Running Form

The New Old Way to Run.
by Andrew Nelson for www.getfitnyc.com
andy@getfitnyc.com


Since the book “Born to Run” came out there has been a lot of attention on running without shoes. The science says that it is fine…sort of. However for most people who have been running in shoes since they were toddlers, there needs to be significant adaptation. Injury rates for those who switch from shoes to barefoot have not been sufficiently tested; but as with any other skill, barefoot running takes some getting used to. I have run barefoot and it has helped my form but I DO NOT run barefoot very far, I am up to 3/4 mile in 1/4 mile bouts.
Warning: Running forward on the foot requires adaptation. Take it slow and stretch and roll your calves more than usual.

So what should the running form look like? It should look like you are running barefoot. Try this: In bare feet, raise up on to the balls of the feet. Now GENTLY sway forward and backward from the ankles until you have to move your feet forward. That forward lean is the position of efficient running. Now lift your feet off the ground quickly. Picking your feet up is the major distinction from past beliefs about running form. If you ever played a sport, you were told to drive off of the ground. Distance running is not that sport and barefoot running screams that at you. When you sprint, you try to cover a lot of ground but over a short period of time.

Endurance running requires a different posture altogether. A posture that is lighter on the feet and energy conserving. Running over the balls of the feet and lifting the feet almost before they hit the ground requires focus while running in shoes. Running without shoes or minimal shoes requires even shorter strides. The short, quick strides of a runner in shoes can help to reduce injury as well by reducing the time the foot is in contact with the ground. Less contact is ultimately less strain on the joints; but something else must be working. That something else are the muscles of the upper leg. The good news is the muscles can become more efficient much quicker than a joint can.

A few running drills that can help you run like a barefoot Kenyan:

1. Wall running. - Stand with your hands on a wall or a fence. Lean forward from the heels. Do Not Bend at The Waist. Lift one foot in the air. Your legs should make a figure 4 if viewed from the side. Now run for 3 steps, focusing on lifting the foot and not on pushing off the ground.

2. Heel to butt running - This is not the Butt Kickers where your knee points at the ground. These you lift the foot until your heel is close to your butt allowing the feet to pass each other on the way down/up.

3. Pawing the ground - Stand with your hands on your hips and "paw" the ground allowing the foot just brush the dirt. You should feel like you are pedaling with one leg.

4. Trail or off road running- Running on a soft and/or uneven surface reminds the body to pick the feet up off of the ground quickly. A faster turnover of the feet, even for slower runners, has been shown to improve running economy.

Anyone can be a runner given the desire and time to learn. Running is accessible to all and only requires a pair of shoes and a place to run.