That article from The New Yorker Jeff posted got me thinking a bit about running form.
I've read the BS books such as Chi and Pose and there's too much junk in there and too much sales. I understand you need to run a business but C'mon Man!
Recently I am reading Mastering the Art of Running (Balk) which bases much of it's guidance on the Alexander method. I'm only into Chapter 1 so I haven't a clue about it yet (I'll share when I get an opinion). But I have the question - form matters (mostly) so is it worth it to try to change. More importantly change to what?
McGill had some great comments regarding form in that it will improve through drills (Lydiard said this too). So what's your take?
"He conquers who endures" - Persius "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel
http://ncstake.blogspot.com/
Feeling the growl again
To a large extent, messing with form will lead to unnatural changes and further inefficiencies. Form CAN be important, but there are numerous examples of bad for (Geb's upper body) that don't seem to impede people.
This is not to say that drills have no value. To run fast you must learn to run more efficiently; if you force yourself to do fast drills regularly your body will find its own way to doing it more efficiently and this will be more likely to "stick" than artificially messing with form.
The best medicine I have found for form is running more. If you run volume to the point you get tired with some regularity, you will subconsciously start running BETTER.
I guess you you know you heal strike you can work on shortening your stride and bouncing less so that you can land forefoot. I'd still say to do it by focusing on trying to run what feels efficient, and not trying to force some arbitrary change in form. What works for one person may not work for another.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
I started messing with my form last spring
But I am making just subtle changes
1st I started to make sure I was landing with my foot under myelf - Being a heal striker there were times - Mostly when running easy and slow, I was getting it a bit in front.
Next I tried to gradually move my weight more to the midfoot - This is still a work in progress. I found when I 1st tried to do this I was bending at the waist to accomplish it.
The think I took from the article you reference is a subtle change - My arm back swing was weak and range of motion through the forswing was very limited - So I have been messing with that. This may be sublte, but I am finding that when I concentrate on this ... not forced, just get more back and forward range of motion, it seems to keep me better positioned on the midfoot.
As I am thinking midfoot and armswing, I am also thinking about my leg swing ... although I have not messed with it yet.
I try to do a lot of runs, where I just run and do not think about anything, but I find if I do 20-30% of my miles really concentrating of some light changes, over time they start to transition into my form when I do not think about it.
It could be a recipe for disaster - But I really feel better and faster with the above changes - I just need to be careful of my body. I have had a little some achillies / hamstring and Shin stress - Just mild stuff.
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
When I run more, I just become really effecient at shuffling fast @ 200+ MPW I am a heal striking shuffling machine ... minimal arm swing, etc - I can shuffle @ 8:00 minute miles all day long.
Your idea of running more is a little different from mine
I have been told my form "looks" very efficient. I recall someone asking my after my HM PR when I was going to run one hard, because I was clearly not working when I passed them (I was dropping a 5:13 last mile into a 15-20mph headwind, ugh, I WAS working dammit!).
Yet all my race photos look gumpy. My hands always look stupid. Just yesterday I was working on carrying my hands differently. It messed me up and disrupted my whole upper body. Perhaps with time....
You are right, adjustments can be made but you have to go very very slow with it or you could introduce compensation issues and mess stuff up. I was guilty of that years ago.
I agree that a big change is asking for trouble. I guess there is a thought that I can make a smalll change coupled with solid mileage to double up on my performance increases. Basically if running 70 miles per week gets me to a certain level. Making an improvement in form above what would occur naturally, might enhance that ability even more.
DBs shuffle comment rings a bell when I compare that to the way you run or other fast racers. There must be a couple of general truths (landing under one's center of gravity to prevent overstriding, being able to relax the shoulders and arms but not flop, etc.)
What is interesting is that I did not read the article until just now. So everything I posted was done so ignorant of the article. It is interesting how much I agree with. I have the same arm issue as Ritz, it just feels so unnatural to try and change it. The part that struck me the most was the comment about minimizing the contact time with the ground -- hit, push off, go into the next stride. It makes sense, the longer you are on the ground the more likely you are landing in front of your body. Now I'm sure at slower speeds spending more time in contact with the ground is unavoidable.
