I land front/mid foot. I'm not gonna say thats the best way, 'cause It seems to demolish my achilles and calves (Allthough I suspect that's more because of my passive desk job and weak spindly swimmers legs than anything else tbh : ' ) ) In any case, where your foot lands in relation to your body is far more important then how your foot makes contact with the ground I recon.
Christopher McDougall in Born to Run talk about some research that show that the ground-strike and shock created by it (which goes up through the knee and hip) is increased in very coushined shoes compared to less coushined, because the body naturally responds to landing on something soft by adding more downward power to find stability. This increased shock is what essentially is so hard on the joints, especially in heel-strikers as their joints are more locked in that strike position and take the full brunt of the shock. Have you looked into that? Great video!
There is some cool information in that book and a midfoot strike pattern is more efficient than a heel strike pattern during gait. However, runners, especially long distance runners, need to be careful with make a quick/abrupt transition from heel-strike to midfoot strike. There is some biochemistry and bone mechanic information on how bone cells adapt differently to forces (tensile and compression) and with Wolf's law it takes time for bone to adapt. Heel-strikers tend to apply tensile loads to the front part of the shin bone and apply compressive loads on the back part. A quick transition to midfoot striking will flip those two forces which those bone cells aren't use to and can lead to pain or even tibial stress fractures, especially among long distance runners who repeatedly put on these loads over and over. The safest way I've heard to do the transition is to make it a gradual change. Say someone runs 40 miles every week and has been a heel strike runner, one week they can run 39miles with heel strike, but 1 mile with midfoot strike. The following week they then run 38mi with heel strike but 2mi midfoot and so on, so that these bone cells can adapt.
@@SteveMunguia Couldnt agree more. Any small and in this case significant change, no matter how a person has been running requires a slow gradual transition. Thank you for the additional information, it sounds very interesting. I need to dive deeper in at some point 😊
Both of these hosts are so nice to listen to. Such soothing and calm voices. And full of knowledge to boot. I am am heel striking. Have great pronation and problems with my knee.
Middle and long distance runners have to have incredible strength and very durable calf muscles to run as a forefoot runner. Midfoot can be the most efficient for mid and long distances, but even that requires durability and considerable time to develop the muscularity you'll need.
Correct! nothing is wrong with a roll from the mid foot to heel strike as it offers a more natural way to engage in one's running gait and stride patterns. You're right long distances are not made for forefoot running, so mid to heel offers balance and hopefully less injuries.
Let me ask you a question, did you change how you walk as well? Currently in the process of changing my running away from heel striking and wondering what the best walking form is.
Same. Was getting knee and neck pain as a 17 year old fit non-runner (high school tennis player running 3-5 miles for exercise) someone pointed out I land on my heel like crazy (way more exaggerated than anything seen on this video) Now as an overweight 28 year old I am able to run with no knee or neck pain.
I'd say that generally mid/forefoot strike would be best for the long run, yeah heelstriking with a shoe with lots of cushioning will work for shorter distances like 5k etc. but its not a natural way of running. if you go for longer distances I feel you need to have a good running form and heelstriking is not one of them. I run mid to forefoot, started from normal running so more like flat foot and basically heelstriking. It feels weird and slow now I am used to midfoot strike. You do need to work your calves a great deal more so its basically resetting your progress back to starting with 1-2km when you change your style and you want to train your calves, with things like jumprope, calveraises etc since they will be getting pounded way more in the beginning. But on the positive side you build stronger calves and is useful for cycling and swimming as well.
I'm a mixed foot. When running longer distances I prefer heel strike, but when speed is more important over a shorter distance I automatically switch to the ball of the foot.
I am more of a forefoot striker but I noticed that when I run a marathon I end up running heel strike when I am beginning to get tired... but consciously I am a forefoot striker... I have a knee pain recently while training for my full Mary in 2 1/2 months more to date! This video is very informative. Thank you!
