Heel striking ... Should i chamge my form?

Options
Saab_2015
Saab_2015 Posts: 277 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just bought a pair of running shoes and found out I do strike the heel first which I was unaware off. I was told as long as you have good shoes I shouldnt worry to much. What is your experiance?

Replies

  • MNLittleFinn
    MNLittleFinn Posts: 4,271 Member
    Options
    Saab_2015 wrote: »
    I just bought a pair of running shoes and found out I do strike the heel first which I was unaware off. I was told as long as you have good shoes I shouldnt worry to much. What is your experiance?

    I heal strike. Longest run so far is 6 miles. From my limited experience, if you have the right shoes, you should be fine.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
    Options
    I am new to jogging. I changed my form with chi and pose running techniques. My running was mainly in sports and was more short sprints than long runs. I tested to be a heel-striker at slower/steady-state jogs. Heal-striking felt slow and heavy. Since I was new to jogging, I was able to change my form with ease. The new style seems to help activate the glutes and propel me forward more than the heal strike.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Options
    Some of the greatest all-time runners have been heel strikers.

    Run with your natural gait, if you start having problems with injuries you may want to go for more of a mid-foot strike but if it ain't broke...... (I'm a mild heel striker but found I naturally shortened my stride when I started running outside all year 'round - it's a matter of survival running on icy/snowy roads - and it's carried over to my summer running too)
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Options
    It's not really a big deal. The main thing to think about is where your forward for lands in relation to your body weight. Ideally just in front or underneath your centre of mass.

    I have read that intentionally trying to change gait when you don't need to has little effect on injury rates, it just changes the injury type for people who are susceptible.

  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    Options
    Most people are heel strikers. You are far more likely to injure yourself from doing too much too soon, building up mileage too fast, not taking rest days at the beginning, running too fast, etc. I am only on my midfoot when I run really slowly. By the time I speed up, like most people, I am on my heels again. You could do more damage to yourself trying to change your gait unnecessarily.

    Ease into it, listen to your body, you'll be fine.
  • AdrianChr92
    AdrianChr92 Posts: 567 Member
    Options
    Just make sure you don't overstride.
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    Options
    Agreeing with what others above have said. If you aren't having problems due to impact, then don't change your foot strike.

    A heel strike -- if it comes naturally to you -- is fine. A lot of people hill strike and run with ease. You're more likely to injure yourself trying to change your foot strike. If you want to improve your form, work on your cadence (ideal: 180 steps per minute) and work on your core muscles to keep yourself from hunching forward as you get further into your run.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    Options
    Heels are made for this. It's ok to land on your heels first.
  • nathan_haveagoodday
    nathan_haveagoodday Posts: 38 Member
    Options
    Experiment and find out what works for you. Good form/conditioning/diet/rest are all waaaaay more important than the shoes you wear. Listen to your body. If how you run is causing you pain, then change up different variables one at a time to figure out why. If what you are doing now is working, why fix it?
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Options
    meritage4 wrote: »
    Heels are made for this. It's ok to land on your heels first.

    No, not really. Over striding is hard on you.


  • Saab_2015
    Saab_2015 Posts: 277 Member
    Options
    Thanks for all your advice guys
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    Options
    If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Lots of people heel strike, its fine. Strike is just one component of form.

    Just make sure you are not overstriding - that is, your foot should land slightly in front of you or just under your torso, not way out in front of you. Where your foot lands in relation to your body is far more important than what part of your foot physically makes contact with the ground first.

    Now if you start to have pain, you can think about changing things. But I would caution against messing with your gait before you have tried some easier solutions (like scaling back - most new runner injuries are of the 'too much, too fast, too soon' variety). Forcing yourself into a strike that is unnatural for your gait can also cause cascading injuries.
  • TrailRunn3rMN
    TrailRunn3rMN Posts: 162 Member
    Options
    This.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vRT7KVGCI0
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
    Options
    kristinegift wrote: »
    Agreeing with what others above have said. If you aren't having problems due to impact, then don't change your foot strike.

    A heel strike -- if it comes naturally to you -- is fine. A lot of people hill strike and run with ease. You're more likely to injure yourself trying to change your foot strike. If you want to improve your form, work on your cadence (ideal: 180 steps per minute) and work on your core muscles to keep yourself from hunching forward as you get further into your run.

    Heel striking is caused by a shoe's heel-to-toe drop. Shoes where the heel is much higher than the toe lead to heel striking.

    More on that here: http://www.gearinstitute.com/getschooled/item/what-is-heel-drop

    Looking at OP's pic, it does appear that his shoes have some fat heels.

    If you're talking about naturally.. if we were to take our shoes off and run barefoot, we'd all be striking on our midfoot/forefoot. That is how our foot works.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    Options
    meritage4 wrote: »
    Heels are made for this. It's ok to land on your heels first.

    Slip your shoes off and go out for a run, see how many steps it takes for you to realise that heel striking is facilitated by shoes. Without them runners do not tend to heel strike.

    That said, to the OP - no problem heel striking when wearing decent running shoes.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    Options
    I know opinions will vary about whether it's worth attempting to change your gait or not.
    A determinant of whether it's worth your while or not depends on whether it's giving you problems.
    A few years ago I looked into POSE running and learned to land on my midfoot. As a hypermobile pronator not to heel strike anymore, made the world of difference to my running, as I no longer get shin splints nor knee pain.
    However, had I not had any problems I probably wouldn't have bothered.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    Options
    walterc7 wrote: »
    If you're talking about naturally.. if we were to take our shoes off and run barefoot, we'd all be striking on our midfoot/forefoot. That is how our foot works.

    That's true!

  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    Options
    TrailRunn3rMN wrote: »
    This.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vRT7KVGCI0

    Interesting!

Categories