Running Tips

The FootstrikeA brief look at:

Which one are you and why does it matter?

…..…..Well.....to understand it….

...…lets look at......

…..Newton's 3rd law

For every action,there is a reaction equal in amount but opposite in direction.

Its all about the

Ground Reaction Forces

When you run you apply force to the groundThe ground absorbs some of this force and

re-directs the rest up through the body.

In the heel strike the force is

rebounded up through the leg

acting as a brake.

Direction of running

Direction of force

Midfoot Strike

Direction of force

Direction of running

Forefoot StrikeMore

apparent at higher speeds

Direction of running

Direction of force

Heel Strike

Dir

ecti

on o

f fo

rce

–Act

s as

a b

rake

Direction of force – assists running

Mid foot Strike

Running Speed affects Foot Strike

Jogging = Midfoot to heel strike, Running Fast= Midfoot to forefoot,

To sum it up…• In heel striking, the collision of the heel with the ground

generates a large force. This force sends a shock wave up through the body via the skeletal system

In forefoot striking, the collision of the forefoot with the ground generates a very minimal impact with a lesser force.

Midfoot strikes represent a continuum between heel strikes and forefoot strikes. Depending on where the center of pressure is at impact and how stiff the ankle and knee are during impact, one can land softly in a midfoot strike.

Some midfoot strikes can generate impacts like those of heel strikes. However, these forces are distributed over larger surfaces areas, reducing the stress on the foot

Want to know more?Contact the Swift team for running drills and

related exercises

Look out for upcoming swift performance courses on our facebook page

Check out our YouTube channel for current and upcoming videos

Presentation brought to you by:

www.facebook.com/swifttheperformancespecialists

swiftperformance@hotmail.com