Key Stage 3 PE · Other competitive sports

KS3 athletics technique: running, jumping and throwing

Athletics is made up of running, jumping and throwing events, and in Key Stage 3 pupils work on the technique behind each one rather than just trying to go faster, higher or further. The aim is to build on the skills learned in primary school, become more confident and skilful, and understand why a small change in technique can make a big difference to the result.

Athletics technique, explained

The National Curriculum asks secondary schools to teach pupils to develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports, giving athletics and gymnastics as examples. Many schools teach athletics in the summer term, and which events are offered depends on space and equipment. Common choices are sprints, relays, middle and long distance running, long jump, high jump, shot put, discus and javelin. Pupils are also expected to build on and embed the skills from earlier key stages and apply them in different sports.

In running events, technique means posture and rhythm. A sprinter drives out of the start with a low body angle and gradually rises to an upright position, runs tall with the hips high and swings the arms back and forth, not across the body. In distance running, a relaxed, efficient stride still matters, but the big skill is pacing: choosing a speed that can be kept up for the whole distance, instead of starting too fast and slowing down. Relays add a further skill: passing the baton smoothly while both runners are moving.

Jumping events usually break down into an approach, a take-off, flight and landing. In long jump, for instance, pupils practise a consistent run-up that builds speed smoothly, planting the take-off foot on the board without slowing down, driving the knee upwards and landing with the feet forward. In throwing events, power comes mainly from the legs and the turn of the body, with the arm finishing the action. Throws are always taught under supervision, with strict rules about where to stand and when to collect equipment.

Pupils learn to judge performance too. They might measure a jump or time a run, watch a partner (some schools film them) and compare technique against a checklist, then try one change at a time. Progress is measured against their own earlier results as much as against others. For teenagers who feel they are not natural athletes, this is encouraging: technique can be learned, and improvement is often visible within a few weeks.

Words your child will hear

Technique: The way a skill is carried out, such as the position of the body in a sprint start.
Drive phase: The first part of a sprint, where the body is low and the legs push hard to build up speed.
Approach: The run-up before a jump or throw.
Take-off: The moment a jumper leaves the ground, using the take-off foot.
Pacing: Spreading your energy so that you can keep running at a steady speed for the whole distance.
Baton change: Passing the baton from one relay runner to the next while both are moving.
Personal best: Your own best result in an event so far.

What the National Curriculum says

The programme of study for Key Stage 3 says:

Pupils should be taught to develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports [for example, athletics and gymnastics]
Pupils should build on and embed the physical development and skills learned in key stages 1 and 2, become more competent, confident and expert in their techniques, and apply them across different sports and physical activities.

Objectives from the National Curriculum in England, © Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Try it: improving a sprint start

A pupil’s 30 metre sprint is slower than it should be because they stand up straight after only two or three steps. How can they improve it?

Observe first. A partner watches from the side and records what they see, perhaps on a phone. The pupil’s body is upright by the second step, and the first strides are long and slow.
Name the target. In the drive phase the body should stay low and leaning forward, with the legs pushing back against the ground. The strides start short and quick, then lengthen.
Practise one cue: “push the ground away and stay low”. The pupil does several short starts of five to ten metres, leaning forward and driving the arms hard, with the elbows bent at about a right angle.
Rise gradually. After a few strides, the head and chest come up bit by bit until the pupil is running tall, with the hips high and the arms swinging forwards and backwards.
Test again. Run the 30 metres again, with the same distance and conditions, and compare the time and the video to the first attempt.

Changing one thing at a time, the pupil keeps a low, forward lean for longer at the start, then rises gradually. Comparing a second timed run and a second video with the first shows whether the change worked.

Common mistakes and how to help

Standing up too early in a sprint

Running tall feels fast, and many pupils copy the upright style they see in the middle of a race. At the start, though, standing up quickly wastes the push from the legs.

What helps: Use the cue “stay low for the first few steps”. Short starts over a few metres, filmed from the side, show the difference clearly.

Slowing down to hit the take-off board in long jump

Fear of fouling by stepping over the line makes jumpers shorten their stride or slow down. Slowing down reduces the speed that carries them through the jump.

What helps: Mark the run-up distance in practice, repeat it from the same starting point until the stride pattern becomes automatic, and keep the speed up all the way to the board.

Starting a distance race as fast as possible

Excitement and adrenaline make the first lap feel easy. By halfway, tiredness forces a big slow down.

What helps: Practise running at an even, comfortable pace and compare lap times. Aiming to run the second half as fast as the first usually produces a better result.

Throwing with just the arm

The arm is the part that releases the object, so it seems to be the part that does the work. But arm-only throws are weak and can strain the shoulder.

What helps: Focus on the feet, hips and turn of the body first, and let the arm follow. Teachers will always supervise throwing and give specific safety rules.

How to help at home

Run a safe time trial. In a park or on a field, an adult marks 30 metres and times a run. Record the result and try again after a week of practice, so your teenager can see their own improvement.
Film one technique at a time. Use a phone to record a run or a standing jump from the side. Watch it together and look for one thing, such as whether the arms swing forwards and backwards. Agree on just one change to try.
Pacing walks and jogs. Choose a route in a park or on a field, say 1 kilometre, mark the quarter points with landmarks, and aim to cover each quarter in the same time. It teaches the feel of an even pace without needing equipment.
Standing jump practice. On grass, practise jumping forwards from two feet with a swing of the arms, and measure the distance with a tape measure. Land on both feet with the knees bent.
Leave throwing to school. Throwing events such as javelin, discus and shot put should only be practised in lessons or clubs with proper supervision and equipment. At home, stick to running and jumping.

Builds on

Key Stage 2: Invasion games
Key Stage 2: Net and wall games
Key Stage 2: Striking and fielding games
Key Stage 2: Attacking and defending

Leads on to

Key Stage 4: Athletics and gymnastics technique
Key Stage 4: Dance and other physical activities