How PRO runners run SLOW with amazing technique

Summary

This video breaks down how elite marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge's running form changes at different paces. It analyzes his posture, arm movement, and stride patterns, comparing his fast 4.5-minute mile pace to a slower 4-hour marathon pace. The video highlights subtle changes in his form, such as reduced arm swing and less vertical displacement at slower speeds. Despite these adjustments, Kipchoge maintains consistent elements of good running form, offering lessons on maintaining efficiency and preventing overstriding at various speeds for all runners.

Takeaways

• 🏃‍♂️ Posture is crucial at different paces; Kipchogi maintains an upright posture even at slower paces.
• 🔄 Arm swing changes with pace; a larger arc at faster paces and a smaller one at slower paces.
• 💪 Consistent elbow drive correlates with stronger extension of the rear leg.
• 👟 Avoid over-striding by maintaining parallel lines from hip to ankle at toe-off.
• 👣 Foot strike should be mindful; a midfoot or heel strike can reduce strain on the tibialis posterior.
• 🚶‍♂️ Even elite runners exhibit a more 'bouncy' stride at slower paces, impacting efficiency.
• 📉 At slower paces, there's a need for a sufficient foot clearance without excessive upward movement.
• 🔄 Vertical displacement varies with pace; smoother at faster paces compared to slower ones.
• 👟 Forefoot striking can lead to excessive strain on the tibialis posterior, especially with limited ankle dorsiflexion.
• ⏸️ Injured runners can benefit from heel raises or specific exercises to alleviate stress on the lower leg muscles.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The main focus of the video script is analyzing the running form of professional marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, particularly at different paces, and how it compares to normal running techniques.

What is the significance of Kipchoge's running form at a 4-hour marathon pace?

At a 4-hour marathon pace, Kipchoge's running form is examined to understand how it changes from his faster interval pace, specifically looking at posture, stride pattern, and arm movement.

How does Kipchoge's posture differ between fast and slow paces?

At a faster pace, Kipchoge maintains a nice and upright posture with a long extension pattern. At a slower pace, he still appears tall and upright but with a gentle forward lean, not as dramatic as the faster pace.

What is the importance of arm swing in running form?

The arm swing is crucial as it complements the leg movement. Kipchoge's arm swing has a larger arc at faster paces, helping with stride length and power, while at slower paces, the arc is shorter.

Why is the angle of the elbow significant in running form?

The angle of the elbow is significant because it affects the power and extension of the rear leg. A more powerful drive backward of the elbow correlates with better extension of the rear leg.

What does the term 'terminal stance' refer to in the context of running?

Terminal stance refers to the point just before the foot leaves the ground. The script emphasizes the importance of maintaining parallel lines from the hip to the ankle to avoid over-striding.

How does Kipchoge's foot strike differ between fast and slow paces?

At a faster pace, Kipchoge needs a bigger stride length, which involves picking his foot up higher and having a longer lever. At a slower pace, he doesn't need to lift his foot as high, maintaining a lower carriage.

What is the effect of a slower pace on Kipchoge's running form?

At a slower pace, there is a bit more bounce, and the running form might feel less smooth and efficient compared to a faster pace. However, Kipchoge still maintains control and avoids becoming heavy-footed.

Why is the height of the kickback important in running?

The height of the kickback affects stride length and how the knee drives through. It needs to be high enough to clear the ground but not so high as to cause unnecessary strain or inefficient running.

What advice is given to runners with limited ankle dorsiflexion?

For runners with limited ankle dorsiflexion, the advice includes mobilizations with movement and possibly using heel raises to offload through the posterior tibialis and reduce strain on the Achilles tendon or plantar fascia.

What is the role of the tibialis posterior muscle in running?

The tibialis posterior muscle plays a role in controlling pronation as the foot lands and loads. It works eccentrically to control the roll-inwards of the foot, especially in runners with limited ankle dorsiflexion.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ Analyzing Kipchogi's Running Form at Different Paces

The paragraph discusses the running form of professional marathon runner Eliud Kipchogi, particularly comparing his form at a fast pace of 2 minutes 47 seconds per kilometer to a slower, more recovery pace of roughly 4-hour marathon pace. The analysis focuses on posture, upper body carriage, and stride pattern. At the faster pace, Kipchogi maintains an upright posture with a long extension pattern, while at the slower pace, he still exhibits an upright posture but with a gentle forward lean. The paragraph also examines his arm swing, noting that the arc of the swing changes with pace, with a larger arc at faster speeds. The importance of not over-striding and maintaining a short angle at the elbow is highlighted, as is the connection between arm movement and leg extension.