I was naturally a heel striker growing up and hated running because it never felt good, even had shin pain when I did it for too long. I learned how to run midfoot style and I've had no pain and actually enjoy running. Ran my first 5k recently and am super proud
also an important fact might be to make sure that the running shoe is stable enough and doesn‘t allow too much pronation.. e.g. mins 1:31 (person to the right, left > right foot) and 7:01 : maybe a shoe with a higher torsional stiffness or even medial support might be more ideal in these cases especially for longer distances as that could also decrease the risk of injury.
You do not mention shin splints, which is a very common problem. Much more common than most other injuries. And it is usually caused by forefoot running and taking the impact and setting off with the calf muscles instead of the thigh muscles. As soon as a runner focus on using the larger muscles to "catch" impact and land mid foot, the problem usually will resolve after some recovery and not return. Else it can take a very long time to get rid of. Once you have had a shin splint, you are highly susceptible to getting another if you do not change your running style.
When I first started running, I did it with forefoot . It felt fast but I got serious shin splint and I could felt my shin muscle growing. I changed my style to mid foot landing and problem solved.
@@scottnglsh maybe. Allow yourself 12 weeks to transition. Focus on cadence over foor strike. Foot strike is the end result of other changes, not the starting point. Footwear is only part of it too. But vivobarefoot are what I have found the best for learning the techniques.
I think youyou are on to something, but I think the cause of the forefoot running is caused by the cadence increase. It basically reduces over striding and you start landing more towards the forefoot. Studies have shown less injuries occur with increased cadences. I've been trying doing research on this stuff to optimize my own running. But at the end of the day, I probably shouldn't try to fix what's not broken.
I'm currently trying to change from heel strike to forefoot, simply because my knees have been bothering me for a while now. But man my calves are tired haha, but I do think my knees are feeling better... I've also been stretching, because, often tightness can lead to knee pain. So I'm not completely sure which has had the most impact in making the pain go away.
Hi buddies and thanks for that.. I have been running for + 45 years ...totally ruined my knees / back and all the rest with heel striking ...since 3 years I tried then to move to front / middle foot strike and then I got a whole lot of Calves injuries ..So it's really to choose between the lesser impact ... really difficult.
Hello, many years ago I used to have a mid foot strike but I changed it to heel strike because was the “right” way. I ran 3 marathons... now, as my worries on knee problems started to rise, I decided to changed again to mid foot (a year ago).
Took me a year to change my heel strike running to forefoot running. All the pain in my knees is gone. And I am a much faster runner now. Running as a fat person kills the knees and I love running so, I had to change the way I ran. At 250+ since I recently found out that I'm allergic to soy and has been the main reason I gained weight. I've been running a lot more. I'm still around 300lbs but I lost 15lbs in just excess swelling. And I was already doing muscle work before I found the allergy so the quick weight loss really amped me to run more. I felt light as a feather and healthier than ever.
heel striking causes shin splints, knee problems, hip problems, even lower spine and postural problems. run barefoot or in minimalist shoes with a forefoot strike for any distance, and the rest of your form will sort itself out. sprinters land on their toes not their forefeet, and their part of their foot behind the fore/mid foot rarely touches the ground, forefoot running for any kind of distance will result in less injuries.
1. Lean forward while running especially with an anterior pelvic tilt. 2. Increase cadence 3. Stick to shoes with 4mm Or lower heel to toe 4. Stick to HR < 150 5. Do not stretch unnecessarily if you don't need it 6. Sleep well + Stay hydrated. 7. Avoid all temptation of going faster while recovering from a chronic injury
For me used to do parkour and run at the park barefoot the best way to run was midfoot. (Month on where my body adapted to the best running style on my feet)
due to permanent problems with my knees, I changed from heel to front/mid-foot strike. I trained to do so, by running barefooted on a treadmill (but be careful to increase the volume slowly).
I have a really bad tendensy to slam my forefoot into the ground. It means I have to ensure my feet are extremely strong. Otherwise it gets extremely painfull. Sometimes already after 25K's. Makes a 50 Miles ultra challenging...
Another wonderful video as always. I was wondering if anyone here knows about someone who's had an acetabular fracture in the past and has successfully returned to distance running?
midfoot strike is really forefoot striking at a different angle. it is not possible to land midfoot unless your entire foot is touching the ground. Think of your foot without shoes. if you land midfoot, your entire bottom of your feet would have to touch the ground. to beat a dead horse, it is anatomically impossible to land midfoot unless you have shoes shaped a certain way.
