Weâve played with cues that emphasize the hand and forearmâŚI may have to take your suggestion and work the up to the elbow
Carmelita Jeter (RIGHT), Glasgow 60m, January 2010
TRIPLE EXTENSION AND HIGH FOOT-CARRY CYCLING OVER KNEE OF THE SUPPORT LEG
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It has been observed by one of our forum members that given how far the free knee has already advanced ahead of the vertical plane, Carmelitaâs grounded ankle should already be extended. This may account for her relatively slow time. But our coach also notes she was probably tired coming into the meet after international travel from the US westcoast.
Of course there may be other issues. This is an image of a very brief moment frozen in time. She may have hit a soft patch in the track (if it was suspended on boards for example) which may have rocked her back onto her heel.
They look so happy doing exchanges!
Kelvin Hall 60m is on boards.
I think the photo is just before youâd expect ankle extension. The heel is slightly clear and on the way up. Her form looks pretty damn good to me.
Generally you can evaluate the efficiency of running (once upright) by the status of the free leg (the one not touching the ground) at the point the heel of the stance leg leaves the ground - which for the geeks among us is the point the extensor chain (HS, glutes, lats etc) begins to become inhibited by a reflex on the bottom of the foot. The further the knee is past the stance leg at this point the better because the free hip will then be moving upwards and releasing energy stored in the IT band and glutes on the stance leg. If you look at Bolt at heel up his free leg is way past his stance leg allowing him to use all that elastic energy - hence why he is so efficient and has great speed endurance (at least over the 100m).
As KK says the further the free leg is past the stance leg the less weight is on the stance leg and so it can begin to extend. However the ankle isnât able to fully extend until it is way behind the stance knee (hip extension is first, then knee then ankle). So i agree with Charlie, i think she looks pretty good in this picture and you shouldnât expect ankle extension just yet - more likely as her free leg reaches itâs highest point (around hip height). The issue for me with her poor performance is with her drive and transition at the moment⌠weâll wait and see what she does in Germany tonightâŚ
Did you see the race? Whatâs wrong with her drive and transition?
astute commentary tc.
Just to add
I think this can serve to exhibit the correct firing sequence-hip to knees and then ankles.
great post topcat, out of curiosity how would you work on correcting/improving this action in someone who isnt meeting this âformâ i have an athlete who appears to have a slow âspring backâ so inturn isnt getting the full extensionâŚis this a mobility issue? (in general)
I agree, some timesâŚpeople just aint machines lol
Its a pity this hasnât been discussed further as it is an interesting question and one I have been pondering the past few weeks. In that time I have been focussing on getting the heel straight up as fast as possible after foot strike. That would then help with the feeling others (Flash?) described where leg action is almost up and down. I wonder if that feeling is the outcome rather than the cause? make sense?
I agree more with your last sentence. Effort is better put in the âknee upâ action rather than the âheel up/backâ one, which happens naturally, itâs the âoutcomeâ. Good flexibility in hips/quads seems a prerequisite for this to happen, as it should. Others?
The faster you run the more pronounced the heel up stepping over the knee. As you have said it happens naturally
Agreed. if you rush the recovery, youâll cut off some of the power at the end of the stroke and risk a quad pull.
Looks like you were right.
Love to hear what the spin doctors are saying.
Almost everything! Not a straight line out of the blocks. Very high heel recovery (you want it to stay low) etc⌠Having said that I watched her train a few days ago and if she sorts out the acceleration she will run 6.90/10.4x. At 40m her upright running technique is almost perfect in terms of achieving all the positions you need to maintain max velocity. I havenât seen technique like this in a female before. Does anyone have any good slow motion footage of her when she was running slower from a few seasons back. I would like to see what has changed.