Running form 3: Lift Off

This is the 3rd entry in the 7 week series on Running Form. Today's post is moving up into your stride and focuses on your lift off - a Huge component in efficiency (and one that is a bit harder to grasp for many).
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Lift Off
Now, after your foot has landed nearly flat on the
ground (please note here that in order for your foot
to land flat it must land underneath your center of
gravity), how do you pick it back up?

You roll through your foot:
your flat on your heel
and then you roll, as if you are walking, through your
mid-foot, forefoot, and then almost to your toes.
You must remember though, that when you get to
your toes, you do not “push” back off with
your toes.

As you reach your toes you simply lift
your foot back off the ground. So as one foot
touches the ground, your other foot lifts off, and you
as soon as that foot touches the ground, your first
foot immediately lifts off. This action creates a quick
cadence (how you can produce speed, increase efficiency,
and maximize your forward momentum).

Also, on the lift off, remember that you are barely
lifting your foot off the ground. You are not bringing
it high up in the air (what purpose does that serve in
going forward?), instead, the sole of your foot is
never more than an inch or two off the ground. You
aren’t high-stepping, you aren’t marching, you’re
gliding, with your soles just above the surface.
This method of lifting (the “pull” as it is known in
Pose Running) your foot off the ground instead of
pushing your entire body off the ground focuses on
utilizing your hamstrings and then quads more so than your
calves if you are one who pushes
off with your toes. Therefore, you are using your biggest
muscles (hamstrings, quads, and butt) instead of your smallest muscles
(your calves).
In the gym, you way do calf raises with 45 pounds. You may squat 450
pounds. You want to move your running muscles away from the the 45 pound
calves into the 450 pound hamstrings and quads.

Additionally, by lifting your foot off the ground
instead of pushing off you help create that soft run
while eliminating headbob.

(*)Disclaimer:
As I said, this is arguably the most complicated part and truly
requires demonstration for most people to fully
grasp.


For the rest of the chapter and more information, please check out the book,
"Second Wind: the running coach you never had but always needed"