Forums » General Training » Running

1. adarian
   Member

   Just something to digest on the many different running styles out there in the world.

   No matter what form or running style you practice or perform; if you don't keep your feet moving back towards your body before contact with the ground, you won't have good results. Good results as far as performance increase or injury prevention and reductions.

   The slower you run the smaller your steps should be. When running faster you have the option of small step or bigger steps. Small steps and big steps would be how high my knees lift up.

   Small steps and big steps is not the same as stride length as stride lentgh is the amount of time you spend in the air between steps or the non-supported phase of running.

   Stride frequency is the amount of time from your foot losing contact with the ground and coming back in contact with the ground. Some people limit stride fequecny to the amount of time it takes to reposition the leg.

   Why do people have so many problems running? They don't do this one thing; keep their feet moving towards the body before their foot contacts with the ground.

   You would essentialy bound from step to step. Which is the extra bouncing that people try to eliminate. This bounce or bound creates high landing impact on your hips and knee joints if the person lands heel or flat footed.
   It also creates what use to be called shin splints if the person lands on their toes.

   Posted 5 years ago #

2. Lisa Sabin
   Administrator

   Joe Friel has a great illustration of foot strike which shows how to run faster. http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/03/foot-strike-in-running.html Form is important. The runner who is striking with the heel is running slower and increasing their contact with the ground, so the impact is greater.
   http://www2.trainingbible.com/ryan.vid.htm

   Posted 5 years ago #

3. adarian
   Member

   Beware that it is not the foot strike that is the biggest issue, it is what your foot is doing before it strikes that is the problem to going faster and reducing injuries. What it does before it contacts the ground will alter how it strikes the ground.

   It is the one part of running that is not fully explained.

   Posted 5 years ago #

4. adarian
   Member

   Article on running and changing our training theory.
   http://www.american-trackandfield.com/other/philosophy.html

   "The foot should strike the running surface as it is being brought back under the center of mass. The closer the foot strike to a point directly under the hips (navel) the faster and more economical this will be. "

   Posted 5 years ago #

5. Brad Hefta-Gaub
   Administrator

   This is very iteresting... I have a hard "heel strike"... or so I've been told. How do I change this? Is this a matter of thinking about my stride? Or are there drills I should practice to change my stride?

   Posted 5 years ago #

6. adarian
   Member

   The first thing I would suggest is video taping to see, if your foot is coming back towards your COM or if it is stalling out in front of your COM before contacting the ground. While you are watching the video, see if your hand is also stalling in front of your body before the foot contacts the ground or not.

   You will find out quickly that to alter you stride pattern you will need to alter your hand or lower arm movement.

   Posted 5 years ago #

7. Lisa Sabin
   Administrator

   One thing that was pointed out to me is that I tend to bring my left arm across my body more than my right. I have a bit of a twist. I've been trying to work on keeping my arms swing the same on both sides.

   I also pull have something funky with my swim stroke. I think I'm really right side dominant.

   It could be throwing off my running gait and my swimming a straight line!

   Posted 5 years ago #

8. Phil Sabin
   

   My right calf bugs me when I try running (it feels like it's cramping up). It doesn't seem to bother me at all when I walk or cycle.

   Am I doing something wrong? I gave it time off, but when I try to run, it happens again.

   Any suggestions?

   Posted 5 years ago #

9. adarian
   Member

   Lisa, if your left arm is moving more across your body, it may be due to many things. You would want to see what the right leg is doing. But that brings us back to the question at hand, how does that action affect your running? That would tell you if you need to change the action or not.
   Next time you see Paula Radcliffe run http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMrKtNlus_Y&mode=related&search=
   you will notice that one arm swings more wildly than the other and that her heads bobs up and down. The next photo is of a different athlete, a still photo but a lot of coaches would say that her arms are out of position, also notice how her head is cocked to one side. Once again don't get caught up in style or technique. I would bet that you stacked the video of the two athletes, you would find similar actions with hands and feet.
   http://www.fast-women.com/photos/2006/nycmarathon/fwnyc06_08.jpg

   Fitness over forty, it could be that you are running with a fixed dorsi-flex position. Almost like running with a limp.
   If you have some video, it would be easy to see.

