Forums >General Running>Land on Heel, ball of foot or midfoot when Running ?
landing on heel seems to be traditional
Pose method advocates landing on ball of foot
Chi running advocates landing midfoot
Self anointed title
The important thing is to land.
If you try to consciously change your landing you are likely to injure yourself. You will learn to land the correct way naturally with lots of running.
You will learn to land the correct way naturally with lots of running.
What is the correct way?
Whatever comes naturally, to be honest.
Why land?
Good question. I am really not sure what to do once I take off. So I thought landing is the natural thing to do, and so must be important.
One that is not the wrong way.
Pose method advocates landing on ball of foot Chi running advocates landing midfoot
Two men claim they're Jesus. One of them must be wrong.
BTW: The super padding they put in the heels of these cushioned running shoes encourages peeps to be heel thumpers. Some shoe designs make it impossible, almost, to land on anything but the heel.
this analogy assumes two things:
1. one of them is right.
2. Jesus was right.
this analogy assumes two things: 1. one of them is right. 2. Jesus was right.
Nah, that's why Mark Knopfler worded it that way. They can both be wrong, but one of them must be wrong.
I think it is interesting to note that in the book "Running the Lydiard Way" Lydiard explains that landing with the ball of your foot first is like putting on the brakes...
So...
If heel striking is putting on the brakes and forefoot striking is putting on the brakes then midfoot striking must be the way to go?
I just dont know if there is a universally correct way to run.
As far as running the way it feels most natural? Sure. If you are running under 20 mpw you could most likely run any of the above methods without problems. But if you get up to higher mileage you may need to fine tune your mechanics.
This is not to say you should run unnaturally. But what is really natural for you anyways? Have we not lived most of our lives wearing unnatural, heavy, super-cushioned, motion-control, pronation-control, spring-loaded, ankle-supporting, super-slam dunk athletic shoes? Overtime this could change what would have been your natural way to run in the first place. So I believe there is room for improvement. It may take awhile but anyone can improve their mechanics in a more efficient way.
I started to run barefoot awhile back (vibram five fingers too) and I have spent the last two years re-analyzing and reforming my running mechanics. This may be tedious for some and it take a whole lot of focus and attention while you run, but I have settled into a very smooth and relaxed way of running that works really well for me.
So it took me two whole years to finally discover my naturally efficient way to run. My current style of running or that I run barefoot is not my point here. The point is that it may take some time and effort to find your natural style of running- whatever that may be.
Just my 2 cents
So... If heel striking is putting on the brakes and forefoot striking is putting on the brakes then midfoot striking must be the way to go?
Technically, midfoot striking would be both heel and toe, so by definition it would be no better. However, spending time thinking about what part of your feet should strike the ground is a waste of time.
Braking occurs because your foot is still moving forward relative to the ground when it strikes the surface, so you brake. It wastes energy. Same holds true if you draw your foot back (pawback) on contact such that it's moving backwards (relative to the surface) on contact, wastes energy. .