spent moving horizontally. This extreme vertical bounce can also overload the hips in most cases upon contact with the ground. An additional one to two inches of vertical bounce, beyond normal, can relate to as much as 300-600 feet of vertical climbing in a flat 40-minute 10k, running at 90 steps per minute. This vertical bounce essentially creates hills where there are none. So far, we have discussed two flexibilities


that are critical to good running mechanics: soleus flexibility and hip flexor/upper quad flexibility. These are the very same areas that become very tight with frequent riding in the aero position. Therefore, it is with no surprise that we see so many poor running strides on the marathon course of any Ironman.


HIP DROP This is best evaluated through video analysis and is presented by the dropping of one or both of the hips, upon foot strike and weight transfer. Drawing a horizontal line across the very tops of the hip bones, a drop of more than 14 degrees can be indicative of weak gluteus medius and/or tensor fascia lata. A good video analysis will very easily identify too much hip drop and the effects that it has on your running stride. From behind, this hip drop can be seen


as a zig-zag pattern that starts at the feet, extending up through the hips, back, and head. Upon the striking and dropping of the hip, we essentially see all of these body parts going in different lateral directions. The legs and hips end up leaning in different directions. The back follows the legs, and the head follows the hips. This is a major chain reaction of lateral deflection being directed in opposite directions. For example, with a weak left gluteus medius the right hip drops and the left hip leans to the left, causing the legs and back to actually lean to the right. And in a last ditch effort to keep the body from falling over, the head goes the way of the hip, leaning to the left. The required unnecessary compensatory


muscle contractions related to this lead to an added usage of muscle glycogen, at a time when we are doing our best to preserve it. Furthermore, the hip drop also tends to contribute to a lower running cadence, because more time is spent in


contact with the ground, upon foot strike and rebound. The more energy that can be put into moving forward, rather than left, right, up or down, the faster your athlete will be.


LACK OF SHOULDER ROTATION This is a measure of how much your shoulders rotate about your torso while running. The shoulders play an integral role in efficient running posture. Many athletes are under the false impression that they should be running with a very square shoulder position. In fact, it is just the opposite as the best runners actually use their shoulder mass as a tool to help propel them forward, late in races when their lower bodies become extremely fatigued. A lack of shoulder rotation tends to be cognitive in nature and/or related to a weakness in rotational core strength. A strong upper torso rotation, late in the run, requires a great deal of rotational core strength, as the athlete is relying solely on the soft-tissue strength of their core to facilitate the rotation.


DROPPED ARM POSITION This relates to the position of your arms throughout the run stride. Both dropped- arm and elbows-out positions are typically the result of hip weakness and/or cognitive habit. Typically, runners with weak hips on one or both sides tend to drop their arm on the side of the weak hip, in an effort to pull the body back over to that side. This is one of those inefficient compensatory motions that slows runners down. These arm positions tend to limit cadence as more rotational mass is presented in the form of more arm mass further away from the shoulder. Most world-class runners exhibit the same acute elbow angle deep into their recovery posture, as they maintain during the drive portion of their arm swing. It is as if the elbow is being pulled directly back from its most forward position with a fishing line. Compensation for any of the above


identified deficiencies fall into two different categories, namely cognitive and improvements in strength/flexibility. Those cognitive in nature require the runner to make mental changes to their posture while running. Below, I focus


on the best, most targeted, run-specific stretching and strengthening exercises, to address the deficiencies identified above. These exercises are those that I most


commonly prescribe to athletes, following a detailed running mechanics assessment. Each of these directly impact one or more of the above critical areas required for great running mechanics.


• Single Leg Squat • Two-Joint Hip Flexor Stretch • Hill Bounding • Eccentric Calf Raises • Rotational Core Work


Most of the primary moves related to running receive plenty of stress from the training program. But in most cases, these more peripheral items tend to be underworked. In fact, the integration of these five moves into your athlete’s regular functional strength routine can help to fix poor running form or maintain already strong technique. Just two sets of each, once or twice each week, is all that is required. Translating even great running mechanics


and great open run times into Ironman or any other distance takes a great deal of work, beyond simply muscle strength, fitness and flexibility. This task requires the creation of a very confident, anabolic atmosphere while on the run course. Alongside well- developed day-to-day nutrition and race day fueling programs, proper running mechanics allow an environment to begin the positive process while the other items, including proper pacing, all come together on race day.


Jesse Kropelnicki, CSCS, is a USA Triathlon Level II certified coach who founded QT2 Systems, LLC and TheCoreDiet.com. He is the triathlon coach of professional athletes Caitlin Snow, Dede Griesbauer, Ethan Brown and Tim Snow, among others. His interests lie in coaching professional triathletes using quantitative training and nutrition protocols. You can track his coaching blog at www.kropelnicki.com.


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