We often focus on some individual aspects, and neglect the overall gesture: here are the tips for having a harmonious running movement
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Runningcharlott
Support, cadence, knee, arm, upright torso. We often focus on the individual elements that make up the running technique, but we rarely examine the entire movement. Instead, not only is every gear fundamental, but how they work together makes the difference. In practice we can have perfect support, a cadence of 180 steps per minute, arms aligned, torso well erect, but then when we start the car, the result does not live up to expectations.
technique and dynamics, an example
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I do an example that perhaps makes everything clear. Let’s take the case of Manuela, a 45-year-old runner who has been running for some time. She read many articles and tried to analyze her race. She went to a specialized shop, she evaluated hers supporthe exercised his feet and obtained neutral support, in the midfoot, with support time relatively low. Then he forced his hand a little on the cadence, looking for the perfect rhythm and now he often exceeds the famous 180 steps. His arms are well aligned, when he runs he keeps his torso upright, taking care not to have a “seated” run. Manuela has done all her homework. Yet when she runs she makes an incredible effort, the heart rate rises to 175 after the first kilometres. Where is he wrong? An analysis of the running dynamics is missing, that is, Manuela has analyzed and corrected a single part, but in reality she doesn’t know how to run. And the truth is that her race has the wrong dynamics. How to evaluate it? We ask a friend to film us with a phone in slow motion, first from the side and then from behind while we run and everything is analyzed. Let’s see how.
running dynamics
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First of all, as the word “dynamic” itself says, this analysis must be done on the move. Then take the side video and watch your run. Take the foot, one of the two, as a reference point and observe its trajectory. What shape does it draw in space? Is it a circular line or a wave? In fact, the foot should trace a circular evolution, this is because the knee of the recall leg (the one that detaches from behind and moves forward) bends, the leg gathers and moves forward, where the foot rests. However, if the leg does not gather and the knee does not bend, the result is that the foot follows a “pendulum” trajectory. Running becomes so inefficient, tiring and incorrect, which is why Manuela always struggles despite having correct cadence, posture and support. Now let’s take the video shot from behind. What to observe? Always look at your feet and ask yourself if you see the soles of the shoes in the video. If you pick up the leg correctly you should see the entire sole of the leg that comes off, but if you have incorrect dynamics you will see a small part of it.
the phases of the race
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The correct dynamics is divided into two phases: support or Stance and detachment o Swing. We often put a lot of attention into Stancewhich is divided into two phases: cushioning and thrust. This is why we look for suitable shoes, which provide sufficient cushioning and which allow us to push correctly. However we neglect it Swing. That is, we don’t stop to analyze the free leg, with the result that we often fail to improve our running. The free leg is the one that comes off the ground and goes forward, that is, it takes the actual step and it is not enough to carry it forward in any way to run well. In fact, if we want to lengthen our stride, we must not only improve the push phase of the stance, but optimize the swing. The Swing is divided into three phases: recall of the leg, that is, when the leg passes from behind to front, inversionthat is, when the leg extends forward and contact, that is, where and how the leg falls to the ground, to then move on to Stance. If even just one of these three moments is not correct, we waste a lot of potential and energy, because we entrust all the work to the take-off leg. If we do not collect the leg well in the recall, if we do not extend it forward and if we do not prepare the contact to have correct support, the work will be half done.
recommended exercises
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To exercise it Swing it’s important work on technique. Among the most effective exercises are the kick under or recall of the leg below, the high skip with development of the front leg and hip flexor exercisesdone with elastic bands or on the ground, to isolate the flexor well, which is a small muscle, but responsible for the movement of the leg forward.
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