Running Form

nortal

Trying very hard to articulate myself here so bear with me, Is it possible to increase your stride length, I have no back kick I am presently trying to increase flexibility in my hamstrings. I am trying to get more power from each stride, how does moving my body in the direction of each stride sound. I also don’t clear the ground very well just enough to get my foot up and down, I have long legs so I would like to make the most of them

TFBubendorfer

How long have you been running for?

nortal

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

How long have you been running for?

TFBendorfer,

Thanks for the reply - running approx 10 months, but have done some bits here and there over the years.

TFBubendorfer

Ok, I hope you don't mind me saying that, but you are still a fairly inexperienced runner.

The worst thing you could do is to deliberately "reach out" with your leg to increase your stride length. All you would achieve would be to overstride, which will basically slow you down.

Increased stride length comes with time even if you don't go looking for it. Virtually all runners improve their times over the first few years of running, and an increased stride length is pretty much key to that.

Having said that, speed work and hill running will increase you stride length over time. But, as I said, don't try and do it deliberately. I think it was in "Lore of Running" where I read that most runners automatically choose pretty much their optimal stride length without even thinking.

cfitz

Optimal stride length may come naturally, but good running form is definitely worth working on. And I think is probably much easier done early in your running career than trying to break bad habits that are years old. The way your foot hits the ground, the height your leg rises, where your arms are etc, all affect how fast you can get from point A to point B so it's definitely worth working on (especially if you are aware that your style isn't very good).

Unfortunately, I wouldn't be the best person to tell you how best to go about it, but there are other people here who can probably give you a good programme.

Woddle

I mentioned something regarding this issue on another thread. I was reading a bit from Jack Daniels running formula. He reckons your stride rate (how many times your feet strike the ground in a minute) should be at 180(90 per leg).This apparently minimises how much time you spend in the air, which helps reduce injury, less time in the air, less impact.
I tried this on a twice on a run last week. In the middle of the run I counted how many times my right leg hit the ground over a minute. My total was 170(85) and the second time it was 166 (83).
I have no idea how to improve my strike rate or cadence but will monitor it in the hope that it might improve simply because I'm aware of it.
So the fact you don't clear the ground very well could be a good thing. Hopefully someone with a bit more knowledge might come on and explain it to us both.