Does anyone run on their toes?
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I used to when sprinting... now I try and midstrike ...
oh and when I am playing/jogging with the wii, as I am normally in socks in the living room and for some reason I find myself jogging on my toes!0 -
If you are not running competitively it is much better to run on the balls of your feet, using your built in shock absorbing system instead of relying on shoes that don't hold a candle to your biomechancial shock absorbing system.
Heel striking, LOL, heel striking is virtually impossible to do without modern running shoes. Clearly that is how we were meant to run.
Most people can't run on the balls of their feat because their feet muscles and calves are too weak from a lifetime of atrophy due to shoes. At one time you were a toddler, you walked around the house on the balls of your feet for a while, and this strengthened your lower legs, creating your arch and gave you the ability to run. Unfortunatly that is the last time that many were able to actually run the way we were built to do it, as that is when the shoes went on.
It is easy for a toe striker to lighten their tension a bit and midfoot strike when needed for speed. A lot of people that aren't toe strikers that think they are midfoot strikers really aren't, they convicned themselves that their heel striking is actually midfoot striking. Just like a toe striker, a true midfoot striker should have virtually no wear on the heels of their shoes, by the time the heel touches the ground when midfoot striking, it is soft enough and lacking any movement that the heel of the shoe receives no wear. If the heels of your running shoes don't look virtually brand new, you are not a midfoot striker.
When you toe strike you become liberated from the shoe industry. You no longer need to go to specialty running stores to get fitted for expensive running shoes to fit your exact gait. Since you use your shock absorbing system instead of the shoes when you toe strike, any shoes will do as long as they are comfortable. You feel the need to run in dress shoes, you can run in dress shoes. Aqua socks? A fine set of runners. The cheap blue light special at the discount mart? Yep, they will work great. Of course the shoes industry and the running magazines they sponsor really don't want you to know this.0 -
If you are not running competitively it is much better to run on the balls of your feet, using your built in shock absorbing system instead of relying on shoes that can't hold a candle to your mechancial shock absorbing system.
Heel striking, LOL, heel striking is virtually impossible to do without modern running shoes. Clearly that is how we were meant to run.
Most people can't run on the balls of their feat because their feet muscles and calves are too weak from a lifetime of atrophy due to shoes. At one time you were a toddler, you walked around the house on the balls of your feet for a while, and this strengthened your lower legs, creating your arch and gave you the ability to run. Unfortunatly that is the last time that many were able to actually run the way we were built to do it, as that is when the shoes went on.
It is easy for a toe striker to lighten their tension a bit and midfoot strike when needed for speed. A lot of people that aren't toe strikers that think they are midfoot strikers really aren't, they convicned themselves that their heel striking is actually midfoot striking. Just like a toe striker, a true midfoot striker should have virtually no wear on the heels of their shoes, by the time the heel touches the ground when midfoot striking, it is soft enough and lacking any movement that the heel of the shoe receives no wear. If the heels of your running shoes don't look virtually brand new, you are not a midfoot striker.
So true!!! The exception is hill running of course, whereby going up a steep hill you inevitably toe strike (there is a technique where you turn sideways to run up steep hills - pretty good for preventing injuries from overextending your calf) and coming down you are going to be on your heals a little as you will need to break.
I've tried running down a steep hill leaning forward enough to mid foot strike - you just keep on accelerating and I literally lost control - any attempt to slow down would have forced me to trip so I just tried to stay ahead of falling on my face through raw speed! Luckily the path levelled out before I actually had an accident but I consider it to have been a very close thing - I was petrified and somewhat exhilarated at the end of it. Good runners seem to bounce like a mountain goat down these terrains - I just cant work out how they do that! One hint I do understand is that you can lean back and then never fully extend your legs so they can act as shock absorbers rather than putting that impact straight into your ankles & knees.0 -
I try not to touch my heel. I used to run with a heel strike, but I began doing research, and I started changing my style, mid strike and front strike, or toe strike.
I used to get lots of chin splits when I did the heel strike. Now I also feel lighter and its easier to bounce back from every strike if do not land on my heel. I believe everyone has a different way of running that works for them0 -
I used to have some knee pain when running so last year I changed my stride to a fore/midfoot strike. Now, no more knee pain even with running 7 days a week.