   Posted 5 years ago #

10. Anonymous
    Unregistered

    Thanks for all of this info! I'm going to videotape my running to see how I do it.

    I've found that I run slow, when I try to lift my knees and run with better form, I tire out easily. To change my form, should I just do it slowly? Small lengths to get longer and longer? I know changing it will make me faster, but I get lazy and then slow down again because I can't keep up that faster pace.

    Any suggestions?

    Posted 5 years ago #

11. adarian
    Member

    Hello, runningkate, I would say stop lifting your knees.
    High knee lift is not a prerequisite to faster running.
    Think about getting your foot back to the ground before your body starts to drop down out of the unspported phase of running. You can do that two ways, take smaller steps and keep your feet close to your center of mass or increase your turnover rate. That is why I say these are not form issue but actions issues.
    What makes the feet go? your hands, so when you watch the video see what your hands and feet are doing in relationship to one another. Syncronicity is the key.
    You are getting tired because the action you chose is not the most energy efficient for faster running.

    Posted 5 years ago #

12. Anonymous
    Unregistered

    Ah, okay. Thanks. I will try that. I didn't think it would make sense to lift the knees, but sometimes I feel I shuffle. I have done before the faster turnover so my feet strike the ground more times per minute (i read it should be around 180 or so). That has seemed to help and not tire me out as much. I'll try to think of the arms, I tend to just keep them in to my sides and don't swing them much. I'll have to video myself and see what i really do!

    Posted 5 years ago #

13. adarian
    Member

    Yes 180/minute seems to be the number to start with. A good drill to perform to try and find what your pattern should be, if you have a track, is set out cones or a marker every 10 yards for 100 yards, then try and get so many steps in between each marker. Once you get comfortable, try running laps, let the cones set the pattern and then try and maintain the pattern for the other 300, once you get back to the cones let it set the pattern again. This is a good drill to teach running actions.
    I read on your blog about treadmill running. If you need help with how to put this into treadmill running let me know.
    http://www.blip.tv/file/278271/

    Posted 5 years ago #

14. Anonymous
    Unregistered

    Definitely, if you could send me a message about how to use it in treadmill running that would help. I use the treadmill more often then a track (i haven't found one that's open around my house yet). So, that would be awesome, thanks!! :)

    PS - checked out your link, it looks really cool. I'm going to look at the other videos you have posted too. Thanks.

    Posted 5 years ago #

15. adarian
    Member

    Don't know how to send message.
    I think you said that you are at 10 minute pace on the treadmill, which is about 6 mph?
    That is a good speed to work with.
    The thing to try and master is, attempt to and match your foot speed to the belt speed.
    Don't wait for the belt, go with the belt.

    The easy way to count your stride is to count your hand movement.
    When I say stride that is every step, some people say stride and it means every other step.

    So for one minute just count your hand movement. It will at least keep you occupied for the one minute.
    If you master the moving your foot to the speed of the belt, you will never be bored again on a treadmill. Once you get to the point of feeling like you can move faster than the belt, either increase the incline 1 to 2 percent or increas the speed about 1 to 1.5 mph.

    Posted 5 years ago #

16. Anonymous
    Unregistered

    Great thanks! I'll try that next time I hope on the treadmill!

    Posted 5 years ago #

17. Lisa Sabin
    Administrator

    I defitnely think I would benefit from video taping my running style. I thought about what you said and tried mixing up my running patterns on the treadmill today. The problem I have seems to be compensation for my plantar fasciitis. I also have a bit of a twist in my pelvis, that throws my gait off. I try to reset my hips by doing wall sits or hip lifts before I run. I think I need the feedback, so that I know what I am doing. I tried observing myself in the mirror today to keep my knees level and arms even.
    Thanks for your information.

    Posted 5 years ago #

18. rugman
    Member

    I would recommend looking into ChiRunning.
    Midfoot strike taking your weight with your structure, not your muscles. Forward lean. Arm swing straight and to the rear. Speed determined by lean. Stride increases length out the back not in front. It is supposed to be easiest on your body and injury free. And you run the same speed and distance with one third the energy!
    I am just learning this technique but I am really excited about it!

    Posted 4 years ago #

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