Push up start. My knee lift is still a little low and my hips are too. I’m not sure if it is just because I am accelerating during this 20 meter sprint or if I am braking at the hips. I was trying to focus on getting the foot down and letting my body unfold naturally. I think I may be sitting back slightly due to bending at the waist a little. I will also upload a video later with more of a focus on posture.
//youtu.be/Qinr1dkgpiM
Hey izzle, One thing I’d suggest you get used to is the feeling of taller hips, while running, walking, standing, etc. Make tall hips a part of your everyday life. Put your finger on the front point of the top of your hip, then move that point of your hip as high as you can. This should have you rotate your finger/hip pointer up and your lower hip up under you at least slightly. This is the tall hip position you need to push/drive your hips into at the end of your first 10 or so steps. You can’t do this next thing well everyone is suggesting (stepping down) in high speed running unless you’ve push the hips tall after drive phase. It looks like you do this pretty well (tall hip) for about 4-6 pushes, then you just leave them back as you transition to faster running. Keep pushing them tall for another 4-6 pushes. The entire drive phase and transition to top speed should feel front sided and tall through the hip.
Again, a lot of folks have already suggested a stepping down, pushing mechanic, which is totally correct for high speed sprint mechs. One of the cues I like to give is to be taller sooner on your foot strike (the ground). Fast people’s legs are nearly fully extended when they initially touch the ground while sprinting. The fastest are nearly fully extended in their leg for a little bit before they strike the ground. When on ground there is the tiniest of amorts in their knee and they are into flexion/recovery mechs as their foot is on ground behind them. This is really a timing thing more than an effort thing. This is what rudiment jumps are meant to train. Taller, stiffer leg sooner…simple really. Ralph Mann says you have to do 85% of force application in the first 4-6 inches of front-side ground mechanics, by the time your foot gets under your COG. So you have to be ready for it sooner. You actually have really good recovery mechanics, which is half the battle. So it should be relatively easy to step down and get tall on your strike sooner in your run cycle.
This next thing may sound a little hard to do, but it isn’t really…and it will help your step down and taller strike. Try to relax your hamstrings a little bit. You are a little too over-active with them which is why your having a hard time getting the leg extension for the tall strike. Your early hamstring use is keeping your leg bent at initial ground contact. Over active hammy also cause too much backside mechanics. Hammys are pull muscles, while the glutes and quads are your push muscles (most of this sport is about your glutes really). You’re trying to pull the ground back horizontally like you’re on a busted treadmill, when you should be stepping down. Relax the hammys and they will work reflexively, with great strength, and correctly. Simply, leave them alone…it is actually less work for you. Don’t worry about your arms or hands, they are working pretty well.
As a suggestion, try 50-60m for your next video or form runs. A little extra time and space can help you get into a good running rhythm and mechanics. You might be feeling a little hurried and tense to cram it all into a short 35m distance.
I pretty much said what others already have in a slightly different way…but you never know what turn of phrase might help.
Thanks I will post a video of me doing some 50-60 meter build ups