Some people say when I am running, that I don’t extend my leg after stepping over the knee. So basically I am doing running A’s all the way down the track. How do I correct this?
thanks in advance -S
The first thing to do is make sure your flexibility is good and that strength is adequate- which you need to do anyway. The second thing to do is see if you really have the problem you say “some people” pointed out. Does “some people” include your coach?
Thanks for your reply Charlie, strength levels are ok, but flexibility may be an issue (As simple things such as touching my toes I can’t do). Yes the “some people” includes coaches and teammates. Coaches haven’t really focused on this problem as they just tell me to extend more when I run. -S
If you try to extend (force it), together with your inability to touch your toes (poor flexibility), there is an injury waiting around the corner. Touching your toes is less than a minimum requirement, so work with that. Your stride might just fall into place after fixing your inflexibility issues.
try running downhill on a treadmill over some sticks!
(and then we laughed… sorry! :o )
Best advice, this is absolutely 100% true. I tried to correct my understriding my simply forcing the extension. Pulled my hamstring so severely I could barely walk. Focus aond flexibility in the hamstring and hip flexors (overall flexability is always desired but pay special attention to these). This also includes static stretching even when your not doing sprint training etc.
Alot of it is mental as well. When I corrected my flexibility issues, I was still understriding because when I ran with a normal slide I wasn’t stepping on the ground as much and therefore I felt slower (even tho I was going quicker). The key is to not force it, but the relax and let your leg carry itself, I wish I could explain it better, maybe charlie can?
Hope that helps.
I kind of have the same problem. During cross country my stride shortened significantly. During 10 and 14 mile runs, which I did primarily with the short 5’4"-5’8" Mexicans on my team, I found myself running with almost exactly the same stride pattern as these guys! I’m 6’2"!! I haven’t quite figured out a way to return to the longer strider, which works better for track.
Thank you to all, what kind of stretching should I do to increase my flexibility? Just regular static stretching or do I need yoga or pilates? -S
yoga and pilates wouldn’t hurt, but static stretching should do the trick… atleast it did for me…
I have extremely inflexible hamstrings and performed static stretching on them every night last year and never got any results. This year i have used microstretching and although i have had good results with other muscles, my hamstrings are just as tight as ever. Any advice?
Make sure the hip flexors are loose as well. In fact, you should stretch this area before the hams as hip position will affect the tension on the hams as well as the internal tension in those muscles themselves. Microstretching can be a good choice when you have serious issues.
Can anyone go into more detail about microstretching for me? I have looked around trying to find more about it, but could find little about it. I would like to try this on myself and potentially use it with some athletes.
It’s covered extensively in te archives and Number 2 is an expert, so hopefully, he’ll respond.
http://www.charliefrancis.com/community/showthread.php?t=130&highlight=microstretching
http://www.charliefrancis.com/community/showthread.php?t=7174&highlight=microstretching
hope these help…
What I gathered from those threads is that the stretching is a light, prolonged, relaxing stretch and is done 3x1 minute on and 1 minute off and should take around an hour to complete the whole program. It also sounds like there is a certain sequence of the stretches that is supposed to be followed. Unfortunately, none of the links in the microstretching thread work, so I’m clueless about what stretches, the order, and if its 3 different stretches in a row for 1 minute each, followed by one minute off, or if it is the same stretch for 1 minute on/1 off, 3 times, etc. Thanks everyone for your help so far, any more help would be greatly appreciated!
Definately don’t try and increase your stride length. One of my old coaches tried to get me to do that and I agravated a ligament. I tried to run with it a week later and ended up tearing it. I could have probably been a much better runner right now if that injury never happened.