Hi everyone, I finally got around to taking out my freestyle camera and filming myself running barefoot. Would appreciate some feedback as I am still very new to barefoot running.
Hi Murls, That looks pretty good to me. The only comment I can think would be to try to keep more bend in your leg at the landing. It looks like your lower leg swings forward and is only slightly bent when you make contact with the ground and this may put more pressure on your knee. Cheers Neil
Murls I think you need to run a bit faster... Your defiance of gravity however is amazing Seriously though it looks generally fine to my unqualified eye. Not sure if it's the slo-mo but there seems to be a bit of vertical movement (just watching the top of the head) that might be linked to Neil's comment about the straightness in the knee (less elastic stored energy in the flex means more of a "push off" is needed). More to the point are you experiencing any issues/limitations you are trying to overcome?
I agree, there's quite a bit of vertical motion going on there. Murls - write a bit more about your running experience, and also about the paces you're running in your vids. What kind of shoes have you worn in the past?
thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. I agree I do feel when I run that I have some vertical motion and my leg is too straight on landing. I do feel like I am pushing off. I was running at slow but even pace, about (6-7km/h). I will have to go back and cut up the video and mix in the actual pace I was running. I notice that the blisters I get are mostly just below my toes indicating that I am indeed pushing off. Before I switched to barefoot I had sports doctor do some video analysis which showed me pronating really badly in my right foot. Much worse than I had even suspected. He told me to go buy Brooks Adrenaline. Because I have an abnormal bend in my right lower leg I have always chosen control shoes. Brooks Beast where the best I ever ran in. Anyway, to cut a long story I chose to take my shoes off instead and learn to run again. I have been an on and off again runner my whole life. Run in cross country as a kid and lots of fun runs. Due to injuries in last ten years I have not done too much but feel like I am getting somewhere now. Just entered the Bay to Bay half in June which I am hoping to do barefoot.
Hi Murls, You've received some really good comments especially bending the legs....it is absolutely the best shock absorber...one thing I notice about your posture is that I reckon you dip your neck forward slightly. My daugther also stoops her head forward slightly..basically your ears shouldn't be over your chest but over the shoulder blades and the whole frame be much more upright....one way is to bring your chin towards your chest..have a look at this notice how straight his back and neck is.... this is a very basic clip however...the fundamentals don't change...hope it helps...try some of those excercises they are quite difficult to do plus also he like doing a squat test...that helps with flexiblity
Thanks. I will take my camera to the gym next time I go and jump the treadmill and get some footage. This sure is an interesting and fun journey!
I am not sure what running resources you use and have looked through...Lee Saxby works closely with Nicholas Romanov of Pose Running which I have adopted here is some interesting links to have a look at: http://www.youtube.com/user/posetv http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Uvm2bg-aSHg
Hi Murls, I had some of the Brooks Beast shoes years ago and the name fitted the shoe, they were a beast of a thing to wear. When I ran in them, along with my orthotics I felt exhausted by the time I got back, and my hips felt like they were coming apart. They never sorted out my shin pains either. Only learning to run correctly helps in the end. Neil
+1 Shin splints were my major foe for years, no, decades. And during that time, I always defaulted to the advice from the 'experts' in the sporting goods stores and running magazines, always tried new devices to combat the problem. Different shoes, different insoles, compression this and compression that, all of it crap, all of it nothing but bs thought up by the product management dept of one company or another. FINALLY, I met a real coach who worked with me, got my form sorted out, got me into neutral shoes, and then into racing flats, and I haven't had a classic runner's syndrome since. And Barefooting has only enhanced the experience
Hi Willie, Isn't it amazing how much misinformation is out there. I'm interested in the reason it's there, is it just due to ignorance or more to promote some product without the writer disclosing their 'interest' in the product. I watch with interest the "trendy' types that buy the latest runners to look cool, at the gym I got to it seems Nike Free is the cool shoe favoured by the trainers while I wear my $5 rubber soled beach shoes. My old pair lasted around 3 years before falling apart. Neil
