What can we all learn from Kenenisa Bekele's running form when it comes to how to run faster with proper running technique? In this video, I'm going to be looking at three key aspects of Bekele's running technique to understand the role that form plays in him being able to run efficiently at his half marathon race pace. If you want to run faster, be sure to try some of these simple techniques on your next run.
This slow motion video footage of Kenenisa Bekele really helps us in observing how elite runners run so efficiently, so that we can improve our own running form... but do make sure you don't make any big changes in your own running technique too quickly, and always listen to your body.
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Kenenisa Bekele is one of those runners whose technique is simply mesmerising to watch.
Imagine being able to look so effortless and in control while running consecutive 4:37 minute miles on the way to winning a half marathon… which is exactly what he’s doing here in this amazing slow motion footage from the Big Half in London.
Let’s take a closer look at his running form and pick out a number of key aspects of his technique that make him such an efficient distance runner.
STRIDE LENGTH & FOOT STRIKE
There’s no way of getting around it: If you’re running at roughly 4 and a half minute mile pace, you need to cover a lot of ground with each stride!
Now, this video footage doesn’t lend itself well to accurately measuring stride length, but what we can see is that the ground coverage Bekele does achieve comes without him significantly overstriding. As his foot hits the ground, the point of contact is beneath a flexing knee, with what looks like a controlled mid foot strike.
The ground covered with each stride comes from the combined knee drive of the leading leg, and hip extension of the trailing leg, creating a huge stride angle at the hips. This happens right at the moment where he leaves the ground and enters flight phase.
This allows him to cover a lot of ground in the air while his foot drops to the ground to create the efficient mid foot strike.
A combination of mobile hips and strong glutes, hamstrings and hip flexor muscles help Bekele to run with a strong hip drive like this, in comparison to many of us normal runners who struggle with tight hips and weak glutes!
Hit the like button if that sounds like something you need to work on!
BOUNCE OR VERTICAL OSCILLATION
The next part of Bekele’s running form that always strikes me is how smooth his forward progression looks. If you look at his head, or his hips as he runs, you’ll see very little excess bounce or “vertical oscillation” in his stride.
Naturally, when we run (and this is true for all of us), there needs to be a combination of forward propulsion and upward propulsion to help us spring from stride to stride.
At his half marathon race pace, Bekele is running with a cadence in the mid-to-high 180s which means that his contact time on the ground with each stride is sufficiently short, allowing him to maintain a smooth forwards movement without excessive energy wasted through bouncing up and down.
RUNNING FORWARD LEAN
This is a great freeze-frame to show quite how much Bekele leans forwards as he runs. His posture is very much a whole body forward lean, rather than simply pitching forwards at the waist, which is what we see from lots of runners.
His forward lean allows him to use momentum and gravity to help him move forwards with each stride, adding to the efficiency of his running technique.
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ABOUT ME: I'm James Dunne, a runner, sports rehabilitation therapist (similar to physical therapist) and coach based in the UK (Norwich and London).
Since 2007 I've been working with athletes focusing specifically on helping distance runners and triathletes overcome injury and improve performance through developing their individual running technique.
Running biomechanics and physical therapy are real passions of mine. I love to help runners run strong and stay injury free.
WEBSITE: kinetic-revolution.com
#Running #JamesDunne #MarathonTraining
25 дек 2020
