The Science Of Running
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THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! The
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! The biomechamics of running article was soooo helpful for me! I think I finally get it!
It's all about the hip extension!
All along I've been equating hip extension with pushing off. As a result, I've been limiting the range of motion at my hip joint. But hip extension isn't pushing off -- it's pushing *back* -- and that makes all the difference!
I went out for a trail run at lunch today and focused on hip extension. I let the leg extend back and didn't try to pull the leg in too early (as it seems I've been doing all along). I ended up with a faster, easier run. And I *finally* understand a few other things that Ken Bob suggests that just never really clicked for me.
- Let the hips rotate -- got it. Previously, in my attempt to lift the foot I was actually pulling the leg forward too early. There was very minimal hip rotation. With my focus on the hip extension, the hip joint relaxes and rotates naturally.
- Relax, relax, relax -- that's just another way to say let the stretch reflex do the work (as described in the article). I could never figure out how I was supposed to relax AND hold myself up AND propel forward. Now it makes sense to me.
As Steve Magness points out in the article, "All runners will respond to a cue slightly differently, that is why it is important to come up with several different ways to say the same thing." Seems that's exactly what I needed.
My hope is that this adjustment to my form will help prevent my recurring TOFP and, as a bonus, will also make me a faster runner.
Thanks again for sharing the link!
Peace,
Karen
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! The biomechamics of running article was soooo helpful for me! I think I finally get it!
It's all about the hip extension!
All along I've been equating hip extension with pushing off. As a result, I've been limiting the range of motion at my hip joint. But hip extension isn't pushing off -- it's pushing *back* -- and that makes all the difference!
I went out for a trail run at lunch today and focused on hip extension. I let the leg extend back and didn't try to pull the leg in too early (as it seems I've been doing all along). I ended up with a faster, easier run. And I *finally* understand a few other things that Ken Bob suggests that just never really clicked for me.
- Let the hips rotate -- got it. Previously, in my attempt to lift the foot I was actually pulling the leg forward too early. There was very minimal hip rotation. With my focus on the hip extension, the hip joint relaxes and rotates naturally.
- Relax, relax, relax -- that's just another way to say let the stretch reflex do the work (as described in the article). I could never figure out how I was supposed to relax AND hold myself up AND propel forward. Now it makes sense to me.
As Steve Magness points out in the article, "All runners will respond to a cue slightly differently, that is why it is important to come up with several different ways to say the same thing." Seems that's exactly what I needed.
My hope is that this adjustment to my form will help prevent my recurring TOFP and, as a bonus, will also make me a faster runner.
Thanks again for sharing the link!
Peace,
Karen
Best part of either of those
Best part of either of those two articles. In the article, Why Running shoes do not work:
"In conclusion, I’m not some fanatic saying everyone ditch shoes now. Chances are you’ve been running in shoes for 20+ years. Your bodies done some adapting during that time. You’ve got to gradually change if you want to undue some of the changes."
Gradual change, that's the part so many people (myself included) have trouble fully grasping.
Best part of either of those two articles. In the article, Why Running shoes do not work:
"In conclusion, I’m not some fanatic saying everyone ditch shoes now. Chances are you’ve been running in shoes for 20+ years. Your bodies done some adapting during that time. You’ve got to gradually change if you want to undue some of the changes."
Gradual change, that's the part so many people (myself included) have trouble fully grasping.
The more I read this the more
The more I read this the more I get from it. I like this about letting the heel touch down:
Once landing has occurred, it is important to allow the foot to load up. Often, the mistake is made in trying to get the foot off the ground as quickly as possible, but remember that it is when the foot is on the ground when force is transferred into the ground. While having a short ground contact time is beneficial it should be a result of transferring force faster and not getting quick with the foot. Loading up the foot means allowing it to move through the cycle of initial contact to fully supporting the body. Since initial contact is on the outside of the foot, the support will move inwardly. With forefoot strikers, the heel has to settle back and touch the ground to allow for proper loading. Holding the heel off the ground and staying on the forefoot will not allow for the stretch-reflex on the Achilles-calf complex to occur.
and:
In essence, the complex acts like a spring as it stores energy that comes with ground contact and then releases it when ground contact is broken. A common mistake is to stay too high up on the balls of the feet and never let the heel touch the ground. When this occurs, the Achilles-calf complex is not fully stretched and thus you are losing out on the elastic energy return. Similarly, if a runner is too quick with the foot, meaning they try and rush it off the ground, elastic energy is lost because the foot and Achilles were not properly allowed to store and the release energy. Likewise, the arch in the foot also stores elastic energy as it is initially compressed and then subsequently rebounds. This mechanism happens because of its elastic properties.
The more I read this the more I get from it. I like this about letting the heel touch down:
Once landing has occurred, it is important to allow the foot to load up. Often, the mistake is made in trying to get the foot off the ground as quickly as possible, but remember that it is when the foot is on the ground when force is transferred into the ground. While having a short ground contact time is beneficial it should be a result of transferring force faster and not getting quick with the foot. Loading up the foot means allowing it to move through the cycle of initial contact to fully supporting the body. Since initial contact is on the outside of the foot, the support will move inwardly. With forefoot strikers, the heel has to settle back and touch the ground to allow for proper loading. Holding the heel off the ground and staying on the forefoot will not allow for the stretch-reflex on the Achilles-calf complex to occur.
and:
In essence, the complex acts like a spring as it stores energy that comes with ground contact and then releases it when ground contact is broken. A common mistake is to stay too high up on the balls of the feet and never let the heel touch the ground. When this occurs, the Achilles-calf complex is not fully stretched and thus you are losing out on the elastic energy return. Similarly, if a runner is too quick with the foot, meaning they try and rush it off the ground, elastic energy is lost because the foot and Achilles were not properly allowed to store and the release energy. Likewise, the arch in the foot also stores elastic energy as it is initially compressed and then subsequently rebounds. This mechanism happens because of its elastic properties.
This article echos
This article echos everything Ken Merke has said over at Evolution Running.
Good Stuff. I just find that it takes some time and practice to use the hips for power because eventually that power has to get to the ground and if done incorrectly can cause blisters on the ball of the foot
This article echos everything Ken Merke has said over at Evolution Running.
Good Stuff. I just find that it takes some time and practice to use the hips for power because eventually that power has to get to the ground and if done incorrectly can cause blisters on the ball of the foot
The part that I disagree with
The part that I disagree with is the whole idea that the focus of proper running in his opinion is MUSCLE power at the hip. IMO we use muscle power merely to assist in the transfer of our body weight, therefore our focus is on releasing the body rather than putting in lots of conscious muscle effort. Of course muscles are recruited but they should be in the background during the run.
The part that I disagree with is the whole idea that the focus of proper running in his opinion is MUSCLE power at the hip. IMO we use muscle power merely to assist in the transfer of our body weight, therefore our focus is on releasing the body rather than putting in lots of conscious muscle effort. Of course muscles are recruited but they should be in the background during the run.
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