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Perfect Your Running Stride
by
Art Liberman (with Stephen Pribut, D.P.M and Carlo De Vito)
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- Stride has a huge impact on how well you run
- Stride length: how far you step out
- Do not bring knees up too high
Stride concerns how your legs swing into position as you run. Some people have long, loping strides, while others have short, economical ones. Some lift their knees high, while others barely lift them at all. Stride can make a huge difference in how well you run. Most runners who want to increase their speed turn to adjusting their stride in order to make it to the next level.
Start with your natural stride, and see where it takes you. Don’t be concerned with trying to run fast when you first begin a running program. As beginning runners progress through the first few months of their running program and want to improve their efficiency and speed, there are three adjustments that can be considered: stride frequency, stride length, and knee lift.
Stride Length
Stride length refers to how far you are stepping out when you extend your leg and foot. Increasing your stride length increases the amount of ground you cover with each step. However, make sure not to overextend your stride, since this, too, is inefficient.
A good rule of thumb is for your heel not to strike the ground too far in front of your knee. Some running experts feel that a short stride is a sign of inflexibility. That is not always so. Proper stretching after a run can help to improve your flexibility, which can lengthen your stride.
Overstriders are easy to spot since they usually have an excessive kick or else rarely bend their knees. They tend to lope or bounce, and their motion is not rhythmic or fluid. Overstriding can actually slow you down due to feet being in contact with the ground longer than for a normal stride length. Make sure you don’t overstride, as it can lead to a host of problems including Achilles tendonitis, iliotibial band pain, and iliopsoas muscle pain.
Stride Frequency
Increasing the frequency of your stride is a little more challenging than increasing its length. You’re asking your body to move faster than it already is, which isn’t an easy thing to do. Basically, you are asking your body to quicken its natural rhythm. One way to improve your stride frequency is by concentrating on your knee motion.
Knee Lift
By focusing on your knee motion, you’ll probably improve both your stride frequency and length. Be careful not to bring your knees up too high, because how far you bring your knees up determines how long your stride will be. Remember, a stride that’s too long or too short is inefficient. Therefore, the correct knee lift coupled with the correct frequency of leg turnover dictates how effectively you can cover ground. In short, the knees do not have to come up very high for long-distance runners. Only sprinters or those charging up a hill have to lift their legs a bit higher than usual.
...from The Everything Running Book, 2nd Edition.
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