I'm a marine and often run 3-5 miles and because i only ran forefoot like i was taught i got stress fractures now as i recover i'm learning that that was a stupid idea
A lot of Japanese (Asian) runners are also quite smaller/lighter than black or white runners for example, so they may be able to get away with it where others can’t. Healing striking puts a lot of force on your shin bones, more so when you’re heavier
I feel like 99% of shoe companies make shoes for heel strikers. As for average runners that land on forefoot to midfoot kinda get screwed over. Why cant companies make more 4mm drop shoes with decent cushion?
If I am relatively new to running, would you suggest I continue to run as I naturally would and focus on the basics (running tall, being light on my feet, etc.) or should I actively be trying to change my running form?
forfoot running is actually more natural its told that humans are evolutionally exceptional at running because most commonly known, they sweat but another thing most of us dont do, is we are actually 2-geared running, at low speeds we usually run at the heel, but faster we run on the forefoot. its never or probably rarely seen in other animals because of the way of our legs bones work. Our midfoot bones are actually supposed to be the ankles, if we were birds. take a look at ostriches feet.
Just here to say heel striking is an unnatural way of running that is not only possible but also caused by feet cushions. Forefoot strike feels much more natural.
Why the hell does everybody say midfoot strike?? Seriously the middle of my foot it THE PEAK OF MY ARCH. It is fucking IMPOSSIBLE for me OR ANYONE to strike there. Do you mean landing flat footed? If the middle of my foot strikes the floor then ALL of the sole strikes the floor SIMULTANEOUSLY. This has NO shock absorption JUST LIKE A HEEL STRIKE What the hell does midfoot strike mean??? Am I right? Does it mean flat foot strike? There is no shock absorption. You can either strike on your heel or the balls of your feet, and the ONLY one with shock absorption that doesnt use the knees as the sole shock absorber is the balls of the feet. Landing mid foot has no less knee shock than heel strike. I would LOVE to hear why I am wrong because I just want to understand what I am not getting
Shocking fact: there are no natural heel strike runners! When running barefoot EVERYBODY becomes a forefoot strike runner. This is the natural form we've been using to run for 1.5 million years. It is only possible to heel strike when using cushioning shoes, which in turn promotes weaker feet. In conclusion, it is better to run with a forefoot strike, but it requires (and promotes) stronger feet so cushioning running shoes are like crutches for a bad running form that keep runners from getting stronger feet and better technique.
Which type of foot strike are you? Let us know!
Mid-foot. Got a still from a 5k I ran a month ago. Was happy not to see my heel going for the next step!
From the moment I started to run on my mid-foot? Just beneath my toes on to the foot pillows idk how is it in English :D
I land front/mid foot. I'm not gonna say thats the best way, 'cause It seems to demolish my achilles and calves (Allthough I suspect that's more because of my passive desk job and weak spindly swimmers legs than anything else tbh : ' ) )
In any case, where your foot lands in relation to your body is far more important then how your foot makes contact with the ground I recon.
Forefoot, trying to learn how to add a bit more of a heel-kiss to give my calves a tiny bit more of a rest in between each stride
barefoot :))
Based on my recent luck I appear to land with the centre of my face.
:D :D :D :D :D Made my day, hope your nose is okay
Lmao
LMAO
Very efficient
Got an actual laugh from me
Christopher McDougall in Born to Run talk about some research that show that the ground-strike and shock created by it (which goes up through the knee and hip) is increased in very coushined shoes compared to less coushined, because the body naturally responds to landing on something soft by adding more downward power to find stability. This increased shock is what essentially is so hard on the joints, especially in heel-strikers as their joints are more locked in that strike position and take the full brunt of the shock. Have you looked into that? Great video!
MKL I couldn’t even finish that book 0_0 salute to u!
@@alicecgong Audiobooked it :P
There is some cool information in that book and a midfoot strike pattern is more efficient than a heel strike pattern during gait. However, runners, especially long distance runners, need to be careful with make a quick/abrupt transition from heel-strike to midfoot strike.
