Hitting the ground hard when running.

MickeyCastello
MickeyCastello Posts: 269
in Fitness and Exercise
I tried running a couple of times recently, and noticed that my feet seem to hit the ground particularly hard as I run. It seems to jar my whole body quite a bit. I don't remember this being the case when I was younger. Of course, that was about 40 years and about 25 pounds ago. I have a good pair of running shoes, and am trying to run on blacktop or hard packed dirt trails. Health clubs, to use treadmills, are way to expensive where I live. Maybe my technique needs improvement? Suggestions?

Replies

  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
    I assume you are leaving the ground with your toes and landing on a heel, or flat foot? With the jumping motion and using your calves a lot? Try leaving ground with the top of your feet's palm (that soft place below your toes and above the middle of your feet, can't remember how it's called). You should kinda land on your toes instead of heel or flat feet.

    When leaving ground try to use your calves less. Don't move your feet up and down (from heel to toes by using your calves) like if you would try to run like a ballerina with high jumps. Instead land on bottom of your toes and push yourself forward by moving mostly your quads not calves, calves should move as little as possible.

    You are not supposed to make jumping motions. Just push yourself forward, kinda like when skiing with as less calves as you can and mainly with quads (muscle of your upper leg).
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    It's difficult to make suggestions without actually seeing your running form so this is pretty generic........

    Try to keep your stride short (your forward foot shouldn't come too far forward of your hips), land midfoot and focus on faster foot turnover vs longer stride. Running outside in the snow helped me shorten my stride; the alternative was landing flat on my butt.......

    There are numerous articles and videos on good running form

    http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/perfect-form?page=single
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Brian said it all, and avoiding heel landing is key. Try a slight forward lean (in your entire body, not just from the race).

    One mental trick is to try ans run quietly, like a ninja trying to sneak up quickly on the person in front of you.

    Google Chi Running. You'll probably get all the basics you need without having to buy the book.
  • sarahcuddle
    sarahcuddle Posts: 349 Member
    Some advice on my couch to 5k podcast said to imagine you are running alongside a fence and you need to keep your head level with it, not bob up and down. Try to remember that and also that all your effort should be going into moving in a forward motion. Hope that helps. My podcasts came from www.nhs.uk couch to 5k program.
  • steve2kay
    steve2kay Posts: 194 Member
    I find my left foot slaps down more than my right when I get tired. For me it's often because I'm running too fast and taking too big a stride. Since I've been making a concious effort to slow down and run softer I don't get the shin pain or the noisy slap.
    I'm one of the biggest chaps in the gym but am often the quietest (and slowest) on the treadmill - on the plus side I look quite neat and controlled when I run. On the negative side, I do look like I've been dragged from a swamp when I'm finished - everyone else seems to look like they've just finished a particularly easy book.
  • MickeyCastello
    MickeyCastello Posts: 269
    Thanx folks! I'll give some of this stuff a try tonight!
  • MickeyCastello
    MickeyCastello Posts: 269
    So, I just came in from trying your suggestions, and they all seemed to help quite a bit.. I still feel like I'm hitting the ground hard, albeit not as hard. Maybe it's okay, and I just need to get used to it.

    @briansharpe - Shortening my stride seemed to help a bunch
    @sarahcuddle - Started reading the site you recommended. I'll get more into it as the night goes on. It seems hard to put my foot down directly under my hips, but I'll work on it some more tomorrow.
    @BerryH - Forgot to try leaning forward, but will try it tomorrow night.

    Thanx loads folks, I really appreciate it!!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Wow, I really typed with fat fingers yesterday, I meant "lean forward from the waist".

    As to having your foot land below your body, think about letting your leg swing naturally forward rather than driving it forward, and just let it just make contact. All the effort should be in driving your legs backwards so your body goes forwards, not in the forward stride.

    Or fall forward and let your feet catch you! :smile:
  • nicoleisme
    nicoleisme Posts: 95 Member
    Bump! I need to read these tips later :P
  • blackNBUK
    blackNBUK Posts: 58 Member
    I've only dipped into the Chi Running site but one thing I have noticed is that they recommend running at a constant rate of 180 steps per minute or 90 strides per minute. If you want to run more slowly you shorten your stride and if you want run faster you lengthen your stride. Apparently most people run with too few steps and too long a stride. To get you to make more steps they actually suggest using a metronome. I'm going to give it a go and see how it works the next time I'm out.
  • mreeves261
    mreeves261 Posts: 728 Member
    I would suggest getting the Chi Running book at least. Look to get it from your library. the tips in the first 80 pages make enough sense that I wen from sounding like I was trying to stomp out a fire to my feet only making a swishing sound now. It took a week of focusing on 1 particular thing but with every thing I add my running gets quieter, easier and faster.
  • MickeyCastello
    MickeyCastello Posts: 269
    Thanx folks!

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