[zofz]

zofz on July 4, 2004 at 8:16 am #9502

Ok here's the thing..

When I run, my knee lift always seems to be sinking..as in instead of the knees coming up to the 80-90 degree angle, it only reaches like a miserable 50-60 degrees or so…and i've been told by many that this is a poor running form…I'm not running efficiently enough..

this happens most frequently when I hit max velocity…I'm unable to maintain knee lift as i go faster and faster and i'm told that this could be the reason why people tend to overtake me towards the end of the race…

My question is, does having a high knee lift really help propel you further per step? And..Is it better to run at slower speeds but still maintaining high knee lift form or should i ignore knee lift form and go for speed? If i want to maintain high knee lift to go further per step, i find that i have slower timings…Last question is, what strength / flexibility exercies can i do to have the strength/ mobility to achieve a higher knee lift?

[zofz]

zofz on July 4, 2004 at 8:29 am #30010

one more thing that i forgot to add…when I sprint, my shin angle is about 90 degrees as well…(from the video that another coach took) …so I don't really think that my low knee lift could be a result of a poor shin angle…

[Kebba Tolbert]

Kebba Tolbert on July 4, 2004 at 9:53 am #30011

high knee lift (or lack therof) could be due to mobility issues… so i might examine the pelvic girdle/lower back area.

also, "knee lift" gives you the opportunity to be front sided so that you have time and space to "attack" the track.

the other thing (and probably firest) to look at is posture. If the pelvis is anteverted then knee lift becomes difficult, if not impossible.

[zofz]

zofz on July 4, 2004 at 3:28 pm #30012

by the pelvis being anteverted, do you mean that the pelvis is positioned slightly forward of where it's normal position should be?

I still don't quite understand how having more time and space to "attack" the track will lead to faster sprint speeds.

Do you mean that for each step, due to a higher knee lift, the leg will be able to exert a greater force downwards and backwards to be able to propel you further for each step?

Won't that affect your turn over rate?

[Kebba Tolbert]

Kebba Tolbert on July 5, 2004 at 5:54 am #30013

[i]Originally posted by zofz[/i]
by the pelvis being anteverted, do you mean that the pelvis is positioned slightly forward of where it's normal position should be?

yes

[i]
I still don't quite understand how having more time and space to "attack" the track will lead to faster sprint speeds. … Do you mean that for each step, due to a higher knee lift, the leg will be able to exert a greater force downwards and backwards to be able to propel you further for each step?

yes… this is basically what i mean.

[i]
Won't that affect your turn over rate?

it couldn because of the lessened ground contact time and better application of vertical forces…. but not necessarily.. (i.e., you could end up with a greater stride length as well)

[zofz]

zofz on July 5, 2004 at 6:34 pm #30014

I see…so when you are running at maximum velocity, your feet should be touching the ground LESS often than when in the acceleration phase? i.e. less ground time, more air time (hang time) in the air per stride? and this is done through getting a higher knee lift?

I always thought that a sprinters drop in frequency ( the rate at which the runners feet strikes the ground when he sprints ) was due to the sprinter tiring out…and not because he made a concious effort to increase his air time and lessen ground time through an increased knee lift (and hence stride length) per stride, at max velocity.

If my knee lift starts to drop @max velocity in a race, what specific plyrometrics / weight exercies can i do on my own to specifically target muscle groups to help increase my knee lift? (besides flexiblity exercies on my own)

[Todd Lane]

Todd Lane on July 6, 2004 at 6:50 pm #30015

I see…so when you are running at maximum velocity, your feet should be touching the ground LESS often than when in the acceleration phase? i.e. less ground time, more air time (hang time) in the air per stride? and this is done through getting a higher knee lift?

Max velocity has a shorter ground contact time, yes.
It would seem as is if the knees are "lifting higher", but it really is an action/reaction from correct mechanics and force application to the track. this is where kebba's comments come forth.

I always thought that a sprinters drop in frequency ( the rate at which the runners feet strikes the ground when he sprints ) was due to the sprinter tiring out…and not because he made a concious effort to increase his air time and lessen ground time through an increased knee lift (and hence stride length) per stride, at max velocity.

in a general sense, rate and length have an inverted relationship. the drop in rate towards the latter half of a race is fatigue related. there should be no conscious effort to increase air time, again it is an action/reaction. cues of body positions, relaxation, etc. help to put the body into position to achieve these.