Inefficient form sells more shoes!
When people talk about running difficulties, injuries and general lack of progress, it’s easy to point the finger at improper footwear or hard-surface terrain as the problem-causing culprits. At least that’s what the businesses who want you to buy their products think! Look at the product claims:
- “Never feel like you’re running on pavement again. The smooth, neutral ride and generous cushioning of the adiStar Cushion 6 can make the hardest surface feel like a flat, wood-chip covered park trail.”
- “Asics’ GEL Cushioning System uses high-quality and highly effective silicone gels that are found in strategic areas, especially the areas that bear the most impact such as the forefoot and the rearfoot. This puts a cushion around all areas of your feet to protect you from shock and impact, and of course, foot safety equates to maximum performance and great running power.”
- “The Nike Shox Turbo+ VII running shoe is for the runner who needs the best cushioning the footwear industry can provide.”
Even orthopaedic doctors will tell us to look for good shock absorption in running shoes and construction that provides good stability for the foot. Most people have also heard the advice to replace running shoes every 9 to 12 months, since most of the shock absorption properties are lost within that time (depending on how often they are used). And everyone knows they aren’t supposed to run on hard surfaces…
But why do so few people actually look at how they are running? In trying to minimize impact, wouldn’t it make more sense to analyze form before looking at the shoes or the terrain? Surely if we are running efficiently – using proper posture, not landing on the heel, keeping a soft knee, etc, then we can avoid some of the heel-strike problems that occur in traditional running. Not looking at our form is akin to treating an illness with a drug that masks the symptoms, without bothering to look for a cure.
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending a two-day CrossFit Running & Endurance Specialty Certification course run by Carl Borg. I was very humbled by my lack of knowledge and experience when it came to running form, and it showed! Learning to run as an adult is a challenge–after all, as the Nike ad commands, aren’t you supposed to just DO it? Well, let me say that there actually is a lot to think about when you break things down.
On the first day, our normal running technique was recorded on video and analyzed. Then, after numerous lectures and lots of work on drills and skills, we had a second chance on day two to record another run. Huge differences were seen in the way we all ran.
Carl teaches POSE running, which focuses on i) proper posture, ii) falling (using gravity) and iii) pulling (bringing the foot straight up). POSE contrasts with traditional running form where we see errors such as: bending at the waist, landing in front (braking), landing on the heels (not using muscle elasticity), landing on a straight leg (knee load), pushing off in back, and keeping the foot on the ground too long. Believe me, it’s hard to “un-learn” many years of poor running form overnight! But with enough drills, we were taught to use gravity to our advantage by leaning slightly into our run. We learned that more lean equated to more speed. We were taught to pull our leg up, not push it out at the back. Carl explained how minimal movement is key, as the idea is to use the ground reaction and muscle elasticity instead of muscle energy to more forward.
There are lots of web resources on POSE running technique, and a quick search will get you some good resources if you’re looking for more information.
Below is a the video of my running form from the first day, and again on day two. Both were segments of 400 meter runs, at an easy pace. Carl took note of three numbers, referring to frame counts on his video equipment. Specifically, he counted the number of frames between one foot touching the ground and i) when the ankle, hip and shoulder were in line (“Posture”), ii) when the foot left the ground (“Ground”), and iii) when the next foot touched down (“Air”). The intervals were compared from day one and day two (after all the POSE drills) to look for improvements. Carl was looking for people to get into the proper alignment and to pull the foot off the ground quickly, and to get maximum time in the air.
My personal video analysis showed an improvement in running technique of 50% over day one, and I felt like I hadn’t even scratched the surface of POSE running form. Please remember that this isn’t a video showing me doing great POSE form, it’s just me trying to learn in one weekend. I have a long, long way to go yet, but with practice I’m determined to get better. And at least I’m able to trade my old running shoes for racing flats or even my Vibram FiveFingers!
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