05:01

👟 Maintaining Efficient Running Form to Avoid Over-Striding

This section of the script emphasizes the importance of maintaining an efficient running form to prevent over-striding. It uses Kipchogi as an example, showing how he maintains parallel lines from hip to ankle at toe-off, even at a slower pace. The paragraph contrasts his form with another runner, highlighting the difference in stride angle and the potential for over-striding when the shin comes through vertical. The discussion also touches on the height of the kickback and how it changes with pace, with Kipchogi needing to pick his foot up more at a faster pace to achieve the necessary stride length.

10:03

🌟 Scaling Running Form with Pace and Efficiency

The script continues with an examination of how Kipchogi's running form scales with different paces, noting that he appears smoother and more efficient at a faster pace. Even at a slower pace, which is considered easy for him, Kipchogi avoids becoming plotty or heavy-footed, maintaining control over his form. The paragraph suggests that runners should strive for a relaxed form that doesn't become lazy or inefficient, regardless of the pace.

15:07

👟 Addressing Forefoot Striking and Its Impact on Injuries

In this paragraph, the focus is on a subscriber's running form, particularly the forefoot striking that can lead to injuries like tibial posterior tendonopathy. The analysis points out that the runner's heels barely touch the ground, which can be hard on the calves and other lower leg muscles. The paragraph discusses the importance of allowing the foot to load flat to reduce pressure on the forefoot and suggests mobilization exercises and the use of heel raises as potential solutions to help runners with stiff ankles achieve a more balanced foot strike.

Keywords

💡Running Form

Running form refers to the way a person runs, including posture, stride, and arm movement. In the video, the host analyzes the running form of professional marathon runner Kipchogi, particularly how it changes at different paces. The video uses Kipchogi's form as an example of efficient running technique, emphasizing the importance of maintaining good form even at slower paces.

💡Posture

Posture in running refers to the body's alignment and position while running, which can impact efficiency and injury prevention. The video discusses how Kipchogi maintains an upright posture even at slower paces, which is crucial for efficient running. The host contrasts this with a less optimal posture seen in another runner, illustrating the importance of a good posture for injury prevention.

💡Stride Pattern

Stride pattern is the way a runner's legs move during running, including the length of the stride and the foot strike. The video examines Kipchogi's stride pattern at different speeds, noting how it changes from a more extended stride at faster paces to a more compact stride at slower paces, while still avoiding over-striding.

💡Arm Swing

Arm swing is the natural movement of the arms in coordination with the legs during running. The video script describes how Kipchogi's arm swing changes with pace, with a larger arc at faster speeds and a smaller arc at slower speeds. The script also discusses how arm swing is connected to leg movement, influencing the overall running form.

💡Terminal Stance

Terminal stance is the phase in the running cycle when the foot is about to leave the ground. The video uses the concept to discuss the importance of maintaining parallel lines from the hip to the ankle at toe-off to avoid over-striding. This is highlighted as a key aspect of efficient running form.

💡Over-striding

Over-striding is a running technique where the foot lands ahead of the body's center of mass, which can lead to inefficiency and injury. The video script uses the term to caution against this form, showing how Kipchogi maintains proper alignment to avoid over-striding, even at different paces.

💡Foot Strike

Foot strike describes where the foot makes contact with the ground during running. The video discusses different types of foot strike, such as forefoot and heel strike, and how they can affect running efficiency and injury risk. It also addresses how Kipchogi's foot strike changes with pace.

💡Cadence

Cadence in running refers to the number of steps taken per minute. The video script suggests thinking about cadence as a way to improve running form, especially when feeling heavy-footed, to help runners maintain a lighter, more efficient stride.

💡Injury Prevention

Injury prevention is the practice of avoiding injuries through proper training, technique, and conditioning. The video script mentions injury prevention in the context of running form, emphasizing the importance of maintaining good form to reduce the risk of injuries like tibialis posterior tendonopathy.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency in running refers to the ability to use energy effectively while running, which can be influenced by factors like form and pace. The video script discusses how maintaining good running form, even at slower paces, can contribute to running efficiency.

💡Heel Raises

Heel raises are shoe inserts that elevate the heel to change the foot's angle upon contact with the ground. The video suggests using heel raises as a tool to help runners with limited ankle dorsiflexion to achieve a more natural foot strike and reduce strain on the posterior tibialis muscle.

Highlights

Comparison of running form between elite marathoner Kipchogi's fast pace and a slower, more common pace.

Maintaining an upright posture and efficient stride pattern at slower paces.

Observation of arm swing and its relation to stride length at different paces.

Consistency in running form despite changes in pace, emphasizing the importance of maintaining form.

