ Why the Push Phase Gets So Much Attention
1. It’s Easy to See and Feel
You can:
- feel it working
- load it with weight
- track progress
👉 That makes it appealing
2. It’s What Athletes Learn First
Most athletes are taught:
👉 stronger legs = more speed
👉 So they double down on it
3. Most Training Equipment Targets It
Weight rooms are built for:
- pushing
- lifting
- producing force
👉 Not for moving the leg through space
🚨 The Hidden Limitation of Push-Only Training
Getting stronger in the push phase helps
👉 up to a point
But here’s the key:
👉 once your foot leaves the ground
👉 the push phase is over
👉 What happens next determines how fast you actually run
If your body can’t:
- move the leg forward quickly
- reposition it efficiently
- cycle into the next step
💥 then push strength has limited impact
🧠 Why Stronger Legs Can Feel Slower
As athletes get stronger:
- muscle size increases
- force production improves
👉 But the leg also becomes heavier
👉 And once it leaves the ground:
👉 it must be moved forward quickly
👉 If the muscles responsible for that aren’t trained:
👉 the system starts to fall behind
💥 The result:
- slower stride
- reduced turnover
- heavier movement
👉 This is where athletes often feel:
👉 “like they have bricks in their legs”
🔄 What This Means for Your Training
The push phase is important
👉 you need it
👉 But it’s only one part of the stride
👉 Running speed depends on how well all phases work together
💥 Not just how hard you push
🔗 Where to Go Next
➡️ The Swing Phase of Running (Why Hip Flexors Control Your Speed)
➡️ The Pull Phase of Running (Often Overlooked)
🚀 What This Means for You
If you want to get faster:
❌ don’t rely only on pushing harder
✅ continue your current training
👉 while improving:
- how your leg moves forward (swing)
- how it returns (pull)
- how the full cycle works together
💥 That’s how real speed starts to develop
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the push phase in running?
It’s when your foot is on the ground producing force.
What is the drive phase?
Another name for the push phase.
Does strength training improve speed?
It helps the push phase, but not the full running cycle.
Why is the push phase overtrained?
Because it’s easy to measure and heavily emphasized.
Can too much push training limit speed?
Yes—if it’s not balanced with the other phases.
🔥 Final Thought
The push phase is not the problem
👉 over-relying on it is
👉 If you only train how hard you push
👉 you limit how fast you can run
💥 Develop the full cycle—and everything changes
