FOOT LANDING IN RUNNING

There is a discussion on the Pose Tech Running Forum about the foot landing, which goes around Jeremy Huffman´s comments on this matter. I found it interesting how many interpretations and explanations came up during this discussion. There are some proper visions of this problem, but without any system of reference, which doesn´t allow us to accept this or that point of view expressed by the opponents and allows the use of quite different interpretations and “excuses” for landing this or that way.

Nevertheless, the underlying reasons for all our actions are in our reality and our relations with this reality. In science it is called a system of reference, when something is related to something and these relations are defined as parts of the system as they appear relatively to each other. In our case it is foot landing related with a specific system, which we call running. >From the Pose Method point of view the foot landing is related with the necessity of a runner to move forward where the major components are gravity-body weight-support-falling forward –changing support. So the foot landing is related with all these components as a factor, which is increasing or reducing the input to this system.

Our questions about what is a proper place for the foot landing could be boiled down to the question how much this or that landing could facilitate our ability to use, or consume gravity-body weight-support-falling forward-changing support? From the Pose Method point of view our primary (leading) force is gravity, which we consume through our body falling forward while we are standing on support. Therefore, the better we are falling, the better is our running. But we are falling from a very specific position only. From science research studies it is well-known that no matter how we are landing, the final point of leaving the ground is the ball of the foot. No matter whether the heel or “midfoot”, or forefoot strikes the ground first, our body leaves the support from the ball of the foot.

So what about different landing? Why our landing is different? Why are we accepting landing on a heel, lateral side of the foot as something” comfortable” or necessary? The answer is in our system of reference: necessity to fall and our ability to fall. As you remember by Pose Method technique we are falling from the balance position of the body on the ball of the foot. The sooner our body weight (GCM – general center of mass) is on the ball of the foot, the sooner we can fall forward and run faster. If for some reason we are not at this place, our fall will be postponed.

Again why could it happen? Because of the lack of our skill to get to the falling condition quickly. It could be anything from the fear of running fast to the lack of muscle strength, but all of these reasons could lead to one thing to get more time to bring our body to the falling condition. Therefore our mind is trying to “buy” some extra time to allow the body to get into the Pose and fall. How does the mind do it? In a very simple way – put our foot in front of the body, on a side of the foot, etc.

There could be another reason to put the foot in front of the body – increasing stride length, but it would lead to the same outcome – reducing the rate of falling.

So let’s think over these issues again and ask ourselves: how can we make our foot land in the most effective way? The answer is to not be concerned with landing, but with producing the best conditions for falling. It is the Pose where the foot is under the body and the body weight is on the ball of the foot. Stay on two feet with knees bent and then on the side of the feet and try to fall forward from both positions. This comparison will give you an idea what is the best foot position to move forward. Hence this is the answer on the question about the foot landing in running.

Dr. Romanov