Lets just end the heel strike debate right now.

Why does it matter that some elite runners are heel-strikers? Just because they are gifted with ridiculous talent and are fast does that mean they necessarily are doing everything right?

The list of elite runners who heel-strike could be a thosand strong, that still doesn't make it optimal. Maybe after having run most of their lives like that, those runners would be unwise to try to switch. But if someone is just starting out and does not have all that muscle memory it would be best to start as a forefoot-striker.

Heel-toe is for walking. Forefoot striking is for running. What would you advise to a talented kid who is just starting out? Run until you find your best form? Or do these drills and focus on these techniques to gain the best form?

Disciples, those who are trying to prepare themselves for entry into the evolutionary level above human and who are barefoot runners, synonymous with the kingdom of god, the kingdom of heaven. We’re going to talk to you about the most urgent thing that is on our mind, and what we suspect is the most urgent thing that is on the minds of those who will run with us.

You know, intelligent human beings should realize everything has their cycle, they have their season. They have their beginning. They have their end. They have cycles. We’re not saying planet Earth is coming to an end; we’re saying that for those shod runner planet Earth is about to be refurbished, spaded under, and have another chance to serve as a garden for another barefoot human civilization.

Now you say you keep saying to us, “Who do you think you are?” Well, I in all honestly must acknowledge my father. My father is not a human father. My father is a member of the evolutionary level above human, the perpetually barefoot runners. My father gave me birth long before this civilization and before shoes.

Now you can say “I can’t believe that.” Well, it’s up to you whether you believe that or not. That’s not important to me, even though I wish you could believe it for your running efficiency. For those who do believe it stand a possibility of a future beyond this shodden time.

That just as within a civilization, a civilization evolves upward, that each segment of civilization becomes civilized, becomes less barbaric in some ways. It’s supposed to, not that is necessarily does. Sometimes it seems to appear to be more civilized when in fact it becomes more shodden, less natural.

Now I’m not here to sell you on that, or who I am, or who these are. I’m here to offer you as these are an opportunity to know the truth.

Let's just end the heel strike debate right now.

I don't know, I was on malmo's side until he said that running in shoes is faster.

Well sometimes it isn't, running uphill on grass I will be faster without shoes, downhill on ashpalt I will be faster in shoes.

Most of the time though I'm a forefoot striker, but, get this; downhill and barefoot at high speed I can heelstrike.

Do I get extra points for that?

You've mischaracterized the discussion. Here is the explanation:Heel striking, mid-foot striking, and forefoot striking are all normal and natural, for runners of all levels. The "cultists" are the ones trying to "convert" heel strikers, and claiming "no elite runners are heel strikers". They are jumping from speculative hypothesis to foregone conclusion without any basis. They assume that heel-striking is harmful and inefficient, when no one has yet shown it.

furiousxc wrote:

So what, anyone that heel strikes is normal, but anyone who midfoot strikes or think its better for them is a cultist? Explain. The term cultist is thrown around like republicans throwing around the term terrorist. Say cultist and you get everyone on your side without reason, when you are associating that stupid minimalism/Vibram crowd with shod runners who midfoot strike.

I don't understand how they are automatically related.

malmo wrote:

Both.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Vafareunculo#p/c/823732165E0A1C6C/34/Ax7DQ_wwH7U

Cool vid and you picked great music as the background. Screw Chariots of Fire music in running vids.

And nice spanking delivered to the other runners.

But in that short clip you appeared to look down no less than 7 times, George.

Must have been checking to be sure you were heel striking?

It matters, because the initial claim was that elite runners do not heel strike. It is sufficient to find only one elite runner that heel strikes, to disprove the claim. You can not prove something by example, but you can disprove it. 1000 examples disprove it 1000x more.The question is, why should we encourage runners just starting out, or any runner at all, to fore-foot strike? There is no basis to conclude that it is better form, or more efficient.If it ain't broke, don't fix it. No one has shown that it's broke.

Marshall Applewhite wrote:

Why does it matter that some elite runners are heel-strikers? Just because they are gifted with ridiculous talent and are fast does that mean they necessarily are doing everything right?

The list of elite runners who heel-strike could be a thosand strong, that still doesn't make it optimal. Maybe after having run most of their lives like that, those runners would be unwise to try to switch. But if someone is just starting out and does not have all that muscle memory it would be best to start as a forefoot-striker.