Importance of not bending forward at the waist and maintaining a gentle forward lean.

Analysis of the arm swing arc and its impact on running efficiency.

The relationship between arm movement and leg extension, preventing a disconnect in running form.

Maintaining parallel lines from hip to ankle to avoid over-striding.

Kipchogi's ability to maintain form even at a slower pace compared to his marathon personal best.

Differences in kickback height and foot carriage between fast and slow paces.

The importance of not becoming plotty or heavy-footed at slower paces.

The impact of running form on injury prevention, specifically tibialis posterior tendonopathy.

Daniel's running form analysis and how it contributes to his injury history.

The role of ankle dorsiflexion in running form and injury prevention.

Suggestion of using heel raises to offload the tibialis posterior muscle.

Recommendations for ankle mobilization and strengthening exercises.

The importance of a consistent running form regardless of pace to prevent injuries.

Transcripts

we're all used to seeing Pro marathon

runners like Elliot Kip chogi here

running in full flow with beautiful

efficient running form but what we don't

often get to see is what happens to that

smooth technique when these runners run

at more normal Paces like in this clip

where Kip chogi is running at roughly

4-Hour marathon pace in the recovery

between his 1,000 M intervals let's take

a closer look at how his running form

changes when he runs at a pace that you

and I might run at compared to the 2

minutes 47 perk which is roughly 4 and 1

half minute mile Pace we see during his

intervals in the faster of these two

clips okay so in these two sets of Clips

we've got Kip chogi here and Kip chogi

here that I want you to keep a close eye

on we're going to start looking at

posture and his upper body carriage and

then move on to look at particularly his

stride pattern so take a look at this as

he's running at a faster pace so as we

have him coming through stride by stride

we'll get to a point where we're side on

running at 2 minutes 47 per kilometer so

about 4 and a half minute Mar Pace this

is quick as you'd imagine posturally

nice and upright nice and Tall with a

nice long flowing extension pattern to

help him really drive that stride length

as we're running at the slower of those

two paces you can see okay looks very

different as again you can imagine but

there are some consistent factors that I

really really want to pick on so what we

can see again is at that point of the

rear foot just leaving the ground we're

still nice and Tall the chest isn't

quite as open but nice and Tall nice and

upright not bending forward at the waist

okay but with a gentle forwards lean

still maintaining that factor it's just

not as dramatic because the pace isn't

obviously quite as much but look at what

the arms are doing okay as we just get

rid of these red lines have a look at

what the leading hand is doing as we

come through so The Far Side hand as we

look at it on both sides okay so as we

come

through comes to a point where it stays

fairly close to his chest okay he stays

with his hands relatively close in this

kind of short lever position with his

arms and again with the the hands so to

right close to his chest here and

here with the the other side the side

that we can see he maintains a

relatively short angle at the elbow so

again for your shoulder

elbow there we go

73 is 74 is okay we'll look at this side

again very consistent in terms of

maintaining that short angle at the

elbow but it's actually the Arc of swing

that changes okay so what I mean by that

if I'll just sync these two clips as

he's

running you'll be able to see

that as the hand comes

forward it comes a lot higher with the

side where we're running faster meaning

that the arm the upper arm is swinging

further

forward and as we come back to the point

where the elbows as far back as it's

going to go if we look here versus

looking here again we can see the Arc of

swing that the arms going through is

again that little bit greater on this

side so we're working through a bigger

Arc of swing and a slightly shorter Arc

of Swing now what I see consistently is

and for those of you who spend a lot of

time studying running form this will be

really obvious to you but perhaps not if

you've not spent a lot of time is that

the further back we drive the elbow with

more power we drive back the elbow the

better we're going to get extension out

of the rear leg the harder we're going

to drive back into extension so where we

don't need as big dramatic a push into

extension then naturally we're not

pushing as hard back with the elbow

you'll be able to feel a big disconnect

if be go and play with this if you

suddenly start driving the arms back

really really hard the legs will want to

follow and in fact if you just don't

allow the legs to follow it'll feel

really really weird they body in the

lower body is so closely intertwined

like that okay now moving on I want to

stick with this point of terminal stance

the point where the foot's about to lead

the ground okay here and I want to look

for our parallel lines sign so there we

go draw the line tool from here hip to

ankle from here hip to ankle what I want

to see consistently for a runner who's

not over striding is that we see at

least at this point of toe off this

point of terminal stance okay so the

point where the foot to have to lead the

ground here if we Freeze Frame at that

point I want to see that we manage to

get so that we see these two parallel

lines if we don't see them and if we see

the lower leg swing out in front

particularly so the shin comes through

vertical we're setting ourselves up to

overstride you can see kogi here manages

