More efficient running style
183 watchers
Jul 2014
10:43pm, 12 Jul 2014
1,012 posts
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Canute
Jon Hi. Thanks for your good wishes. My running at present is a bit limited by minor health concerns and loss of fitness, but once my achy legs get moving, I am still able to enjoy the sensation of running well even when running slowly. As you will note from my earlier remarks I too remain unconvinced about the desirability of focusing on hip extension in late stance. I am inclined to encourage getting off stance quickly instead. In contrast many coaches, (eg Steve Magness) emphasize the desirability of a large hip extension, and many pictures and videos clealry show that most elites do exhibit a large extension at final toe off. However I think that pictures at toe-off can be misleading because the ground reaction force has already fallen to a low value. So I think it remains a moot point. |
Jul 2014
4:25am, 25 Jul 2014
3,742 posts
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Jhuff
"""""I can just imagine Jeremy having a chuckle? """"" Running what is that ..lol 😁 |
Jul 2014
7:52am, 25 Jul 2014
2,114 posts
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WeeFR
Mornin' Jeremy. Hope you are well. 
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Jul 2014
4:57pm, 25 Jul 2014
3,743 posts
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Jhuff
Weefr, I am doing well. How are you?
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Jul 2014
8:16am, 29 Jul 2014
2,131 posts
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WeeFR
I'm good and like to say you were right about form and drills. Every mile completed with poor form you are ingraining poor form. Shame I've seen the light eight years too late! |
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Oct 2014
10:12pm, 2 Oct 2014
1,087 posts
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Canute
Reading Simbil’s recent epic blog describing his experience in Ironman Wales http://www.fetcheveryone.com/blog-view.php?id=14526 brought back memories of the old days on this thread. One of the issues we debated was the role of arm swing. Jack Cady was a strong proponent of ensuring a tidy swing by use of a harness that kept the arms close to the body. Some of us emphasized that the arm should swing sharply sharp down and back, close to the body, as the opposite leg extended before beginning the swing forwards. Some of the Pose advocates maintained that there was no need to focus on arms at all, though ironically the Pose ‘pull’ might well be closely linked to arm swing, as we shall discuss in a moment. Simbil was fighting the demons as he passed though Tenby to begin the final lap of the marathon when an old lady looked at him and yelled, "use your arms, don't carry them". Simbil gave it a try and found that his stride picked up and he went on to become an Ironman in convincing style. It is probable that much of the effect was mediated by Simbil’s brain. The motor programs controlling arm and contralateral leg are strongly linked in the brain. But there is also a direct physical link from upper arm to the contralateral leg mediated by latissimus dorsi, the large sheet of muscle that stretches across the back to attach to the thoracolumbar fascia. en.wikipedia.org As the arm swings back, latissimus tightens and pulls on the thoracolumbar fascia, lifting and stabilising the lumbar spine, sacrum and the pelvis on the opposite side. This provides a strong base for G max as it extends the hip. Then as the arm begins to swing forwards the tension in the lats provides an anchor for G medius as it lifts the femur and stops sagging of the swinging leg. A firmly anchored pelvis also provides firm anchor the hamstrings which mediate the ‘pull’. I suspect that by final lap of the Ironman marathon Simbil’s swinging leg needed all the help it could get to prevent sagging. There is no need to remember the names of the muscles and fascia but it might be worth remembering that a tidy sharp swing of the arms can keep exhausted legs moving. |
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Oct 2014
3:37am, 6 Oct 2014
3,744 posts
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Jhuff
Simbal, ah...a blast from the past!
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Dec 2014
11:16pm, 6 Dec 2014
1,178 posts
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Canute
Alex Hutchinson has just reviewed an interesting article on running economy. runnersworld.com I think the most important thing for year-on-year improvement in distance running is improvement of economy. Paula Radcliffe improved economy by 15% over a decade form 1993 to 2003. This was a major factor in her phenomenal marathon performances in 2002=2003. I have reviewed the likely ways she achieved this, several times on my WordPress blog over the past few years. Most recently: canute1.wordpress.com I think that the two major factors were increase in leg muscle power (mainly achieved by intense running and hopping exercises) together with an increased development of type 1 fibres (developed by gradual increase in training volume over a decade). |
Dec 2014
9:40am, 7 Dec 2014
11,821 posts
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GlennR
Interesting stuff Canute.
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Dec 2014
11:42am, 7 Dec 2014
952 posts
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EarlyRiser
Ah. Wonderful. Some late morning reading for me now. Thanks Canute. Time I trawled back through this venerable thread. Always found it fascinating.
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