One Runner’s View: Re-Learning How To Run April 11
by Steve Magness
Running seems to come naturally, so why should we worry about our technique or form? Ask many coaches and they will tell you that distance runners should not worry about how they run. On the other hand there are books on running technique popping up everywhere. So what is the truth?
The truth can be found by studying the best distance runners in the world. If you look at frame by frame shots of world class runners, 95% of them run correctly. Distance runners neglect working on their form it is difficult to change the way one runs. Recently, I sat down with two highly successful coaches and spent four nights watching 800m and 1500m Olympic or championship races. The similarities between almost all of the top runners were astounding.
Knowing how to run is the most difficult part. In the discussion below I will stick with what can be seen through analyzing elite runners and biomechanical knowledge. The following is based on the ideas of world renowned biomechanics expert and sprint coach Tom Tellez and I am much indebted for the information he provided.
The Drive Phase
The running stride can be divided into two phases, the recovery phase, and the support/drive phase. The drive phase causes the propulsion needed to get you moving and starts with when foot contact is made. Once foot contact is made you allow the foot to load up and extend the hip downwards and slightly back to create the force. The extension of the hip is where your power comes from. It is helpful to think of it as a crank device which you crank from the hip.
When coming off the ground you are trying to optimize the vertical and horizontal components of the stride. With too much horizontal movement you will flatten out and not come off the ground, thus losing air time and stride length. Too much vertical movement will leave you high up in the air for too long and you’ll bounce along with a very short stride length. Thus, it is important to optimize the angle and extend your hip so that you have a slight bounce in your stride. A good cue for this is to look at the horizon. If it stays flat, you are too horizontal. If it bounces a lot, you are too vertical. An analogy is to think back to your high school physics class and remember how to get the greatest distance when firing a cannon ball. The angle has to be optimized.
When the hip is extended correctly it will result in the working of a stretch/reflex mechanism. This is best thought of as a sling shot where you stretch it back and then let it go and it will shoot back to its original position. When you extend the hip you are putting it in a stretch position. Once the hip has extended, it is important not to try to do anything unnatural with your feet or toes. A common mistake is to try to push off at the end of this phase with your toes. This will likely result in too much horizontal momentum.
The Recovery Phase
With this mechanism, the recovery cycle of the leg will happen automatically. The lower leg will lift off the ground and fold so that it comes close to your buttocks (how close depends on the speed you are running) then pass under your hips with the knee leading. Once the knee has led through the lower leg will unfold and should touch down right underneath you.
Trying to actively move the leg through the recovery phase is a common mistake and will only result in more wasted energy. The leg won’t cycle through as quickly as it would if you allowed the stretch/reflex mechanism to work. A common mistake is to try to lift the knee at the end of the recovery cycle. The knee will lift enough if you stretch the hip sufficiently.
The knee should be allowed to cycle through and lift, but it should not be forced. That cycle through of the knee is a result of the stretch reflex. The best example of this can be seen in assisted walking experiments with spinal cord injury patients. Since the spinal cord has been damaged, these people do not have use of their lower body. However, if they are put on a treadmill and someone actively pushes their leg back, extending the hip to initiate the stretch/reflex, the injured patient’s leg will cycle through the recovery part of walking without assistance! In addition it has been shown that the recovery phase of running constitutes less than 15% of the total energy used during running, further supporting the idea that most of the work is automatic because of the stretch/reflex. Trying to actively lift the knee or pull the leg through is a waste of time and energy. (more…)