to hit that parallel line really nicely

even though he's running at what the him

is a very slow pace and in fact here

running at a pace which is quicker than

his Marathon PB you know he is he's

working hard at this kind of pace 4 and

a half minute mile Pace you know it's

more than is going to be sustainable for

well obviously for a marathon it's

quicker than his Marathon PB

he is in this slightly more compressed

stride it's getting towards sprinting

for him it's not sprinting but it's

getting towards sprinting for him

meaning that we're well through our

parallel which is a good thing in terms

of stride length good thing in terms of

not over striding just hard to maintain

for long periods of time now let's be

real with this clip these are all great

great Runners um to be able to hang with

Kip chogi doing a kre session you're

clearly doing a lot right but I want to

just quickly highlight Something In

terms of this slow pace and a comparison

between two Runners so I mentioned

stride angle I mentioned the parallel

lines and I make no apology for kind of

going on and on about this because it's

such a fundamental so as we get to a

point where we just leave the ground and

we know we're starting to see these

parallel lines from kib chogi here we go

Qui draw them in again you see what I'm

talking about okay parallel lines here

let's have a look at this guy in the

blue okay this guy here now as I said a

good runner don't know who he is but as

we get to this point where foot's

leaving the ground this is what I'm

talking about okay this is

not the parallel line that I want to see

okay ideally at that point I'd want to

see this lower leg here which is only

going to happen if in fact what we are

going to see is a little bit more hip

flexion so if we were here I'd be much

happier instead what we're seeing is

that we're more

like here okay and as I said it sets up

for that lower leg getting out in front

that heel getting ready to strike too

far ahead of the rest of his body so not

a bad Runner okay clearly like I said

doing a lot right but a real star

comparison in comparison to chogi here

where we can see that as that foot comes

off the ground okay we are

still the right side of

vertical okay we're not allowing that

lower leg to flick out in front Okay

what I'm seeing with the the the guy

here in the blue that's where I

described things getting a little bit

sloppy in comparison to nice controlled

with kib chogi okay before we move on

let's take a quick look at the height of

his Kickback the height of which carries

his foot underneath him across these two

paces again we're looking kib chogi kib

chogi so at this fast of the two paces

we know he needs a bigger stride length

okay we know that a lot of that stride

length is going to come through him

swinging that legs through underneath

him getting a good knee drive and a good

amount of separation between lead and

Trail hip to do that at this pace he's

got to pick his foot up significantly

underneath him but it's not going to be

a lot of active concentric work through

his hamstrings picking his foot up a lot

of the stretch through his hip flexes

here at this point where the foot's

about to lead the ground a lot of that

is going to be released as we come

through the next few frames and we can

see at this point where the other side

the standing leg pass underneath the hip

we can see how short lever we are at

that pace in comparison to what we see

at this point at

this pace

on the other side so as we come through

strike the ground at the point where

we're foot underneath hip much much much

lower Carriage at the foot much much

much longer lever he doesn't need to

pick the foot up any higher than that at

this pace he doesn't need to start

running around butt kicking because he

knows subconsciously I'm sure it's not

something he thinks about but his body

knows that he needs to just pick the

foot up sufficiently so that he can

clear the ground and allow the knee to

drive through and then set up for that

nice little Landing underneath a flexing

knee okay so again just a really nice

example of how it scales up and down for

Pace the height at which you actually

carry that foot now when we're playing

it through at this kind of pace what we

actually start to see quite clearly if

we play one by one is the difference in

terms of vertical displacement as well

I'd argue that he's somewhat smoother in

in terms of his stride in terms of the

up and down when he's running at that

faster Pace in comparison to what we see

here where at this slow pace which for

him let's not forget is a slow pace

there's a little bit more bounce okay

I'd argue he less efficient at that

slower Pace it probably feels nice and

relaxed but it certainly probably feels

a little bit more bouncy and less smooth

than um than when he's running quick but

what is no Worthy is the fact that even

at this pace he doesn't allow himself to

become ploty heavy underf foot start

over striding start heel striking

heavily okay not again not there's

anything wrong with a heel strike but he

manages to keep control of his form and

that really is what it's all about so if

you're out there on a Sunday at long run

Pace running nice and easy feels very

different obviously to if you're out

doing a hard fast 5k time trial the key

is just to allow yourself just to find

that relaxed form that doesn't get lazy

that doesn't get plotty doesn't get

heavy on the foot do feel yourself

starting to get heavy heavy on the foot

think about your Cadence think about

your posture and think about just

picking the foot up enough so you can

start feeling that slightly crisper

Landing underneath the flexing

knee while we're talking about things

like foot strike I want to show you a