There is some biochemistry and bone mechanic information on how bone cells adapt differently to forces (tensile and compression) and with Wolf's law it takes time for bone to adapt. Heel-strikers tend to apply tensile loads to the front part of the shin bone and apply compressive loads on the back part. A quick transition to midfoot striking will flip those two forces which those bone cells aren't use to and can lead to pain or even tibial stress fractures, especially among long distance runners who repeatedly put on these loads over and over.
The safest way I've heard to do the transition is to make it a gradual change. Say someone runs 40 miles every week and has been a heel strike runner, one week they can run 39miles with heel strike, but 1 mile with midfoot strike. The following week they then run 38mi with heel strike but 2mi midfoot and so on, so that these bone cells can adapt.
@@SteveMunguia Couldnt agree more. Any small and in this case significant change, no matter how a person has been running requires a slow gradual transition.
Thank you for the additional information, it sounds very interesting. I need to dive deeper in at some point 😊
Both of these hosts are so nice to listen to. Such soothing and calm voices. And full of knowledge to boot.
I am am heel striking. Have great pronation and problems with my knee.
Middle and long distance runners have to have incredible strength and very durable calf muscles to run as a forefoot runner. Midfoot can be the most efficient for mid and long distances, but even that requires durability and considerable time to develop the muscularity you'll need.
Correct! nothing is wrong with a roll from the mid foot to heel strike as it offers a more natural way to engage in one's running gait and stride patterns. You're right long distances are not made for forefoot running, so mid to heel offers balance and hopefully less injuries.
I used to have a lot of knee pain as a heel striker. I re-trained myself to run forefoot/midfoot and my pain is gone
Let me ask you a question, did you change how you walk as well? Currently in the process of changing my running away from heel striking and wondering what the best walking form is.
@@KCswiish walk normally as u walk..u have to use forefoot while running only
Same. Was getting knee and neck pain as a 17 year old fit non-runner (high school tennis player running 3-5 miles for exercise)
someone pointed out I land on my heel like crazy (way more exaggerated than anything seen on this video)
Now as an overweight 28 year old I am able to run with no knee or neck pain.
@@Ckwon117 Try to run on soft surfaces as much as you can and land on midfoot....avoid running on roads and concrete surface...
Same, plus my heel hurt after long runs. Changed it up and alot better now
I'd say that generally mid/forefoot strike would be best for the long run, yeah heelstriking with a shoe with lots of cushioning will work for shorter distances like 5k etc. but its not a natural way of running. if you go for longer distances I feel you need to have a good running form and heelstriking is not one of them. I run mid to forefoot, started from normal running so more like flat foot and basically heelstriking. It feels weird and slow now I am used to midfoot strike. You do need to work your calves a great deal more so its basically resetting your progress back to starting with 1-2km when you change your style and you want to train your calves, with things like jumprope, calveraises etc since they will be getting pounded way more in the beginning. But on the positive side you build stronger calves and is useful for cycling and swimming as well.
I'm a mixed foot. When running longer distances I prefer heel strike, but when speed is more important over a shorter distance I automatically switch to the ball of the foot.
That is very normal my man
Forefoot or the ball of my foot is where I strike. It makes the most sense and is far faster and far better for you physically.
I am more of a forefoot striker but I noticed that when I run a marathon I end up running heel strike when I am beginning to get tired... but consciously I am a forefoot striker... I have a knee pain recently while training for my full Mary in 2 1/2 months more to date! This video is very informative. Thank you!
I was naturally a heel striker growing up and hated running because it never felt good, even had shin pain when I did it for too long. I learned how to run midfoot style and I've had no pain and actually enjoy running. Ran my first 5k recently and am super proud
also an important fact might be to make sure that the running shoe is stable enough and doesn‘t allow too much pronation.. e.g. mins 1:31 (person to the right, left > right foot) and 7:01 : maybe a shoe with a higher torsional stiffness or even medial support might be more ideal in these cases especially for longer distances as that could also decrease the risk of injury.
Thank you so much for the quality detailed info.
