Been a while since I posted but thought I’d write a quick post incase it benefits anyone else.
I had a gait done at a running shop when I graduated C25K in May as I thought my left foot rolled inwards. Apparently not and got told I was a neutral runner.
Fast forward 3 months and I’m running 25km per week on average. I’ve had very tight calf muscles and been benched on rest following physio. Three deep tissue massages (😣) later I’m all good. He suggested a gait with him which I had today.
Findings: Bad form:
1. I heel strike
2. Crossover my legs (which makes my feet turn-in)
3. Run upright
Basically I’m putting on the brakes when I run. ✋ Not really engaging quads or glutes. He’s showed me how to run the ‘chi way’ and already felt better for it! So now I need to teach my legs to keep doing this. 😊
Anyway lots on the internet about it to read up on. Happy and healthy running everyone. 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♂️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♂️👋🏼
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Ripcurlrana71
Graduate10
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Thanks Alka - interesting to hear, and good to hear Physio seems to have worked for you. Will look into this... I can at least say I don’t heel strike, but I’m always looking at ways to reduce impact up my spine. Chi running sounds healthy anyway! 😊❤️
I watched that and felt it made a lot of sense. Last night I did a run where I focussed on engaging the glutes and a lot of that was about bringing the pelvis up and forward and leaning into the run, so kinda looks the same, but they talk about not engaging the glutes. I do wonder if all of this is just snake oil at times.
Oh and the lass in that pic looks amazing, from a running form and physique point of view I mean . Weird how running has me checking out everyones gait and leg muscle development in the gym lol. I just can't help it.
That’s really interesting ripcurl. I’ve just googled it. This week my ankle has been twinging again. It’s not bad when running but I feel it afterwards. I may need to think about my style. I definitely don’t heel strike but may not be leaning forwards enough. I’m glad the physio is working for you.
Thanks, it’s related to an old injury and my physio gave me exercises when I graduated from c25k but I’ve stopped doing them because it went away! Message to self: continue exercises to strengthen between runs.
Ah, an old injury then, Eileen...I was just wondering, because I’m getting one ankle twinging a bit when I run, and I think we both fore foot strike? I think that does seem to exaggerate my ankles flexing sideways and getting odd stresses on them.
Yes I fell off my bike a year ago and i strained a ligament- I think there will always be a weakness. I need to get Stanley to video my running though to see what oddities I have 😂
Interesting, interesting...thanks for posting, Alka. Do report back! I had a period of tight calf muscles a while back and it is so annoying – the persistent fear of pulling something! Realised that my calf muscles were not as strong as they could be, so now do calf raises twice a day whilst brushing teeth. After just two weeks or so of doing this, they do feel noticably stronger, and no tightness now! I am always tweaking my strength training…funny how I avoided it entirely during C25K! xxx
Same. I have a 10-min yoga routine especially for runners that I complete religiously after every run! I do planks during ad breaks on TV. I do the figure-of-four stretch at my desk at work. I need help, my life is not my own anymore (LOL!) xxx
Very interesting Alka, spent a happy half hour or so looking at youtube videos from a avriety of sources on the subject I'd kind of just got used to the fact that my knees ache after every long run, but if this was a way to reduce impact and therefore minimise that happening, it would be well worth trying. Especially if it also helps you to run faster by being more efficient!
Going to have a little play with it on my next few runs.
Yes you have to be careful consuming a lot of the pseudo science out there. There are plenty of examples of barefoot heel strikers who never have issues and there are shod heelstrikers who impart far less force in the strike than some fore or midfoot runners. But I do think if you up you cadence you naturally reduce your stride and this pulls your gait back to a flatter position and if you combine that with getting more knee height so you trot more than shuffle you can see how this will reduce the opportunity for heel impact. We don't talk a lot on here about doing running drills as part of our workouts but things like high knees or A and B drills, hop skips etc really help get your body into the right form if carried out prior to your run.
We also get caught in the tarp of wanting to record all distance on watches or strava, so this then means we choose not to spend a bit of time at the start of a session performing these things. We should also not worry about stopping mid run to carry out a drill or do a stretch as every run doesn't have to be aiming for a PB.
Completely agree. I did a lot of googling and 80% of runners are heel strikers. I’m going to try improve what feels natural but don’t want to cause more injuries through it!
Yep a lot of people get stuck on pace and distance and it’s not all about that. I stop and stretch if I need to and yes it makes my time longer but I don’t care. 😊 I guess running groups are good for doing the warm up/form stuff? 🤔
Glad to hear you have a plan for going forward and hopefully it'll be injury free from here on in. Chi running sounds very exotic and wistful, must look into this!
Thanks Sharron - internet is a minefield on what’s best. I’ll go with what feels right for me. As I’m just back I don’t want to change things which causes more injuries! 😫
That's interesting, I'm at the end of W2 on C25k and the podcast recommends landing on my heels. Would that be because I'm still slow and just starting off building up muscles?
I’m not sure. Apparently 90% heel strike when they run so we’re not alone! Just feels natural to me. I think if it’s working for you without any issues carry on. There are some good vids on YouTube to mull over.
On second reading your original post strikes a bit of a chord. Embarking on the Bridge has increased my weekly distance significantly (from 5k occasionally to 15k+ regularly). The sudden grab on my left calf while running a couple of weeks ago and the lengthy recovery period was something new, though stiff calves for a day or so after a run or long walk is something I'm well used to. So it begins to look as though I'm going to have to pay a bit more attention to pre- and post-run stretching than the perfunctory 30 seconds before Parkrun that has been the norm. All part of the "maturing" process, I suppose . And will reduce Dexy's nagging on the subject - recent converts, eh.
Don't think I'll be playing around trying to change my gait, though. It's served me well enough since I trained myself out of walking pigeon-toed 50 years ago (after joining the cadets and finding myself the cause of some hilarity and disruption when marching pigeon-toed). And kicking heels up behind seems entirely counter-intuitive to me.
Hi UpTheStanley Yes increased mileage is a huge factor as well as not enough stretching. Both are relevant to me. It’s not until you’re benched do you realise what you should be doing.
I’m not going to mess too much with form as it’s served me well till now. I’ll just keep an eye on it. 😊 I think I need to foam roll more though as part of stretching instead of when I’m aching.
Good luck with your running - I’m sure dear Dexy will kept you in check. ☺️
Good luck with your experimentation. The run leader on the Wednesday morning run I do is a Chi Running instructor. She told me a bit about it on my very first run but as I've🤞not encountered any problems with my natural running style yet I've not properly researched it. All I can say is that it seems to serve her very well - she's in her late 50s and a sub25 parkrunner 😮 She covers a lot of ground very quickly with what looks like minimal exertion x
Yeah I did - it was about leaning into the run as you go up through the "gears". The bit made a lot of sense to me but I didn't go into it any further. Looking forward to updates as to how it works for you. I'm really pleased with the progress I'm making stamina and speed wise but I think at some point that might plateau and I'll have to look in more detail at technique x
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. Weird how running has me checking out everyones gait and leg muscle development in the gym lol. I just can't help it.
I'd kind of just got used to the fact that my knees ache after every long run, but if this was a way to reduce impact and therefore minimise that happening, it would be well worth trying. Especially if it also helps you to run faster by being more efficient!
. And will reduce Dexy's nagging on the subject - recent converts, eh.
What running reminds me...🙂🏃♀️
The running Gods are against me! 
Longest run for me so far!!!
Running stance advice needed!
