This topic is for charlie and any other experienced members…are sprinters only suppose to concentrate on the stepping down movement but not the pushing backwards portion
pretty much, yes
This is part of my reply post under the knee lift thread. It’s relevant to this one as well:
Previously I was consciously lifting my knees too high, which was causing my hips to drop and retarding my stride frequency. Charlie told me to forget about the knees and just think about stepping over and down with the swing foot. So in other words, my focus moved down from the knee to the foot.
After I made the adjustment, I became more conscious of stepping over the support ankle rather than the support knee. Though the recovery of my swing leg is in fact much higher than that, I can’t really feel it because it’s happening so fast. So the overall sensation I feel now is like stamping my feet up and down really quickly.
All horizontal motion should happen so quickly you will not be conscious of it. If you exaggerate the horizontal motion in order to consciously perceive it, you will screw up your technique which will lower your stride frequency and power.
Thats a real good description Flash - nice job
Thanks again…step over and down…up and down up and down…thats pretty simple
I think one just needs to think in their mind, up and down.
Thats it
I’m sure the exact cue and subjective sensation will be slightly different for everyone. I was merely describing my first hand experience. It reinforced to me what Charlie wrote in Speed Trap about knowing what his athletes were feeling, having done it himself.
You need some type of external feedback (coach, video) that lets you know “yes, you look good” and then remember what it felt like while doing it. You will find that the sensation of the correct movement will often not match what you thought it would feel like. At least that was my experience.
i uderstand…the up and down keep it simple cue helped me to run faster and more consistent and it much easier than the complicated cues that i would rely on before…when sprinting its always good to have a focal point
It does feel easier. That’s the wild part. You’re running faster with less perceived effort.
exactly…this also helps with the relaxation portion because you’re not over complicating things
I use a running drill that’s called “tripping” where the foot always should hit under the body and you use a forward lean to move forward.
If it looks good and relaxed you increase speed until it naturally transform into full sprint.