Leg Rigidity While Running

OldAssDude

This is kinda hard to explain, but something I noticed yesterday while running.

Toward the end of my run I started keeping my legs more rigid upon impact than I normally do, and it seemed to require much less effort per stride because my knees, hips, and ankle joints where not bending as much with each impact. It was like my joints where spring loaded and kinda popped me into the next cycle with a lot less effort.

It seemed that I could run faster at a lower heart rate, and even a little higher cadence. Sure, there was more impact, but not anything that felt like too much.

Is this what people mean when they talk about their feeling the pop?

Or am I just imagining this?

Sorry, but not sure how to explain it.

7lenny7

When keeping your legs more rigid, does it involve activating your glutes to a higher degree?

When I focus on using my glutes more on the push off I feel like I get that pop...that increase in speed with no increase in HR. Perhaps that's two ways to get to the same result? By activating my glutes maybe I'm getting a more rigid stride. By keeping your legs rigid perhaps your activating you glutes more?

I'll have to pay attention to that during my next run. See if I can get the "pop" with either focus, and see if it's a different stride.

firef1y72

Personally I think you're over-thinking things.
Most likely your legs are just getting tired (not sure how far you're running assuming you're increasing distance) and so you're more conscious of how they're feeling.
You definitely don't want to go for more impact in the feet whatever, that's the way to get stress fractures and pf.
I train with a PT with my running being a big focus and she's always stressing the importance of not clunking, and my making as little noise as possible as my feet hit the ground and regularly gets me to spend a whole 3 mile run concentrating on that and peeling my foot off the floor. Once you get above a certain distance you really do want to have as little impact as possible, hence why many that specialise in running longer distances have a completely different style to someone that only does 5-10k

OldAssDude

7lenny7 wrote: »

When keeping your legs more rigid, does it involve activating your glutes to a higher degree?

When I focus on using my glutes more on the push off I feel like I get that pop...that increase in speed with no increase in HR. Perhaps that's two ways to get to the same result? By activating my glutes maybe I'm getting a more rigid stride. By keeping your legs rigid perhaps your activating you glutes more?

I'll have to pay attention to that during my next run. See if I can get the "pop" with either focus, and see if it's a different stride.

Come to think of it I may have been using my butt muscles more. I'm going to pay more attention on my next run.

OldAssDude

firef1y72 wrote: »

Personally I think you're over-thinking things.
Most likely your legs are just getting tired (not sure how far you're running assuming you're increasing distance) and so you're more conscious of how they're feeling.
You definitely don't want to go for more impact in the feet whatever, that's the way to get stress fractures and pf.
I train with a PT with my running being a big focus and she's always stressing the importance of not clunking, and my making as little noise as possible as my feet hit the ground and regularly gets me to spend a whole 3 mile run concentrating on that and peeling my foot off the floor. Once you get above a certain distance you really do want to have as little impact as possible, hence why many that specialise in running longer distances have a completely different style to someone that only does 5-10k

I was not over thinking anything. It's just something I noticed when I was running. I like to try different things while running to alleviate some of the boredom and try different things with form, and it was just something I noticed.

Normally, as soon as my foot strikes, I immediately bend my knee, hips, and ankle more to alleviate as much of the impact as I can with my muscles. Then I have to push off that much further with every stride. I was just messing around with keeping my leg stiffer and not letting my joints bend as much. The result was a little more impact, but my feet where on the ground for a lot less time, because I did not have to bend my joints as far or push off as far. It felt like i was just popping right into the next stride with a lot less effort. Kinda like a spring off, and actually felt a little less stressful on my joints.

I think it felt like my butt was doing more work, but I have to pay more attention next time to say that for sure. I only did it for less than a half mile.

ko4qowen

OldAssDude wrote: »

7lenny7 wrote: »

When keeping your legs more rigid, does it involve activating your glutes to a higher degree?

When I focus on using my glutes more on the push off I feel like I get that pop...that increase in speed with no increase in HR. Perhaps that's two ways to get to the same result? By activating my glutes maybe I'm getting a more rigid stride. By keeping your legs rigid perhaps your activating you glutes more?

I'll have to pay attention to that during my next run. See if I can get the "pop" with either focus, and see if it's a different stride.

Come to think of it I may have been using my butt muscles more. I'm going to pay more attention on my next run.

Yes! I use this technique/gait alteration all the time, but especially on long runs (15-20milers) and/or going up long inclines. With each foot strike, I press slightly harder down on my heel to engage my glutes and hamstrings. It seems to alleviate the stress on fatigued quad muscles. My husband and I call it "butt-mode"! I don't run this way naturally, but I have found it to be immensely useful for mitigating leg fatigue when I've been out for 2-3 hours.

huntersvonnegut

Rigor mortis?

pierinifitness

For me, bottom line is distance covered and time along with HR stats compared to other recent runs. Can’t handle anything more than that.

keithwp99

I'm probably not understanding, but keeping your legs more rigid on impact would increase the strike force on feet, knees and hips. Which, is not good and would likely lead to greater chance for injury. You should be striving to hit your fore foot and be sligthly forward in your overall stance when striding. As someone else said, you may or may not be overthinking it. Generally, shorter stride length with your normal for you pace will be better. There are many many studies on stride, pace and cadence. Some good basic vids too if you are keen to understand how to run injury free and better understand running mechanics. 59 YO trail runner here, fwiw.

OldAssDude

I think I'm talking about this...

https://youtube.com/watch?v=VyAgpt9Y4bs

https://youtube.com/watch?v=HnMoi98AbI8