WHAT IS BAD RUNNING FORM
When we talk about running technique, there inevitably comes
a question about good and bad running technique. If we can’t
distinguish one from the other, than there is no way to correct
what is wrong and to learn what is good.
This problem existed, in one way or another, in all spheres
of our life, throughout entire history of humanity. It was
always resolved, in every field, by developing a standard
at each step of historical development. Application of this
standard made it possible to recognize any deviation as an
error or mistake and make a step to a higher level of the
standard.
In running no understanding or definition of the standard
of technique was ever established, either in coaching or science
community, so no reasoning about good or bad running technique
had ever any solid, commonly accepted base.
Mostly, understanding of running technique (form) was a prerogative
of personal preferences and opinions, based on non-systemized
selected facts from experience and science research. Therefore
understanding of a bad running form, which is our main topic
of discussion, was unclear not only for everyone around, but
for the presenters as well.
So, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of running
form got no real foundation and was up to the preferences
of a presenter. This situation existed from the beginning
of the last century up to date. The reasoning behind the bad
running form was always an eclectic combination of quantitative
and qualitative parameters depending on one’s personal
point of view.
A descriptive analysis of a bad running form was mostly popular
among coaches and was related to some visible details of movement
such as:
Excessive muscular efforts and tension
Out of proportion movement produced by arms and legs
Over striding (legs movement too far forward)
Over kicking (legs too much behind)
Feet position on the ground deviated from the straight line
Arms moving across saggital plan of the body
Clinched fists and tense face
Too much up & down vertical body oscillation
Slow rate of step cadence
Trunk bent forward or backward
Head position deviated from the vertical line of the body
Shoulders tense and raised up
Overall this list of bad form features is based on a common
sense approach and a major foundation for it is a comparison
with a good running form of elite athletes, but there is no
real science behind it. Needless to say, that this approach
is not too fruitful for learning and teaching purposes. It
has too many details not connected with each other by any
general idea. In short, there is no system in it.
In the Pose Method® a bad running form means a deviation
from the standard in space, time and efforts, the standard
being the Pose stance on the ground. The major premise behind
this standard is that a forward movement of the body happens
by itself, by gravity pull, during the support time on the
ground, when the body deviates from the vertical line to the
terminal point of leaving the ground. Therefore, everything
interfering with this pull, in time, space, or efforts, produced
by any body position or additional movement, is considered
a bad form.
As you can see, there is clear logic here in identification
of elements of bad form and systemizing them. There are no
personal opinions or preferences, and no ambiguity, but only
one main thing is taken into account – its relation
with gravity. If any given movement is soliciting gravity,
it is a good form, if not, then it should be considered as
a bad form. It is a simple matrix for use and it applies to
any running or runner, no matter of their specialty and level.
Dr.Romanov
Pose
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