Hi there,
I noticed on video that my front knee is fully extended just before foot strike whereas better runners always have a bit of knee bend left in there before striking the ground.
How is that? I tried very hard not extending the knee, not firing the quads, shortening the step but on video it always shows a fully extended knee. Any advice on why and how?
joebumaye wrote:
Hi there,
I noticed on video that my front knee is fully extended just before foot strike whereas better runners always have a bit of knee bend left in there before striking the ground.
How is that? I tried very hard not extending the knee, not firing the quads, shortening the step but on video it always shows a fully extended knee. Any advice on why and how?
Try rotating your pelvis forward and correct your head and neck position, you are likely leaning over too much, compensating for poor hip posture, and you are overstriding but can't see that you are. The poor hip posture doesn't have to be noticible, but if you attempt to run with your pelvis rotated to a better position, you will immediately sense that you can hold your upper posture in a better position. Your perception of your center of gravity will shift back and the overstriding will stop...and so will the over-extension of your knees.
Worked for me.
You mean I should have more of an anterior pelvic tilt like in here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelvic_tilt ?
Anyone?
Yes. But just enough to feel a very slight stretch in the top front of your legs...assuming you have been habitually tilting your pelvis back...from habitual sitting causing tight quads, maybe?
I tried that now, and it really helped! Thank you so much.
RyecorDone wrote:
Try rotating your pelvis forward and correct your head and neck position, you are likely leaning over too much, compensating for poor hip posture, and you are overstriding but can't see that you are. The poor hip posture doesn't have to be noticible, but if you attempt to run with your pelvis rotated to a better position, you will immediately sense that you can hold your upper posture in a better position. Your perception of your center of gravity will shift back and the overstriding will stop...and so will the over-extension of your knees.
Worked for me.
I agree with this and you said it is helping. Having coached athletes with this problem I have also found success with shortening your stride to a scooting type stride. Also feel like a rope is attached to each hip pulling you hips first. Be quick off the ground with your feet as though the ground is hot. Think Gabe Jennings if you are old enough to know who this is.Run a lot of hills both in runs and repeats and strengthen in other ways such as weights and your stride length will return with the more efficient form staying intact.