Love your channel, it's the only thing helping me train for my 1st ironman 70.3 🏊♂️🚲🏃♂️
bro you got it
You do not mention shin splints, which is a very common problem. Much more common than most other injuries. And it is usually caused by forefoot running and taking the impact and setting off with the calf muscles instead of the thigh muscles. As soon as a runner focus on using the larger muscles to "catch" impact and land mid foot, the problem usually will resolve after some recovery and not return. Else it can take a very long time to get rid of. Once you have had a shin splint, you are highly susceptible to getting another if you do not change your running style.
When I first started running, I did it with forefoot . It felt fast but I got serious shin splint and I could felt my shin muscle growing. I changed my style to mid foot landing and problem solved.
I fixed my heel-striking by running barefooted. It'll force you to land on your forefoot with the added benefit of increased cadence.
Sherwin Catli do minimalist shoes have the same effect/benefit?
@@scottnglsh maybe. Allow yourself 12 weeks to transition. Focus on cadence over foor strike. Foot strike is the end result of other changes, not the starting point. Footwear is only part of it too. But vivobarefoot are what I have found the best for learning the techniques.
James Macconville ooh thanks. This actually helps a lot!
how many km advised for running barefoot a week?
I think youyou are on to something, but I think the cause of the forefoot running is caused by the cadence increase. It basically reduces over striding and you start landing more towards the forefoot. Studies have shown less injuries occur with increased cadences. I've been trying doing research on this stuff to optimize my own running. But at the end of the day, I probably shouldn't try to fix what's not broken.
The exact video i was waiting for to come out !!
Thanks!
I'm currently trying to change from heel strike to forefoot, simply because my knees have been bothering me for a while now. But man my calves are tired haha, but I do think my knees are feeling better... I've also been stretching, because, often tightness can lead to knee pain. So I'm not completely sure which has had the most impact in making the pain go away.
Hi buddies and thanks for that.. I have been running for + 45 years ...totally ruined my knees / back and all the rest with heel striking ...since 3 years I tried then to move to front / middle foot strike and then I got a whole lot of Calves injuries ..So it's really to choose between the lesser impact ... really difficult.
Thank you for this great and informative video!!
Hello, many years ago I used to have a mid foot strike but I changed it to heel strike because was the “right” way. I ran 3 marathons... now, as my worries on knee problems started to rise, I decided to changed again to mid foot (a year ago).
Took me a year to change my heel strike running to forefoot running. All the pain in my knees is gone. And I am a much faster runner now. Running as a fat person kills the knees and I love running so, I had to change the way I ran. At 250+ since I recently found out that I'm allergic to soy and has been the main reason I gained weight. I've been running a lot more. I'm still around 300lbs but I lost 15lbs in just excess swelling. And I was already doing muscle work before I found the allergy so the quick weight loss really amped me to run more. I felt light as a feather and healthier than ever.
heel striking causes shin splints, knee problems, hip problems, even lower spine and postural problems. run barefoot or in minimalist shoes with a forefoot strike for any distance, and the rest of your form will sort itself out. sprinters land on their toes not their forefeet, and their part of their foot behind the fore/mid foot rarely touches the ground, forefoot running for any kind of distance will result in less injuries.
Interesting. Definitely need to have a look at how I run.
1. Lean forward while running especially with an anterior pelvic tilt.
2. Increase cadence
3. Stick to shoes with 4mm Or lower heel to toe
4. Stick to HR < 150
5. Do not stretch unnecessarily if you don't need it
6. Sleep well + Stay hydrated.
7. Avoid all temptation of going faster while recovering from a chronic injury
For me used to do parkour and run at the park barefoot the best way to run was midfoot.
(Month on where my body adapted to the best running style on my feet)
I kinda feel, that On running is sponsoring you guys :D Dunno why, just a hunch :D
Who are they?
@@va_bg A really good Swiss running shoes. Run in them myself actually.
You can actually see On Running in their description under sponsors
Soles are crap in sand and gravel.
I actually bought s pair of on running cloudswift cause of this channel
due to permanent problems with my knees, I changed from heel to front/mid-foot strike. I trained to do so, by running barefooted on a treadmill (but be careful to increase the volume slowly).
how did that work out for you?
