It’s actually not a knee lift, it’s a knee drive forward, when we run faster, the knees are higher, but if we lift up the knees, we’ll waste energy. By contrast, we drive knees forward, our feet will naturally lifted up, and we’ll strike the ground under our centre of mass and save a lot of energy!
Our femur doesn't bend or extend - so if we get the same position at the top of the running action, it does the job. A lot of it is about messaging to athletes - if you make it simple to understand and you get the results, it doesn't necessarily matter if the description isn't 100% of what you might originally think. (not that I am saying what we've said is wrong).
The thought should always be hitting (repeat hitting, not pushing) the ground hard with force, so that force propels the body forward, not up. Smart runners will lift the foot high enough so its hammering action on the ground is with high momentum as possible. p(momentum)= m(mass) * v(velocity) - The key factor here is velocity at impact.
That is correct - it is what we are trying to say, particularly if you look at the demonstration of stamping into the floor from different heights. The issue can sometime be that if you coach to stamp down hitting the floor sometime that is all the athlete does - as we both know, it is the force down being stored in the bodies tendons and then used to react off the floor that is key, so it is really a way to messaging getting that reactivity off the ground that is important after the impact. The way we as coaches put the message across will vary and the way in which each individual responds to this will vary too - so we need to be flexible in how we try to convey what we want people to do. Thanks for your input.
My front knee drive seems to happen faster than my rear leg drive. Any ideas on why this happens? I don’t over-stride, and my foot lands directly under my center of mass just as my tibia is becoming perpendicular to the ground.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Do you think you are not recovering your heel high enough? A common problem is that the knee drive is too slow and that the rear foot comes right up to the backside before the knees have crossed - it doesn't sound like that is an issue for you. We'd need to see you run to have a better idea on what issues, if any, you have.
Thanks. I'm afraid I don't know if it would apply to cycling as we don't coach that, but I'd imagine with your toes in clips on a bike there isn't a lot you can do to change the knee position as you cycle.
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One question. When you run, do you have to be thinking every time in every stride to lift the knee consciously or eventually it will happen without noticing??
Great explanation, but I am a little confused. So, what do we conciously think of.. Do we mainly focus on knee drive, and the higher heel will follow Or do we conciously try to "push the heel higher?" thank you.
I tend to think of thinking of yourself like a puppet that has strings both on the knee and the foot. If you pull both strings up together, you get both things happening simultaneously - does that make sense?
Hey .thanku for the video .i want to ask you a question I noticed if i take long steps(no overstriding) i lost a little bit of my speed as i became tired early and when i take short steps i m all good in speed nd in breathing .i have to run 800 m so wht do you think shall i take shorts steps like i usually do which is just equal to kneeee or should take long steps (heel rising to butt)? Pls tell me
It's a proven fact that 800m runners generally have the longest stride of any athlete - longer even than sprinters, but a slower cadence than them. I'd suggest if your technique is good, then I'd work on the longer stride, but try to improve your fitness so you can last for longer at that pace. It is all going to be about running at a pace you can sustain for the race distance (no matter what distance that race is).
Awesome video, but does it work the same on pace not like this? I guess on video it is faster than 4:00 minutes per km, and how it should look like on 6:00?
It works at all speeds, but will clearly be more exaggerated at high speed. No matter what speed you are running at, if you trail you legs a long way behind you and pull them through fairly straight, you will run slower.
Awesome explanation of the knee lift, why it's beneficial, and the pitfall of too much knee lift (the latter is not addressed in every other video I've watched professing the value behind this technique). Thanks!
I'm not sure I understand the question. Without seeing what you are doing, it's very hard to tell what you are doing right or wrong. It can be for a variety of reasons - from weak hip flexors to trying to push off for too long at the back of the stride.
@@akhil76648 As I say, without seeing you running, it's very hard to tell. I would work on your hip flexor strength, trying to reduce your ground contact time and running drills to get better knee lift (simple high knees or A skips) Make sense? Good luck.
@@akhil76648 I can't tell without seeing what you are doing. It could be your hip flexor strength, more generally conditioning, or purely a technique issue. Try to "step over" an imaginary stick, sticking out of your calf about half way up your shin - that can help.