Barefoot running technique Jacky (blote voeten hardlopen)

Checking lowerleg and foot mechanics, aswell as muscle action in running barefoot (=according to the posemethod standard). The running is at a very easy pace.
Support leg; Landing over the ball of the foot (BOF), heel softly touching the snow. The landing is close under the body and at the moment of weighting the swingknee is about beside the support knee. Nice, relaxed calves that allow the lowerleg (shin) to come forward over the BOF which will optimize the loading of elastic tissues during impact (bodyweight loading). Only after bodyweight loading (once the swing ankle arrives under the hip and all our body segments are being centered over the GCM * and support), the lean can happen. At that point the body starts pivoting over the ball of the foot (BOF) with the ankle being stabilized due to recoil and stretch-shortening response. There should be no active, deliberate push-off action!! The push-off action happens re-actively (automatic response). Recoil from muscle elasticity can be seen through the heel leaving the ground together with the decrease of dorsalflexion of the foot and some extension of the knee. This is okay as we need to regain some height (4-6cm) to change support and continue to fall from the pose again.
Self critique regarding the swingleg; Perhaps some action of calves on the right leg, just after take-off. Minor tension in the lower leg dorsalflexors and extensors of the foot/toes prior to touch down to anticipate for landing. The quads are relaxed though (no extension of knee). The aim is to land the leg passively (drop) without any extra addition of muscle action. Overall pretty well ;-).

* GCM = general center of mass

BTW;
I don't like running in the snow as after a couple of minutes my feet start to hurt badly and I lose sense of BOF. I did like to make the videofootage though ;-)

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Barefoot running style
• blotevoeten hardlopen

[Cloxxki]

@Theko : Don't hundreds of thousands of people take part in running events, running terribly slowly, and yet being frequently injured anyway? Being able to run injury and pain free barefoot, I think is quite a step from having pain and injuries, despite the most expensive shoes money can buy.

I did use barefoot running at the beginning of my transition away from heel strike, and it sure made "getting it" a lot easier. The instinct takes over, like a hidden subroutine in our running program.

[Thjeko]

@Cloxxki Yes you're right, it's most important to stay away from injuries and enjoy the act of running. What often happens however is, that with ambition to increase distance and pace, better technique will allow one to reach ones "barefoot peak performance" more easy. In my coaching sessions I meet quite some people that struggle and heel strike in minimalistic shoes like the 5 fingers. For quite some athletes the instinct doesn't seem to take over adequately. Good to hear you're doing fine!

[toby099]

Great form. But is all that analysis really necessary for barefoot running? When I do it, it just comes naturally.

[Thjeko]

@toby099 Hi there, Pose is a teaching method and has ways to measure how well a runner is running according to its theory of how running should look like (pose standard). Barefoot running is just running without shoes and barefoot runners run in all kinds of different ways. Taking off the shoes can help people open their eyes to the forces they put through their feet, which will often lead to alterations in their gait to minimise discomfort.

[Thjeko]

@toby099..... Furthermore;

Many people seem to think that running BF without pain is the ultimate proof they are running with great form. I'm afraid however that the truth is that most are running SO slow, that they are getting away with their form even if it's less than perfect.

I learned Pose first and then continued to use the technique to run BF. The transition went fairly easy. I see BF running as a nice tool to fine tune perceptions. For speedwork I rather run in minimalistic shoes ;-).

[burrlymike]

how about trying barefoot running with 1 bunion (left foot) can it be done?

[pollomode1]

Excelente, hasta se me antojo correr en la nieve.