I have a really bad tendensy to slam my forefoot into the ground.
It means I have to ensure my feet are extremely strong.
Otherwise it gets extremely painfull. Sometimes already after 25K's.
Makes a 50 Miles ultra challenging...
Another wonderful video as always. I was wondering if anyone here knows about someone who's had an acetabular fracture in the past and has successfully returned to distance running?
midfoot strike is really forefoot striking at a different angle. it is not possible to land midfoot unless your entire foot is touching the ground. Think of your foot without shoes. if you land midfoot, your entire bottom of your feet would have to touch the ground. to beat a dead horse, it is anatomically impossible to land midfoot unless you have shoes shaped a certain way.
Good point
I'm a marine and often run 3-5 miles and because i only ran forefoot like i was taught i got stress fractures now as i recover i'm learning that that was a stupid idea
What were those galoches looking shoes (aqua, etc. colored)? Are those running shoes?
Midfood striker here!
In a forefoot running does your heels make contact with the ground? Same with mid foot..plz someone make my confusion clear
a lot of japanese runners run with heel striking first
A lot of Japanese (Asian) runners are also quite smaller/lighter than black or white runners for example, so they may be able to get away with it where others can’t. Healing striking puts a lot of force on your shin bones, more so when you’re heavier
I feel like 99% of shoe companies make shoes for heel strikers. As for average runners that land on forefoot to midfoot kinda get screwed over. Why cant companies make more 4mm drop shoes with decent cushion?
What make are those shoes you are using
Forefoot strikes are just more gtaceful and natural
If I am relatively new to running, would you suggest I continue to run as I naturally would and focus on the basics (running tall, being light on my feet, etc.) or should I actively be trying to change my running form?
forfoot running is actually more natural
its told that humans are evolutionally exceptional at running because
most commonly known, they sweat
but another thing most of us dont do, is we are actually 2-geared running, at low speeds we usually run at the heel, but faster we run on the forefoot.
its never or probably rarely seen in other animals because of the way of our legs bones work.
Our midfoot bones are actually supposed to be the ankles, if we were birds. take a look at ostriches feet.
Just here to say heel striking is an unnatural way of running that is not only possible but also caused by feet cushions. Forefoot strike feels much more natural.
Why the hell does everybody say midfoot strike??
Seriously the middle of my foot it THE PEAK OF MY ARCH.
It is fucking IMPOSSIBLE for me OR ANYONE to strike there.
Do you mean landing flat footed? If the middle of my foot strikes the floor then ALL of the sole strikes the floor SIMULTANEOUSLY. This has NO shock absorption JUST LIKE A HEEL STRIKE
What the hell does midfoot strike mean???
Am I right? Does it mean flat foot strike?
There is no shock absorption.
You can either strike on your heel or the balls of your feet, and the ONLY one with shock absorption that doesnt use the knees as the sole shock absorber is the balls of the feet.
Landing mid foot has no less knee shock than heel strike.
I would LOVE to hear why I am wrong because I just want to understand what I am not getting
@@LilyW-in7ou yeah, but what I mean is the mid foot( your foot's arch ) can't touch the ground, and therefore it impossible to do a midfoot strike
5:47 this and this 9:38. I’d doesn’t matter people, everyone is different
I can’t keep up a forefront for very long
Laurence's Daddy nor should you
Christopher Green yeah calves feel so tight so just gonna stick with mid foot
like
Shocking fact: there are no natural heel strike runners! When running barefoot EVERYBODY becomes a forefoot strike runner. This is the natural form we've been using to run for 1.5 million years. It is only possible to heel strike when using cushioning shoes, which in turn promotes weaker feet. In conclusion, it is better to run with a forefoot strike, but it requires (and promotes) stronger feet so cushioning running shoes are like crutches for a bad running form that keep runners from getting stronger feet and better technique.
I’m a natural heel strike runner and trying to learn mid
@@danieldoyle8654 Crutches, nice.
You are having a laugh. The only way is ball just before heel then forget the ankle.
Yet another misinformed upload.
What you mean?
Sprinters never ever land on their forefoot. Thats just wrong. Sprinters land on the complete feet. This Way they can produce maximum force.