On breathing: Breathe through your mouth. Breathe through your nose. Suck the air in through your ears, if you can.
Quote from Arthur Lydiard0 -
I'm a mid-foot/toe striker. Always have been. I can not run "heel-toe". I run for speed and the mid-foot/toe strike really helps with that. I've tried to run "heel-toe" and it's not only uncomfortable but it's not exactly good for your joints either. I just found this on a running website:Foot Plant
One of the most important phases of running mechanics is the position of your foot when it lands on the ground. When you foot strikes the ground it will land either; toes first, ball of the foot first, flat footed or heel first. Many runners make the mistake of reaching out in front of their body and landing heel first. That type of foot plant is inefficient and can be the cause of a long list of injuries. When you land on your heel, your leg is straight and extended in front of your body. The combination of a straight leg and a hard heel landing transfers a lot of impact through your heel and up through your knee to your hip. The excessive stress a heel strike places on your joints can cause pain and injury to your hips, knee, ankle and foot. Shin splints (pain of the front of your lower legs) is an example of a common running injury that can be caused by heel striking and over striding.
A heel first foot plant also means you are over striding. You are reaching out in front of your body with each step you take. When you reach out in front of your body, you will land heel first and will be putting on the brakes with each step. It is like trying to drive your car while pressing on both the gas pedal and brake pedal at the same time. You are wasting energy and making your training run harder than it should be. Landing toes first is not an efficient style for distance running. Toe first landings result in a lot of up and down motion and puts a lot of stress on the calf muscles. Toe running is more appropriate for sprinting than for distance running.
As a distance runner, your most efficient foot plant is one in which your foot lands directly under your hips or your center of gravity. You may land on the ball of your foot or flat footed. The ideal landing position is slightly toward the outside edge of your foot, just behind your little toe. Your foot would then naturally roll slightly inward while pushing off over your big toe. The slight inward roll of your foot is called pronation and provides some cushioning during the running stride. A small amount of pronation is normal and desirable, but excessive pronation can also be the cause of injury and stride inefficiencies. Excessive pronation can be prevented through the use of motion control shoes. That type of shoe has strong heel inserts that stop the inside rolling motion of pronation. While motion control shoes will temporarily solve the problem, it is like putting a band aid on a cut that will never heal. It solves the immediate problem but it not a long term cure. Pronation can be caused by weak muscles in your lower leg or stride inefficiencies. Doing some barefoot walking and running will help strengthen the ankle and foot stabilizing muscles in your lower leg. Doing exercises and drills on an unstable surface such as a wobble board or stabilization pads can also help with this problem. If you pronate severely I would suggest consulting with a physical therapist to find out of there are alternatives to motion control shoes in your specific case.0 -
My son is a "toe-walker" he has shortened calf tendons. We have been doing PT with him 1x a week along with daily stretching. Trying to avoid having to get him leg braces to keep his foot in a flexed position. He always walks/runs/stands on his toes. Maybe they also have something along that line where it's just more comfortable for them to be on their toes where they don't put so much tension on the calf. Just a thought.
My son does this too. He chooses to do it. LOL because he does walk on his full foot.0 -
I am a heel striker.
There have been numerous studies that state this is not bad for you.
My dad does it, he has ran over 50 marathons.
In my opinion, run the way in which you are most comfortable, and causes the least amount of injury.0 -
This. is. so. wrong.That isn't good for your skeleton in the long run. You are meant to strike with your heel first.0 -
That isn't good for your skeleton in the long run. You are meant to strike with your heel first.
Wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are meant to land on the ball of your foot then lower the heel to the ground. This allows the arch and lower leg to counter the impact forces. Heel striking leads to greater impact forces.
I do not know if others responded before me I hit quote before reading other responses.0 -
heel-striking is terrible haha... supposed to land mid-foot0
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I am a heel striker.
There have been numerous studies that state this is not bad for you.
My dad does it, he has ran over 50 marathons.
In my opinion, run the way in which you are most comfortable, and causes the least amount of injury.
I agree with this... even though I am a toe runner. I also most enjoy running as fast as I can... 6-7minute/mile range. So toes touching the ground and pushing off toes makes sense to me, for me. I imagine there can be a lot of factors - weight of person, speed they are moving, bone structure, muscle, comfort. Soooo... that's just my two cents. Run enough and you'll get an idea of what is best for you.
