What makes people heel strike

It's none of that. Every one who runs distances greater than a sprint heal strikes to some degree. You can't nor should you consciously change your body mechanics, except through strength/speed work.

What if you were a natural heel striker during childhood?

Runnah1101 wrote:

What if you were a natural heel striker during childhood?

No such thing. No barefoot child lands on his heel for the simple reason that the heel isn't designed to be landed on. It isn't designed to take impacts. It is designed to hold weight. The ball of the foot is for impacts (jumping, running ect..)

Phife wrote:

It's none of that. Every one who runs distances greater than a sprint heal strikes to some degree. You can't nor should you consciously change your body mechanics, except through strength/speed work.

What???

There is no such thing as heelstriking to some degree. You either land on the ball of your foot or you land on your heel. There is no 70% ball of foot 30% heel. And most elite distance runners are forefooters.

I've been heel striking for 46 years or thereabouts, unless I'm sprinting. I've never had a problem with it. I've tried running longer distance on my toes, but it's not natural or relaxed for me, and makes my lower legs hurt after a while, so I can't keep it up for more than half a mile or so.

What basis do you have for thinking it's not natural for lots of people?

An assumption wrote:

Runnah1101 wrote:

What if you were a natural heel striker during childhood?

No such thing. No barefoot child lands on his heel for the simple reason that the heel isn't designed to be landed on. It isn't designed to take impacts. It is designed to hold weight. The ball of the foot is for impacts (jumping, running ect..)

Prove it. The heel has a big blob of sorbothane like fat to land on. I do a ton of barefoot running and land on my heels for most of it. Works just fine.

You are talking out of a dark orifice.

An assumption wrote:

Phife wrote:

It's none of that. Every one who runs distances greater than a sprint heal strikes to some degree. You can't nor should you consciously change your body mechanics, except through strength/speed work.

What???

There is no such thing as heelstriking to some degree. You either land on the ball of your foot or you land on your heel. There is no 70% ball of foot 30% heel. And most elite distance runners are forefooters.

Nope. Look at pics and stop lying to yourself.

Over striding causes heel striking. It's basically impossible for your heel to be the point of first impact if your foot isn't further forward than your knee at impact.

And to be clear regarding the claim that "everyone heel strikes to some extent," heel striking doesn't just mean that your heel touches the ground; it means that your heel is the primary point of first contact.

I've come to the conclusion that you should not think about foot strike. You just run naturally and the feet land how they land. The key, in my opinion, is to instead focus on posture. If you posture is good then the rest will take care of itself. Also, the faster you go the more on your toes you will be. It happens naturally.

That's my unscientific opinion.

For some people it's their natural biomechanics. And if it works over the years of running, it shouldn't be changed because some hot-shot coaches think that it's a less efficient form of running. In fact, heel striking is more efficient than midfoot striking:

http://www.runresearchjunkie.com/yet-another-study-shows-heel-striking-is-more-efficient-than-midfoot-striking/

It's funny how heelstrikers convince themselves that their form is natural. With illogical claims such as "everybody heelstrikes to some degree" or "only sprinters should run forefoot". If it's a habit, it doesn't mean it's natural. Habits can be changed, but some people are lazy and feel good in their comfort zone without aiming higher.

An assumption wrote:

RE: What makes people heel strike

I heel strike because of a dark, Cimmerian hatred that lurks deep inside me.

An assumption wrote:

Phife wrote:

It's none of that. Every one who runs distances greater than a sprint heal strikes to some degree. You can't nor should you consciously change your body mechanics, except through strength/speed work.

What???

There is no such thing as heelstriking to some degree. You either land on the ball of your foot or you land on your heel. There is no 70% ball of foot 30% heel. And most elite distance runners are forefooters.

Wrong, studies have demonstrated over and over you're wrong.

An assumption wrote:

It's funny how heelstrikers convince themselves that their form is natural. With illogical claims such as "everybody heelstrikes to some degree" or "only sprinters should run forefoot". If it's a habit, it doesn't mean it's natural. Habits can be changed, but some people are lazy and feel good in their comfort zone without aiming higher.

If it feels good to heelstrike how can it be wrong? Running is about getting faster, not HOW you run.

Heelstrikers, off the thread. Go run a 50 miier or something

Barefoot or with shoes? 😁

An assumption wrote:

Heelstrikers, off the thread. Go run a 50 miier or something

Like a shorter race?

An assumption wrote:

It's funny how heelstrikers convince themselves that their form is natural. With illogical claims such as "everybody heelstrikes to some degree" or "only sprinters should run forefoot". If it's a habit, it doesn't mean it's natural. Habits can be changed, but some people are lazy and feel good in their comfort zone without aiming higher.

You must be wicked-fast with your exquisite form.