Truth be told, I’m getting excited for sandal
season to start again. I am solidifying
my race calendar and I am planning to cap the year with the Leadville 100-mile
trail run and maybe even another Spartan World Championship. As each of us look to our summer and fall
running seasons I wanted to share one of the best and most simple form fixes you
can implement now to give you a more successful season.
One of the most common mistake runners make in their form is to
over-stride. Over-striding can be
defined as any form of landing that causes a braking force. One of the easiest cues to help remedy this
situation is to simply “bend your knees more.”
In theory, when we are running we are using our legs as giant
springs. If our knees are not flexed
enough during running gait we are more likely to land with the foot too forward
of our center of mass. This forward foot
landing creates a brake and
diminishes our forward momentum. This
braking effect leads to higher impact forces and reduces our running economy.
Need a good example of the difference bending your knees can make? Compare yourself running up a steep hill
versus down the same hill. Because it
takes excessive effort to over-striding while running uphill, most people don’t
do it. They instead bend their knees
more and take shorter steps. On the
other hand, over-striding is very common while running downhill. Film yourself running downhill, then repeat
with your knees bent deeper. You should
see a smoother decent with your knees bent more (i.e. less bobbing up and down).
Combine this with an increased cadence and the results should be less
achy hips and knees.
In addition to bending the knees and allowing your leg springs to
work, I also like to focus on relaxing my calf muscles and the tops of my
feet. Bending your knees more should
help to relax your calves naturally but if you’re used to holding excess
tension in your calves and feet, you might want to cue yourself to relax
further. Many runners who over-stride will
also demonstrate increased vertical oscillation (i.e. bobbing up and down).
Following the aforementioned cues can improve your efficiency and likely
allow you to train more miles and a faster pace due to less impact forces.
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| Bending the knees helps you land with your foot closer to your center of mass. |
Filming your gait can be your best tool because sometimes what we
think we are doing is not what we are actually doing. I often use film for my runners so that they
can compare how different cues change their gait. When we see improved efficiency and when the
runner feels smoother and more comfortable, we know that we’ve found the right
cue. I have found over the years that
“bend the knees more” has been one of the best cues to reduce impact forces and
smooth out gait. This is especially true
for downhill running when runners are most likely to over-stride. Experimentation is the foundation of learning
so it’s up to you to give these cues a try and see how your body responds.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy running season!