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Sometimes I run on other people's toes. That often leads to injury :laugh:0
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I wondered the same thing as I naturally started to run on the balls of my feet.
Check this article out from the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine http://aapsm.org/ct0102.htm
Part of the article is below:
Some say to run on the ball of your foot, others say contact the ground with the heel. I take a middle of the road approach. Studies have shown that good long distance runners usually contact with the midfoot. Slower runners contact between the midfoot and the heel, faster runners a bit further forward. Only sprinters or short to middle distance runners should contact the ground with their forefoot or the ball of the foot. While there may be exceptions to the rule, this is a good way for most beginning and intermediate runners to start out. It allows for better shock absorption, less stress on the calf muscle and Achilles tendon, and better rolling forward onto the next stride. Your muscles will then be used in a manner that is similar to how you walk, and this is the pattern of muscle firing and contact pattern which the muscles are accustomed to.
Bill Bowerman, in his coaching days at the University of Oregon, would say "Run Tall". This sums up the style of many of the recent and current greats in long distance running. You should run standing up fairly straight, not leaning forward, twisted to one side, or tilting backwards. You should be looking ahead at where you are going, not staring at your feet or the ground. Of course on a trail run, you might be checking out the ground and what is coming up next, if you value your ankles.0 -
Sometimes I run on other people's toes. That often leads to injury :laugh:
Ha ha! :happy:0 -
"We are designed for our ball/midfoot to hit the ground first. Try running barefoot outside for just a short distance, you'll see. Shoes messed us all up. "
What she said :-)
I run barefoot and I would soon stop running if I was heel striking. The mid-front lands first and the foot arch and transition to the heel just "kissing" the ground before taking another step is the natural shock absorber - no thigh aches in the morning, no knee damage from heel striking, just smooth running; just lovely.0 -
"We are designed for our ball/midfoot to hit the ground first. Try running barefoot outside for just a short distance, you'll see. Shoes messed us all up. "
What she said :-)
I run barefoot and I would soon stop running if I was heel striking. The mid-front lands first and the foot arch and transition to the heel just "kissing" the ground before taking another step is the natural shock absorber - no thigh aches in the morning, no knee damage from heel striking, just smooth running; just lovely.
What sort of distances are you running? I understand teh technique is good for all distances but the shoes are not a good idea for anything over 10K0 -
I used to land on my heels. My knees would kill me afterwards. Did that for two runs, read up on running "posture" and found the land mid-foot beneath your center of gravity stuff. Knees have ZERO pain now, I can run/jog longer and for greater distance.
I have tried sprinting 100 meters a few times and I remember landing ball of foot/toe area.
So from MY personal experience; heel strike = BAD, mid-foot = AWESOME, toes = if a pack of hungry tigers are after you.0 -
I apologize wholeheartedly for posting bad information. I have apparently been doing it wrong under the advice of another runner, and I didn't do any research, I just took his word as gospel.
I am sorry for that.0 -
I guess its more of a jog. I want to run though. I will continue to plug along and hopefully get there soon. It's starting to get cooler outside so the gym membership will come in handy. I struggle to try and remember how to breathe while trying to concentrate on my feet? I still can not breathe in through my nose. I feel like I am going to sufficate. I have to breathe through my mouth. Does anyone else do that?
Yup, I'm a mouth breather too. I've got droopy nostrils that just don't want to stay open so I have no choice. Basically I'm the prime candidate for those Breathe Rite strips. LOL! Anyway, I don't think there's anything wrong with it but you may find you get side stitches from time to time if you're not breathing deeply enough.
As far as your strikes - I'll pass on a piece of advice a good friend told me when she was helping me run - keep your feet underneath you. This will put you in a more natural position to mid foot strike and as you get better, your pace will loosen up. Trust me, it will feel natural in no time.0 -
What sort of distances are you running? I understand teh technique is good for all distances but the shoes are not a good idea for anything over 10K
I presume you mean Vibrams or other kind of barefoot running shoe? I don't use them unless it is freezing and I need a bit more grip or insulation; otherwise I am actually barefoot.
Distances - the longest I have run has been 5K and that was without blisters or much more skin damage than I would have got with running shoes. You gain far more feedback with each step so you run lighter and do less damage.