Heel-toe is for walking. Forefoot striking is for running. What would you advise to a talented kid who is just starting out? Run until you find your best form? Or do these drills and focus on these techniques to gain the best form?

As I said before, Malmo has won this debate. Thread over.

Very good rekrunner. We is all diffrent.

Marshall Applewhite wrote:

Why does it matter that some elite runners are heel-strikers? Just because they are gifted with ridiculous talent and are fast does that mean they necessarily are doing everything right?

The list of elite runners who heel-strike could be a thosand strong, that still doesn't make it optimal. Maybe after having run most of their lives like that, those runners would be unwise to try to switch. But if someone is just starting out and does not have all that muscle memory it would be best to start as a forefoot-striker.

By claiming that elite runners are 'gifted with ridiculous talent' yet they are not doing it (running) right is righteous self-mockery.

Elite running at the highest levels is all about optimization. It is the proof that they are doing things right, and no amount of wishful thinking on your part in the face of thousands upon thousand of examples will change that.

ELITE RUNNERS DO NOT HEELSTRIKE, END OF STORY. STOP BEING LAZY AND GET BETTER FORM!

well, it is purty obvious that gazzoo himself was part of the heel-striking, run-more-no-matter-what pasdarans, and his role was to start a conflict with minimalist footstrike experimenters, leveraging a provocative and extremist tone.

This gave plenty of ammo to isolationist colonel Malmo to launch his offensive preemptive strike, dressed as a defensive pseudo-retaliation, with his cohorts and other no-footstrike-experiments acolytes.

Exchange after exchange, round after round, there were other undercover heel-striking dogma Acol-Pasdies operatives in action, but still their mad-dog campaign was becoming less and less credible as sensible civilians and academics were asking for a ceasefire of what they sensed was a fabricated war. Neutrality and real talks had a chance. A real dialogue with debates could be set up, and the gathered could democratically decide with serenity and freedom.

But this call to reason was ignored. Instead the run-more-no-matter-what Acol-Pasdies created Marshall Applewhite, the charismatic puppet ruler of an aggressive footstrike-doesnt-matter running militia with a script to pose as the enemy's messiah, to create chaos and mayhem with Terror mongering psyops, instilling in the mind of innocent by-runners, the fear of lunatics experimenting with their footstrikes.

Polarizing, dividing, conquering.

We have a lot to learn from these artists of war.

Footstrike Freedom is in danger.

If only you were actually funny, wouldn't that be something?

They say that 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery'.

Failing to pull it off is awkward and embarrassing. Example above.

Shucks, I know, I failed Standup101.

Dont tell me it's because my caricature of the context was too realistic...LOL

Malmo,

as a poster you appear obsessed with judgement.

furiousxc wrote: The term cultist is thrown around like republicans throwing around the term terrorist. Say cultist and you get everyone on your side without reason, when you are associating that stupid minimalism/Vibram crowd with shod runners who midfoot strike.

We know what a cultist is and we know what a terrorist is. If you ascribe to an irrational and dogmatic belief system you are a cultist.

If you agree with or provide material support to cultists, to borrow from Hillary Clintons famous dictum "You are either with us, or against us."

see-eye-hey wrote:

Malmo,

as a poster you appear obsessed with judgement.

You mean like this?

ELITE RUNNERS DO NOT HEELSTRIKE, END OF STORY. STOP BEING LAZY AND GET BETTER FORM!

Can you demonstrate that gazoo, who as far as I can remember, is the only one who made the statement you uppercase - is not a troll?Do you always make collective judgements on the basis of one person's statements?

malmo wrote:

see-eye-hey wrote:

Malmo,

as a poster you appear obsessed with judgement.

You mean like this?

ELITE RUNNERS DO NOT HEELSTRIKE, END OF STORY. STOP BEING LAZY AND GET BETTER FORM!

755 replies and still counting, no conclusion. Just stop discussing and start running, barefoot, like these 306 runners did near Bombay on 12 December 2011. Many of them discarded their shoes for the first time and completed the entire half marathon with the winner clocking 1:10:03. No one suffered injuries. Next day, they were back for training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBXbFUUWx_g&feature=player_embedded

Only when you run barefoot, you realise how heavenly it is to make direct contact with Mother Earth. Like how Pheidippedes had done it in the original run.