I used to run with a very talented kenyan runner and was amazed how narrow his legs were. hardly any discernible calf at all. trainers looked so clunky on his feel compared to his legs. But he was a beautiful runner. Many kenyans look like this. I'm guessing their legs are just as strong though- at least for running purposes. Has their been studies on this? What would the explanation be? different muscle fiber composition?
Good question
Yeah, that's why they suck at cross country
you generate power and run with your butt. that's where strength matters.
thin lower legs means your levers have less mass, so it takes way less energy to move them when running.
no kankles on good rnrs wrote:
you generate power and run with your butt. that's where strength matters.
thin lower legs means your levers have less mass, so it takes way less energy to move them when running.
You generate power from the calves as well.
kankles, just playing devil's advocate, so if calf size does mean more power, if my calves all of a sudden got much smaller and, say, 30% weaker, that wouldnt really affect my running? kenyan calves are at least 30% smaller than typical white man calves.
shower.thought wrote:
kankles, just playing devil's advocate, so if calf size does mean more power, if my calves all of a sudden got much smaller and, say, 30% weaker, that wouldnt really affect my running? kenyan calves are at least 30% smaller than typical white man calves.
who said calf size meant more power? it may mean more strength, but it certainly does not mean more power. white man calf size comes mostly from the soleus muscle, which in most white men is predominately a slow twitch muscle. Kenyans have bigger gastrocnemeus muscles which tend to be prodominately fast twitch.
YES.
Have you ever seen an East African in the CrossFit Games? No? I tell you why? They're not strong enough.
There are exceptions like e.g. this guy:
http://www.naturallyintense.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/fred-sanya-in-kenya1.jpg
But even his legs are SKINNYish.
An antelope has bones 7x as dense as a buffalo. Quality over quantity.
exthrower wrote:
shower.thought wrote:I used to run with a very talented kenyan runner and was amazed how narrow his legs were. hardly any discernible calf at all. trainers looked so clunky on his feel compared to his legs. But he was a beautiful runner. Many kenyans look like this. I'm guessing their legs are just as strong though- at least for running purposes. Has their been studies on this? What would the explanation be? different muscle fiber composition?
Yes, there have been studies...Their legs are longer and thinner from the knee down. They have narrower hips for less rotation. They have shorter torso's. Their lower bodies are generally longer. All of these features make for more efficient running.
You mean the fact that Kenyans are built like gazelles means something?
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