clip that's been submitted by one of my

subscribers Daniel as I know that what

I'm about to point out out will actually

help a lot of other people too there's a

link in the description if you want to

submit your own running Clips so I can

take a look at your running form too

anyway Daniel's been running for about 3

years he's got a history of injury on

the right hand side of tibias posterior

tendonopathy tibial posterior is a

muscle deep on the inside of the lower

leg and its tendon wraps underneath the

inside of the ankle to help control

pronation as we land and load now

I want to show you a few things in terms

of Daniel's running form that really is

not helping when it comes to how tibi's

posterior loads and the stress and

strain it has to deal with so he says

that he's aware that he's a fairly poor

ankle do deflection and his heels stay

off the ground throughout STS and I want

to show you exactly that because I think

in his description that he sent these

videos these clips through I think he's

not far off exactly right he's very much

a 4ot striking Runner okay I'll let this

play you can see if we play this through

a little bit

faster we

go you can see how he lands the bards of

his feet and the

heels barely if at all touch the ground

now if you're a sprinter great but if

you're any kind of distance Runner this

is going to be hard work on your carves

very very quickly and carves don't just

mean gastroc and cus with your little

muscles like tibias posterior butly if

you're starting quite supernate so on

the outside of your foot and rolling in

that is going to have to work over time

to control this now if you bear in mind

what we saw just then from that sideon

perspective and now we look from this

rear on perspective can you see how at

this point as Daniel comes through and

stri the ground it's with the

outside of the for foot okay we're

always expecting to land supern and roll

into pration but the the combination of

quite a significant 4-foot strike here

quite plant of FX so tow

down that straight away means we're

loading Tibi posterior and it's tender

in a shorten position and its role is to

Ecentric eccentrically control so

lengthening underload

this movement of pronation that's

rolling in so here TI post is working

really hard to control that roll inwards

of the foot now that would be fine if it

was allowing if it were if if his form

allowed for a little bit

of think of it as a little bit of rest

bite with each stride for tibi's

posterior just to allow the foot to come

down to Flat to load through the heel

I'm not asking you to heel strike but if

we

had a form where as the foot landed and

loaded we actually came down and allow

the foot to load flat then we wouldn't

be constantly putting the pressure up

through the 4 foot here meaning the

lever that around the ankle is applied

is so much greater than it would be if

we were loading up through the midfoot

or rear

foot because with such a long lever the

stress and strain that goes through tip

poost is going to be that much more the

time under tension because we're not

allowing that unloading by coming down

to the ground is going to be that much

more too and as we're dors flexing over

the top of of a standing foot you we're

comp we're compounding the issue and

obviously you have to because that's

just striding through onto the next

stride so what I would ask Daniel to

work on in this instance is to try and

feel for the heel coming through to flat

but the big problem for a lot of Runners

like Daniel and quite frankly for myself

as well is that if you're quite limited

through ankle dorsy flection that if you

have just generally quite stiff ankles

and that may be due to previous ankle

injuries I certainly sprained my ankles

a lot playing rugby you might find that

you're predisposed to run on your

forefoot but also you find it quite hard

to actually achieve the range of motion

at the ankle to allow yourself to come

down to foot flat so this there's a

couple of things that you can do okay so

firstly some mobilizations with movement

which again I'll link leave a link down

to in the description of this video but

I know Daniel's been doing this anyway

the other thing that you can do that

some people will not like the sound of

but I actually think could be an easy

win for a lot of Runners is just grab

some off-the-shelf heel raises go to

your local pharmacist grab a couple of

heel

raisers four 5 mil heel raisers stick

in your shoe and you're effectively

bringing the ground up to you it won't

change how the the ground feels under

your forefoot under your midfoot but at

heel level you're effectively bringing

the ground up to you and just giving

yourself a chance to offload through a

tip post and this is the same

conversation if it's someone who's

struggling with Achilles tendonopathy or

plant fasciitis if it's an ankle range

issue then give yourself a little bit of

help so that for me would be an easy win

but what I'll do is I'll put together a

PDF document which you can download from

the link down in the description of this

video that will go through some

mobilization work for those who have

tight carves and stiff ankles but also

an all round ankle strengthening routine

some exercises which will build strength

in muscles like tibialis posterior as

well as your calf muscles tibialis

anterior all the important muscles

around the lower leg and Cal so that you

can feel that you have stronger lower

legs when it comes to running I hope you

you found that helpful next up check out

the video linked on screen right now

because there's one reason why so many

Runners waste a load of effort while

they run and it's easily fixed once you

know what to look out for I'll see you

over there