If your one of the few loyal readers here you know I regularly stand on my “proper running form” soapbox. The core of these sermons center around my fondness for forefoot running. I won’t rehash what you can find in several other posts (listed below) but one of the common arguments minimalist runners make, including myself, is that our running shoes over the past 30 years have artificially forced us out of a natural stride because of an overly padded heel. We were designed to run way before running shoes existed but modern shoes make a natural running form virtually impossible.
I watch my two kids run around the yard, the sidewalks, the house, and to the dismay of their mother the pool, and I notice how much faster and more agile they are barefoot. They actually prefer being barefoot. They also have a wonderfully natural stride and land perfectly on the balls of their feet. Next time your around a toddler yank their favorite toy out of their hand and give it a toss across the room, then watch them as they run crying after it. Watch their foot strike. They run this way because it’s natural and they haven’t had their first set of “state of the art” trainers design to correct what isn’t broken in the first place.
Just an observation, weigh in if you think I’m wrong.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I see it, but my feet wont believe it! Seeds of thought though for sure!
I often see barefoot children used as the paragon of good running form because they havent ‘been corrupted by years of destructive shoe wearing’. However young Children dont have good running form at all. It takes them untill around 11 years of age to have the strength and co-ordination to actually run with good form. There is some very good film footage at the start of the following documentation http://www.wdr.de/themen/global/webmedia/webtv/getwebtv.phtml?ref=70120 (unfortunately its in German), but the footage shows how children of differnt ages typically run.
Dont get me wrong, im all in favour of running on the forefoot and i include barefoot running in my training regime, just like to point out that there is more to good form than how you put your foot down, and children are by no means good examples of form…..
actually get an adult to take their shoes off and run around and they are more than likely to replicate the same forefoot landing of your children, especially if they are moving in the same relative speed, and not just ambling along.
Thanks Paul – I have never seen the example made. And we use barefoot running drill all the time so I certainly agree with that.
I’ve learned a lot from watching my son run — both in form and with getting back to basics and running just to run.