Overstriding
In our recent video we discussed the most common and arguably the most destructive running flaw: Overstriding.
For most adult runner’s (especially those with a desk job) the heel strike is the most common foot strike during running.
“This happens primarily because of tight hips and lazy glutes”
Because of this we lose the ability to use our glutes and hamstrings effectively resulting in our leg reaching out much further than it should. This is what we refer to as ‘‘overstriding’’.
“The first step to fixing it is identifying the problem.”
You will need to have someone film your running technique from side on and then identify where your foot hits the ground and how far it may be in striking in front of your hip. Contact us for a running assessment where we do exactly this using slow motion video analysis.
The next step is to try and correct it! Here are 4 simple steps to help you improve your run:
Monitor and Increase your cadence: There are plenty of iPhone or android apps that can help you with this. You could even use a simple metronome app. The cadence that you should be aiming for is 170-190 steps per minute or between 85-90 strides per minute. I will doing a step by step blog on this soon for people that have not got experience calculating cadence.
Work on flexibility and range of motion of hip extension. If we are stiff in the hips we will not be able stride powerfully. Tight hip flexors and lazy glutes and hamstrings are the most common culprits. If you do not have a mobility or strength program specific to you than you need one ASAP!
Increase forward lean: The runner’s that I have seen who over stride the most tend to run very very upright. Remember the goal is to land with the hip directly over the striking foot. There is no chance of doing that if we hold our selves incredibly rigidly in the trunk.
Include some hill training: It is almost impossible to over stride whilst running up a hill. Use a treadmill or pick a hill with a moderate incline and keep the repetitions short so you can focus on your form without wearing yourself down.