The one thing I would say is I run slower when I run barefoot as you don't tend to step out like when you are heelstriking.0 -
This gets into the whole barefoot running debate. That is, most running coaches used to say that you should run with a heel strike first, and most running shoes were built with thick soles at the heel. Now, some running coaches have begun to question that. They say the more natural way to run is on the ball of your foot, and that this style of running provides much better shock absorption.
If you are interested in the subject, read Born to Run. It is all about how a tribe in Mexico runs super long distances barefoot or in sandals. They run on the front of their foot.
The author of that book also wrote a very interesting article for the New York Times Sunday Magazine last year titled "The Once and Future Way to Run.' In it, the author claims to have discovered a secret training technique of one of the most storied runners of all time, W.G. George. The technique is a way to train yourself to run on your forefoot.
That could be important. Some of the recent research suggests that forefoot running probably is best -- smoothest and easiest on the body. But, that only about half of people can learn to do it naturally. The others are probably going to hurt themselves if they go out and try to run barefoot or in minimal shoes. George's training technique might help those who do not naturally run on their forefoot.0 -
If anyone has any advice on how to stop being a toe runner (I was a sprinter in high school) and how to get my body to naturally be a middle striker please private message me. I am also a penguin walker (toes point naturally outward) so this makes jogging even harder.0
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i usually run on my toes my heels dont touch the treadmill i never found that odd ive always done it this way0
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http://www.runnersworld.com/subtopic/0,7123,s6-238-267-268-0,00.htmlIf anyone has any advice on how to stop being a toe runner (I was a sprinter in high school) and how to get my body to naturally be a middle striker please private message me. I am also a penguin walker (toes point naturally outward) so this makes jogging even harder.
This is a pretty good page on form. It mostly has to do with being concious of how your body is lining up in relation to the pavement.
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267-268-14043-0,00.html
This is a good article on turnover.0 -
Thanks for the tips! Speaking of side stiches... my daughter gets them really bad but I've only had a few. Are they always on the right side? We were wondering if so and why? Just curious.
From what I understand, stitch is a type of cramp caused by not getting enough oxygen to the muscles. Focus on taking deep breaths (which is best done by breathing out as much as you can - breathing in is natural!) and they will pass quite quickly.
It is usually because of breathing, but they are caused from your diaphram not being allowed to fully extend when you are breathing (i.e. not taking deep enough breaths or shallow breathing). They will be more common at first until you learn to control your breathing while running. If you push your hand against the side that is hurting and breathe out with your mouth really deep and hard it will help the stitch go away.
ETA: I only run on my toes when going up hills...somehow it helps me make it up.0 -
What sort of distances are you running? I understand teh technique is good for all distances but the shoes are not a good idea for anything over 10K
I'm not sure I understand your post. Are you saying you can't run in minimum shoes or barefoot for over 10k? I think that the 18 miles I did completely barefoot two weeks ago without pain or blisters or losing any skin would start to prove that wrong. A lot of people have completed marathons barefoot and in minimum shoes. The 1960 Olympic marathon was won by a barefoot runner. (somewhat proving barefoot running is not a new fad). I know of at least one person who has run 100 miles barefoot.0 -
That isn't good for your skeleton in the long run. You are meant to strike with your heel first.
Heel striking is not a proper way to run. It will lead to injuries. The proper way would be to land mid-foot, with the foot underneath the body.0 -
That isn't good for your skeleton in the long run. You are meant to strike with your heel first.
Um....no. Heel striking is not good. One should naturally mid-foot strike. We heel strike because its easier and most people do it because they're fatigued.
It also can result in long term problems, especially knee issues. Foot strike should be the ball of the foot, this produces a slightly faster motion as well as eliminating many problems in the long run..no pun intended
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That isn't good for your skeleton in the long run. You are meant to strike with your heel first.
Um....no. Heel striking is not good. One should naturally mid-foot strike. We heel strike because its easier and most people do it because they're fatigued.
^^^THIS exactly!!! Heel striking is old school info as is wearing heavy shoes with a crapload of support. Research has shown that heel striking is NOT good for your body. You should land midfoot unless sprinting which is when you would land on the ball of your foot while leaning forward. Also, getting a good pair of minimalist shoes is a good idea (lots of companies are moving toward this...you don't need Vibram's...lots of companies are making 0mm shoes now).
I've heard great things about the c25k program for learning to run.0
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