During this last training cycle, one thing I noticed was how "slow" I felt. I never felt like I was nimble and fast, I lingered on the ground. I think that due to the low number of workouts I was doing in the heat I never got back to that fast, quick contact form. I can remember when I was much quicker, I did have that feeling of quick contact, fast push-off. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. If you are on the ground, your muscles are holding your weight up and that takes energy. If you contact quickly and push off, you use part of the energy that holds your mass up to also push you forward; it is much more efficient.
It takes some pop to get to this form. I think those of us that run too slow too much don't do what it takes to get there. I'm going to put this on my list of things to pay attention to as I get into training again.
MTA: The other thing that was interesting was that it totally messed Ritz up to try and change his form. Given how incredibly injury-prone he is, it's surprising they tried it at all but I guess he's eager to be the best.
Andy I agree with you
I am only half ass working on a few things and its much harder as miles increase. So because my aerobic engine can do 150+ MPW - The tweaks in form are stressing different muscles, tendons and joints differently - they do not have the ability to do the same volume, so I find myself having to make a choice - Back off the miles or back off the new tweaks ... sometimes mid-run.
I think ideally I would try and hold better form for the number of miles I can and then stop and slowly build up the mileage as I am able. Reality I will continue to play with the tweaks to form and at times knowingly revert to lessor form, to still get in the miles.
Right now I have an angry right hamstring and ankle ...
But when I do the 1st 50% of my run with the tweaks I am making ... Midfoot, arm swing and leg swing - Damn does it feel good and smooth ... until it gets hard to do. This includes slow running and interval/Tempo work - Damn it is effortless, but them bam! I can not hold the form any longer ...
We will see.
I've been thinking about this, too.
I think there are three things you can do to improve form:
Run More.
Run faster - near-sprint and sprinting drills, downhill runs.
and Flexibility.
Running more improves efficiency both mechanically and in the energy management department.
Running faster - You need to be efficient at running faster for a race situation, of course. Your form changes as you run faster. For most people this means getting a bit more up on the toe, snapping back, raising the knee - all those good things.
And, look at any older runner and see the lost flexibility. It hampers speed,
I've been focusing some on my form. Not changing it up, just trying to do it right more often and not getting lazy. Faster, quicker, get the trail leg up quicker. I feel faster already, even if I am not.
I agree on the whole flexibility thing. You have to do extra work to run fast if you are tight.
Consequently, my calves are fucking sore today.
Sore now - score later.
I think the worst part of my form is the waist up. I spend most of my day seated at a desk and when I work late, I start to hunch over. My whole upper body it seems is a bit helter-skelter. I have a feeling this really affects my form.
Any advice?
Perhaps I need to get in some super-serious core work? If so, any advice on that?
If you plug in my bib # (434), you'll get a few shots of me at Baystate. I am sure it is a stupid game to analyze based on random shots, but maybe there is an obvious theme?
http://www.capstonephotostore.com/search.php?eventnum=402
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
I think the worst part of my form is the waist up. I spend most of my day seated at a desk and when I work late, I start to hunch over. My whole upper body it seems is a bit helter-skelter. I have a feeling this really affects my form. Any advice? Perhaps I need to get in some super-serious core work? If so, any advice on that? If you plug in my bib # (434), you'll get a few shots of me at Baystate. I am sure it is a stupid game to analyze based on random shots, but maybe there is an obvious theme? http://www.capstonephotostore.com/search.php?eventnum=402
Nads - a friend of mine suggested using one of those large workout balls for core work. Many different exercises and the ultimate test of core strength was being able to stand on the thing and maintain posture. Full disclosure - I tried balancing on the one we have on my knees with little success.
My guess is that the stronger the muscles - the better you can maintain form
That's a good idea. I do need to get on the ball (ha). If I try that balance test, it probably should be done with a helmet.
From what I gather, doing dumbbell work (even, for example, shoulder press) on the exercise ball is a great way to strengthen the core.