Forums >Running 101>Can Downhill Running Improve Leg Speed?
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Does running down hill repeats at a slight decline improve running economy and speed for running on a flat course?
"The drops of rain make a hole in the stone, not by violence, but by oft falling." - Lucretius
#2867
You'll be landing alot harder on your feet; now this will be, High Impact.
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I think that Bowerman said it best - "I'll start having them run hill repeats when they put hills on the track." If your race includes any incline or decline, train with it. Otherwise, don't worry about it.
Yes, downhill running will improve your leg turnover rate, but so will running uphill and doing speed work on flat ground without the risk of tearing up your legs. Running downhill is very hard on your legs because your feet are striking the ground heel first and with much higher force than when running on level ground. I wouldn't suggest going out of your way to run downhill except for the experience of learning how to it properly. Tom
I agree with much of what Nobby said (but I don't do downhills on stairs ).
AKTrail: We do not use stairs for leg-turnover work. That was just an example of how that feels. Too much chance to get tangled up and fall, trying to do it on steps! ;o)
I don't necessarily think running uphill will improve leg turnover; but if anything, I don't think you should try. When going uphill, it is a resistance work (or at least it is to me) and the slower you go up, the more resistance you'll feel. Ideal technique for hill resistance work is with the image of "spending an extra half a second (in actuality, it's probably less than that...) on each step"--grip the ground with your foot. Race horses do this and it's called (I'm not quite sure in correct English translation but...) "stomping".