Strange Running Form: Frank Shorter Ran w/ One Arm Broken

Geb is very fluid.

Don't really know, but it obviously works for Shorter, given his tremendous career. He does (did) not have a stratospheric VO2 max (if published reports are to be believed), so he must be extremely efficient.

In general one would guess is that he's (unconsciously) compensating for some bio-mechanical imbalance. That is the urban legend explanation for Bill Rodgers' form. One arm flies across the body to compensate for one leg that is shorter than the other.

Good footage. Do you know if there is a DVD available of the Munich Games marathon, 1972?

like i tell my athletes all the time. it is all about the engine when you are talking distance running.

There is a website with lots of classic videos, including one of Frank and Bill racing at Lynchburg in 75. I searched but can't find it. Does anyone remember where that was?

Derek Clayton mentioned that Frank had a classically fluid running motion in his book.

Salazar is or least was a big believer in style, but a lot of the other elites mention pretty big discrepancies in their style.

Just saw the clip. I don't disagree about the left arm moving less than the right, but his overall movements seemed pretty fluid to me.

Yeah, I don't know what you're talking about. Shorter is generally acknowledged to have had excellent form, esp. his "silent" footstrike.

hmmmmmmmm wrote:

Geb is very fluid.

Geb has a bit of a strange movement with one of his arms. He got this when he ran to and from school, carrying his schoolbooks with one arm.

The marathon seems to favor raw efficiency over fluidity and style. The Zatopeks,Claytons,Salazars,DeCastellas,Benoits,Densimos, Radcliffes etc., outnumber the Bikilas and Tergats by quite a bit. Shorter was actually quite "light" and fairly fluid in the marathon, and more so at shorter distances.

If you really wan to see rough runners, try to find footage of the Soh brothers (Japanese, early-mid '80's). Just watching those guys was torture.

For some reason, some of the most "stylish" runners are in the 800: Coe,Kipketer,Cruz. This may be because the blend of power and efficiency required is more pleasing to the eye.

Part of the overuse of the right arm may be due to a lot of time spent on the track in Frank's early years. Turning left constantly forces the right leg to push harder than the left, on the turns. Many track runners show this in their form.