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John,
Check out http://www.chirunning.com. Danny Dreyer's book is good. His
DVD would be of great help to your son.
Here's what I was talking about back in 1997 and before about ball/heel:
Ball/Heel/Ball is the Correct Running Form
Posted by Ozzie Gontang San Diego on October 05, 1997 at 15:20:58:
Here are some quotes on running form which I think are important in
running properly and with minimal injury. If nothing else, it will help
you think about your running as something which can be done gracefully.
Ozzie Gontang
Man the running animal at even slow running speed is meant to run
Ball/Heel/Ball!
While the majority of runners continue to be heel strikers. Heel
running is based on an assumption that the majority of people are heel
strikers. The average runner believes the assumption as seen by
observation of runners. They land on the back of the heel of the shoe.
By landing on the back of the heel of the shoe, a heel striker lands
behind the actual heel of the foot. Landing behind the heel of the foot
causes increased forces at the point of impact and a deceleration of
one's center of gravity. Run bare foot to see what I mean.
Either start thinking for yourself about running injury free...or
minimal injuries...or injury prevention...and look at the way you land
on your feet...and look at the fact that almost all running shoes worn
by the mass of runners have very thick heels and soles and don't let
you feel where you land or how hard you land in relation to the actual
contact point on the heel of the foot.
Please help me understand why very few people are willing to say that
the majority of runners should be landing ball/heel...as the three
authors below hold.
From: Applied Kinesiology by Clayne Jensen & Gordon Schultz 1977 McGraw
Hill
p. 290-291
"Running mechanics vary from one person to another, and they vary in
the same person running at different speeds.
At a slow running speed, complete foot contact is used. The
foot-surface contact with each stride goes from the ball of the foot to
the heel and back to the ball (restful to calf muscles). As running
rate increases, the amount of foot contact becomes less, until finally
at full speed only the forward part of the foot contacts the surface.
The sprinter "runs on the toes"." (Oz's view: Actually it is the front
of the ball of the foot just behind the toes)
Strength, Power and Muscular Endurance for Runners & Hurdlers by John
Jesse 1971, Athletic Press.
p. 56 As to long-distance events, most authorities are of the opinion
that the mechanical details are not important if the overall running
action is efficient and relaxed with emphasis being placed on
eliminating all bodily movements that will expend energy unnecessarily.
However, the same authorities appear to be in agreement as to certain
characteristics of style that lead to an optimum performance with
economy of effort: (a) shorter stride, (b) lower knee lift, (c)
ball-heel-ball-toe action of the foot, (d) lower and more relaxed arm
swing, (e) high kick up in the back providing it is natural, relaxed
movement, (f) general overall relaxed manner.
Ten Tips on Running Form" appeared in Run Fast by Hal Higdon, © 1992 by
Hal Higdon Communications, all rights reserved.
TEN TIPS ON RUNNING FORM
"FRED WILT was a distance runner on the 1948 and 1952 U.S. Olympic
teams and became famous for his legendary indoor mile encounters at
that time with Wisconsin's Don Gehrmann. After retiring from the FBI,
Wilt coached the women's running teams at Purdue University. He edited
the publication Track Technique and advised various athletes, including
1964 Olympian Buddy Edelen, who once held the world marathon record of
2:14:28. Wilt's tips on running form follow:
1. Running form is a completely individual issue. Each athlete differs
from every other at least to a minute extent in height, weight, bone
structure, length and size of muscles, point of muscle origin and
insertion, strength, flexibility, posture and personality, in addition
to numerous other features. Therefore, no two runners should ever use
identical form, even though they all adhere to basic mechanical
principles.
2. It is a form error of the highest magnitude to run without
permitting the heel to touch and rest on the ground with each stride,
without reservation, in a ball-heel grounding action. This is true at
all running speeds, especially sprinting.
3. It is physically possible to land heel-first in running, but this is
quite incorrect and almost never seen, since it jars the body
excessively and can be done only at very slow running speeds. Landing
heel-first and "toe running" (refusing to permit the heels to ground)
are both incorrect.
4. Ideally, the position of the feet in running is one in which the
inner borders fall approximately along a straight line. Athletes should
run in a straight line, but not necessarily on such a line. When one
foot is placed directly in front of the other, lateral (sideways)
balance is impaired.
5. Runners in races longer than sprint distance wherein economy of
energy is the paramount consideration should use a natural stride: not
exaggerated, not long, not short, but of a length in keeping with
maximum economy of effort for the running speed required.
6. Both understriding and overstriding are faults. Each runner has his
own optimum stride length at any given speed, depending upon leg
length, muscular strength and flexibility.
7. At uniform top speed with zero acceleration, if the athlete was
running in a vacuum with no wind resistance, there would be no body
lean at all.
