There seems to be a wide
range of opinion on the ability to change running mechanics. I am off the opinion
that you change running mechanics. This was reinforced to me yesterday when I
was watching the baseball team that I work with do some running. Because of Christmas
vacation I had not seen them in awhile, the head coach was doing the running so
I was able to stand a little further back and observe. The changes in running
mechanics were nothing short of astounding. It stood out in contrast to the
players who had just come out from football.
That being said it is not an easy process,
it is time consuming and demands tremendous focus and attention. It is not just
about doing sprint drills, in fact that is a minor part of it. I think it is matter
of making connections. Proper strengthening throughout the kinetic chain is
crucial. For nearly thirty years I have used the same system – PAL System™ an acronym for Posture, Arm
Action and Leg Action. We use that to analyze the mechanics and then attack the
areas where the athlete must focus to improve. I never stray very far from the
whole action. There are specific drills for each component, but those drills
are quite simple and never really isolate, they just highlight an area.
It
takes time. How much time? In general I would say six weeks to see significant
changes. After that it requires constant attention to maintain the changes. Also
it is important to recognize that each athlete has a movement signature, a little
personal quirk that is essentially a movement fingerprint. I have learned to ignore
those most of the time, because they do not significantly impact running form
and they are tough to eradicate.
Proper strength training
and Plyometric work play a huge role. I will talk about that in another post.
In summary if you take a systematic approach based on sound biomechanical and
motor learning principles running mechanics can be significantly improved.
Will Kirousis
This is interesting to me. I believe running mechanics can be changed. My experiences with working on it have made me feel that you definately have to see the general movement, the rhythm of it, the flow of it. Honestly the art of it. Sounds odd maybe but what you termed the movement signature can decieve you. It’s easy to try and change the signature in an effort to improve mechanics rather than imrpove the mechanics within the signature. That is a really hard aspect of coaching running mechanics for me. Have to work on that constantly.
In terms of athletes making permanent positive changes. I’d agree that it takes at least 6 weeks to see changes. But I would bet – at least in my daily “world” of endurance sports it takes a year to a year an a half for an athlete to be able to carry those changes for longer events and to resist “reverting” to old habits when they become fatigued.
When athletes change from slogging to running, the often are surprised at how hard it is to make that change. If your going to work on run mechanics in endurance athletes – based on my experience – you need to be REALLY clear about how the process may affect them short and long term as well as how challenging it can be.
It definately can help. But the athlete needs to be very well educated on the process because there will be bumps on the road.
(that goes for all areas of coaching, but for me has REALLY hit home in working to improve run mechanics)
Robert Troch
Whether this means anything or not I DO remember back in high school (yes, back in the late 70’s…sigh) I was a cross country and track guy. I went to a small private school and by the time the summer before my senior year came around I had to actually do all the training myself (for track that is). Why? Because there was no more middle distance coach and the school didn’t have any $ anyway. So that summer (with limited knowledge and some advice from another coach) I increased mileage and just “practiced” more and more. I was out at the track that summer doing some kind of interval something or other, and the new athletic director saw me and said hello.
Fast forward several months to track season and he said he was amazed at how much “better” I looked when I ran. More efficient, etc. Of course he could have not even known what he was talking about or was just “BS”ing me, but I do think that as far as runners in the longer track distances go that faster training and/or more volume (over the course of time) can also change a person’s mechanics. Unconsciously of course. Doesn’t mean the changes would be for the better. I guess this could also speak for the variety principal in training as well? Do the same plodding pace with no level changes (hills), pace work over and over etc, and nothing changes mechanics wise. Or if it does the result is a shorter, plodding stride with poor posture. Just some thoughts and this matter from a different perspective.