by Dean Davies
Health Fusion Natural Therapy
Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced runner there are ways of getting faster without having to train harder. Often when athletes become stale and start looking at how things can be changed and improved, running technique is normally the last thing that is considered. Taking a close look at how you run can be one of the most time effective ways of improving your performance. Even though it is impossible to become an elite runner overnight, just the smallest change can trigger a chain of events that with persistence can allow you to become a more efficient runner.
Many of you have probably turned on the TV to watch the World Championships or Olympics and thought “If only I could run like that”; well I’m here to tell you, YOU CAN! Back in the 1980’s and 90’s there was a coach by the name of Loren Seagrave who developed his own idea’s about the most efficient technique, and further developed a number of drills, when practiced with supervision an athlete could vastly improve their running ability. Loren Seagrave was responsible for successfully coaching “King Carl” that is Carl Lewis for those of you too young to remember, represented his country on many occasions and not to mention winner of multiple gold medals. This technique does not just apply to sprinting, if you take a close look at an elite distance runner such as Craig Mottram you may be surprised to notice that he too, is extremely efficient as he naturally applies the fundamentals I am about to discuss.
When considering the fundamentals of running, there are three main points to consider.
- Running tall
- Feet in the dorsiflexed position ( i.e.: contract the muscles of the shin so your toes come up towards you)
- Foot strike lands underneath your centre of gravity
Let’s begin by exploring what is meant by running tall. This is the ideal running position, as it allows you to utilize your body weight to propel you forward. Standing naturally with your arms by your side attempt to rotate your pelvis under. Pretend you are performing a pelvic thrust, except not quite as exaggerated, as your aim is not to get any shorter in the position you are standing in. Now imagine there is a string attached behind your belly button extending up through your body and out the top of your head. If you were a puppet and the puppeteer was to pull on that string you would be lifted up onto your toes. Now begin to gently lean forward, remembering not to bend at the waist. At the point you begin to lose your balance, this is the ideal position.
Ok, hopefully you have understood what is meant by running tall; let’s have a look at what your feet should be doing. The reason you need your feet in the dorsiflexed position is to allow the most dynamic part of your foot to strike the ground. When the ball of the foot comes in contact with the ground, the foot and lower leg structure act like a wound spring causing minimal contact with the ground propelling you forward with minimal effort. Initially this is possibly the hardest concept to grasp and it certainly does not feel natural as many runners still prefer to use the heel-toe method.
Lastly if we combine the above two points, the correct foot strike position should happen automatically. The reason you want your foot to land underneath your centre of gravity is to minimize braking forces which will ultimately slow you down and may contribute to injury. To start, with your body position tall, and your feet dorsiflexed on foot strike, begin to run slowly keeping your stride nice and short. Most runners tend to stretch out too far causing a foot strike in front of their centre of gravity which brings about a sitting type position (opposite to running tall), completely different to what you are trying to achieve. Only when you start too feel comfortable should you attempt to go a little faster. At this stage if you have been able to follow the instructions you will probably feel uncoordinated, however if you persist the improvements you are after will surely follow.
When you are successful at the application of the above fundamentals you will create a more efficient running style, you will be running faster with less effort and you are also likely to reduce the risk of running induced injury.
As was mentioned earlier there a number of drills that will assist you in achieving your goals. If your are wanting to fast track your improvements I suggest you seek advice from a person whom is very familiar with this approach, hence they can provide you with all the drills necessary and the correct instruction and feedback to help you achieve your goals.
