You can’t lift your feet faster to get shorter contact time when running
Summary
TLDRThis video explains the concept of ground contact time in running, emphasizing the importance of a shorter contact time for improved energy efficiency. While many runners think lifting their feet faster will shorten this time, the video explains that this isn't always effective. Ground contact time is influenced by factors like running surface, body position, and muscle elasticity. To achieve a shorter contact time, the focus should be on landing beneath the body's center of mass and avoiding excessive forward lean. Plyometric training is recommended for enhancing elasticity and energy return.
Takeaways
- 😀 The shorter the foot contact time with the ground, the more energy-efficient running becomes due to better elastic recoil from tendons, muscles, and fascia.
- 😀 Simply lifting the feet faster doesn't always lead to shorter ground contact times, as this often leads to inefficient energy use elsewhere in the body.
- 😀 Ground contact time is influenced by factors like surface hardness, landing position relative to the body's center of mass, and forward lean while running.
- 😀 On a soft treadmill, the speaker's ground contact time was 238 milliseconds, significantly shorter than their fastest reaction time in a screen touch test.
- 😀 Attempting to lift your feet faster to reduce ground contact time may not be effective because the reaction time from the foot to the brain and back to the muscles takes longer than the minimal time spent on the ground.
- 😀 The key to reducing ground contact time is to land closer to the body's center of mass and avoid excessive forward lean.
- 😀 Plyometric training, such as rope skipping, can improve the body's elastic recoil and help reduce ground contact time.
- 😀 Some runners may feel more comfortable lifting their feet faster, but this doesn't necessarily mean they are shortening their ground contact time—it's more about avoiding excessive backward foot movement, which can lead to overstriding.
- 😀 Lifting the feet faster may help reduce braking forces and increase knee lift, leading to a more efficient stride without reducing ground contact time.
- 😀 Excessively trying to lift the feet faster can waste energy by using unnecessary muscle power, making it counterproductive in the long run.
- 😀 The speaker encourages experimenting with faster foot lifts but emphasizes that the most effective way to shorten ground contact time is to focus on proper landing technique and strength-building exercises.
Q & A
What is the importance of ground contact time when running?
-Ground contact time is crucial for energy efficiency while running. A shorter ground contact time allows for better use of the stretch-shortening cycle, which increases the elastic recoil from tendons, muscles, and fascia, leading to more efficient energy return.
How can runners shorten their ground contact time?
-The most logical way to shorten ground contact time is by lifting the feet faster. However, this may not always be effective, as the body has limited time on the ground to react, and trying to lift the feet faster can lead to inefficiency in other body movements.
Why doesn't just lifting the feet faster result in a shorter ground contact time?
-Although lifting the feet faster seems logical, the time it takes for the signal from the foot to reach the brain and for the muscles to react is too long to drastically shorten ground contact time. The body's reaction is too slow to make this strategy effective.
What factors influence ground contact time?
-Ground contact time is influenced by several factors including the surface you're running on (harder surfaces result in shorter contact times), where your foot lands relative to your center of mass, your body lean, and your body's elasticity and strength.
How long is the ground contact time for the speaker when running on a treadmill?
-The speaker’s ground contact time on a treadmill, when running at a pace of 5 minutes per kilometer, is 238 milliseconds, which is quite short.
How does the speaker's ground contact time compare to the reaction time in a game?
-The speaker’s ground contact time of 238 milliseconds is shorter than their reaction time in a game, where they were able to react at 285 milliseconds on the first attempt and 279 milliseconds on the second attempt.
What is the role of body lean in ground contact time?
-Leaning slightly forward can help reduce ground contact time, but excessive forward lean can increase it. Maintaining the right balance in body lean is important for optimizing contact time.
What is the best way to shorten ground contact time?
-The best way to shorten ground contact time is to land closer to your center of mass and avoid excessive forward lean. Additionally, plyometric exercises, such as rope skipping, can improve elasticity and reduce contact time.
Is it possible to improve running efficiency by simply lifting feet faster?
-While lifting the feet faster may feel easier for some runners, it doesn’t necessarily shorten ground contact time. Instead, it might improve the foot's upward movement and prevent over-striding, but it may not lead to overall better energy efficiency.
Why does lifting the feet faster feel easier for some runners?
-For some runners, lifting the feet faster helps them avoid over-striding and reduces braking forces, while also improving knee lift. This can make running feel easier, even if it doesn't actually shorten ground contact time.
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