https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2WcMRpozO4s
How to run
faster
There are
only two ways to increase running speed, increase your turnover speed per
minute or increase your stride length. To run the fastest you must do both, without
stride length interfering with cadence, or cadence interfering with stride
length. Speed is a beautiful balance between the two. In this first article
about running faster we will look at
demonstrations of how to have a long stride.
Both the man
and the bird are running on two legs and so the action is amazingly similar.
The bird has no arms to balance with but he has a longer neck and uses it well.
This video is both fun and surprisingly instructive. Physics dictates lots of
similarities since they are both running on two legs. Here are some points that
we can take away and apply to our running.
1. In the still above not that the bird
and the man both have their standing leg organized so that the foot is directly
under their center of mass.
2. If you watch the video carefully, it
is easy to see the balancing action of the Ostrich’s head over the standing
leg. You will see the same thing with Dennis Norcutt although it is harder to
see due to the shorter neck. This shows that running with the spine and neck
not held rigidly but flowing with the movement of shifting from one standing
leg to the other is helpful. What a wonderful help the Ostrich is since all of
his movements of balance and power are exaggerated compared to the human.
3. Turn your attention to the action of
the pelvis and hips in each runner. Between the rotation in the hip joint and
the rotation of the pelvis there is an organization that keeps the knee
directed forward, the center of mass over the standing foot, and the
development of maximum power forward.
Notice the shifting of weight laterally in each athlete. Both of these runners are organizing themselves
to drop their feet under their center of mass in a way that would allow them to
follow a straight line marked on the ground, and develop maximum stride length
and power.
4. Note that the human runner has a very
fast cadence. It might be enough to keep up if his stride length could match
that of the Ostrich. Note how light on
its feet the Ostrich is though and how easy it seems for the bird to increase
its turnover. It is obvious the human is close to his potential top speed and
just as obvious that the Ostrich it not. It is
running so easily. Whatever your
top speed is, try to run more easily at that speed. That is an excellent way
to increase your ability. Cultivate the lightness of turnover that the Ostrich
has.
5. Note that with both runners, running
is a whole person activity. It is a flow from head to foot.
6. Neither of these runners over
stride. Both of them run powerfully and
very horizontally, meaning that they run along the ground not into the ground.
Both of them have a nice “ float phase”. However the Ostrich is just more
powerful. If you want to run faster,
both of these runners provide a good example of how to develop power through
the entire structure. It is not all force, but the balance of all of your
forces.
Note the massive pelvis
in the ostrich compared to the human. The heavy musculature is again in the
hip, pelvis and thigh area but the ostrich is designed for to have more running
musculature than the human by far. The ostrich also has a longer kinetic chain
and a massive foot structure with very strong tendons. The human with a more
upright skeleton balanced over a vertical axis has an easy time initiating
movement and an interesting way of conserving energy.
Now watch the same idea
about running faster with Usain Bolt. Stride length is about whole body
organization not just trying harder to push.
The main idea in this
post is to run faster, learn to open up your stride to what is optimal for you.
This requires both technical knowledge and experimentation.
Humans are more
adaptable. As the video said – The Ostrich has no hands. This is very
bad for catching footballs, but good for running faster. I hope you have enjoyed this video and article
and can put it to use in your running. There
is more to come on the subject of running faster. Remember that if you are
ready to find out about individual improvement click here to learn more.
Take care till next time – Scott
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