(Oz's view: If the body like a broom handle is slightly off balance and
the hand carrying the handle continues at the initial rate of speed of
the handle with zero acceleration, there is a lean from the ankle to
the top of the head be it ever so slight. In a vacuum, Wilt did not
take into consideration that the resistance is the foot against the
ground. I cannot go forward unless the body's vector forces are
"leaning" in that direction.)
8. The hands should be carried in a relaxed, cupped position at all
running speeds. They should never be rigidly clenched in a fist while
running, since this produces tension, which causes unnecessary fatigue.
9. The head should be aligned naturally with the trunk, and the eyes
should be focused a few meters ahead while running.
(Oz's view: The difficulty here is that the head follows the eyes and
the body follows the head. The trapezius muscles are not meant to hold
the head up. When the head is aligned, and held up it is balanced upon
the neck. Also the reality is that the human eye can see peripherally.
So by looking at infinity, I can seen 6 or 7 feet in front of me
without looking down. If I need to look down I can look down with my
eyes and keep my head balanced. The difficulty is that most people
lower their head when "focused a few meters ahead while running." The
problems caused by that slight imbalance of the head are magnified as
muscles throughout the body must adjust to the imbalance.)
10. Usually the best solution to apparent form problems is many
repetitions of running short distances, such as 100 meters, at a fast,
though not exhausting pace.
(Oz's view: As in Tai Chi, Walking Meditation, Yoga, Feldenkrais
Method, Alexander Technique, Mensendieck System, the view is moving
slowly and with awareness and mindfulness. The adage would read: "Walk
before you run, and run slowly well to run fast well.)
"Ten Tips on Running Form" appeared in Run Fast by Hal Higdon,
Copyright © 1992 by Hal Higdon Communications, all rights reserved.
Autographed copies of this book are available for $16.50 (includes
shipping and handling) from Roadrunner Press, P.O. Box 1034, Michigan
City, IN 46361-1034.
Here's a reference book for your running library that you will use for
years to come. If you want to purchase a copy of this book which I
still use as a reference and guide to answering questions and
understanding running problems, send $15 which covers the price of the
book and shipping/handling.
The book is: Hidden Causes of Injury, Prevention And Correction, for
Running Athletes and Joggers by John Jesse, 1977.
Make out the $20 check or money order to:
IAM or Int'l Assoc. of Marathoners
c/o Ozzie Gontang
2903 29th Street
San Diego, CA 92104
Excerpt from the Intro:
"Three of the four hidden factors (of injury) - muscular imbalance,
postural faults, and foot faults - are so common among the general
population that it is doubtful whether any young athlete enters the
field of athletic competition without being affected to a lesser or
greater degree by one or more of them.
The writer (John Jesse) believes a more detailed and complete
discussion of these factors and of the methods of correcting them or
preventing their further development will enable the coach, trainer,
and athlete to cope with them early in the young athlete's career. It
will enable the athlete to reduce to a minimum the number of roadblocks
and setbacks he(she) suffers during training and in pursuit of his(her)
goals.
The information presented here should be of great value to the several
million physical fitness joggers and runners in the population, because
the book is aimed at providing understandable answers to all injuries
that interrupt their progress toward attainment of an increased level
of cardiovascular fitness, or that interfere with the psychological
satisfactions obtained from engaging in such activities.
The human body supports itself against gravity, segment upon segment,
relying on the muscles and ligaments that cross the joints, along with
postural reflexes, to maintain an erect position and proper body
alignment. Hence, there has to be a total or "holistic" approach to
prevention and to correction of the hidden factors mentioned above. The
reader must integrate his/her thinking to a total body concept."
John Jesse was a team mate at USC with Payton Jordon who was the US
Olympic head track and field coach in 1968. John wrote this book for
you and me, so that we could understand through popular language, and
with scientific and technical language kept to a minimum but using
diagrams, illustrations or short glossaries so we the laymen could
understand should we want to delve deeper.
In health and on the run,
Ozzie Gontang
Director, San Diego Marathon Clinic, est. 1975
Maintainer - rec.running FAQ
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/running-faq/
Mindful Running:
http://www.mindfulness.com/mr.asp
In article <[email hidden]>,
Quoted message said:Hi, I have kid that is flat footed (so says the doctor). When he runs,
he runs on his heels. Essentially, he shuffles and his arms don't
exactly look right either. It looks strange to say the least.
Doctors claim he will grow out of this.
Is there any exercises I can help him with that will teach him how to
run properly? Anything to teach him how to run on the ball of his
foot? Playing baseball and he needs help.
Thank you for any help.
I only posted this twice because of the person that had to ruin the
original post. Hopefully, that person can stay out of that one.
