Running Technique

[Zeke Riding]

Currently investigating running techniques. While there is plenty of good material out there about POSE etc, there a some others that are not as well documented, specifically the technique gymnasts use (high knees, high heels, straight arms).

Can anyone shed some light on why gymnasts run the way they do? Advantages, disadvantages, etc? Or provide links to articles that I have missed?

[Andrew H. Meador]

Because they're tensing their muscles in a particular way to set up their skill. If they ran in a way to maximize their speed, they wouldn't be well set-up for what they're actually there to do.

[Zeke Riding]

ic ic. Thankyou.

[Andrew H. Meador]

Anything, man. No worries. Watch some youtube videos of running events at the olympics and such. Especially the middle distances, 800m-5k. You'll see some very smooth, effortless, predominantly forefoot-based running. The runners don't bounce up and down very much, and they look so relaxed. That's what you should emulate. Keep in mind that they are going very fast.

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Andrew H. Meador

Because they're tensing their muscles in a particular way to set up their skill. If they ran in a way to maximize their speed, they wouldn't be well set-up for what they're actually there to do.

No, this is incorrect.

Originally Posted by Zeke Riding

Currently investigating running techniques. While there is plenty of good material out there about POSE etc, there a some others that are not as well documented, specifically the technique gymnasts use (high knees, high heels, straight arms).

Can anyone shed some light on why gymnasts run the way they do? Advantages, disadvantages, etc? Or provide links to articles that I have missed?

They are not taught proper running technique.

Most coaches don't know how to coach running technique, and just do what their coach said to do with is complete and utter trash.

That said, you have to have the ability to control your speed into tumbling and vaulting so the extra speed gained by correcting technique may not be necessarily beneficial. For the more powerful vaulters who can control it.. correcting their run will help

[Andrew H. Meador]

Originally Posted by Steven Low

No, this is incorrect.

Come on, Steve. A gymnast running into towards the vault or to set up a tumbling pass on the floor is most certainly tensing their muscles, consciously or more likely unconsciously, in a way that sets them up for their movement. It's just like a preparatory mental command or cue. Do something the same way every time and your brain will receive the cue to execute a particular task.

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Andrew H. Meador

Come on, Steve. A gymnast running into towards the vault or to set up a tumbling pass on the floor is most certainly tensing their muscles, consciously or more likely unconsciously, in a way that sets them up for their movement. It's just like a preparatory mental command or cue. Do something the same way every time and your brain will receive the cue to execute a particular task.

No, they're not.

Top level athletes know when to voluntarily relax or contract muscles during certain phases of movements. Anything else is extra work and makes the movements go off track.

You've never had coaching on running for floor/vault, but I've seen it many times and it's not good. Hell, at my gym we used to run a bunch of 5km... which is not very useful for anything.

[Andrew H. Meador]

I've had instruction on psychological cueing. It's easy to identify. It happens all over the place. Sport is certainly one of those domains.

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Andrew H. Meador

I've had instruction on psychological cueing. It's easy to identify. It happens all over the place. Sport is certainly one of those domains.

So you're saying that these athletes (who are not all taught to run the same -- hence the different variations in styles of run) are benefitting from psychological cuing of their muscle patterns during their run to make their vaults better.

Do you know how absurd this sounds when you can just say they were improperly taught how to run?

Anyway, I'm done with this. You can believe what you want to on the topic.

[Andrew H. Meador]

Originally Posted by Steven Low

So you're saying that these athletes (who are not all taught to run the same -- hence the different variations in styles of run) are benefitting from psychological cuing of their muscle patterns during their run to make their vaults better.

Do you know how absurd this sounds when you can just say they were improperly taught how to run?

Anyway, I'm done with this. You can believe what you want to on the topic.

It's not a conscious process that a gymnastics coach teaches his athletes. It happens in any repetitive task. You're incredibly rude Steven. /Thread