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We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

news.nationalgeographic.com

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Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#91

Post by reneherse »

Fordrus wrote: post #69
zzalpha wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

TL;DR, the gist of the "wrong" is that we've been trained by "trainers" (over-padded athletic shoes) to run in a straight-legged, heel-lands-first manner. Any reputable running clinic will teach you to make contact with the ground at the middle of your foot with a slightly bent knee. That's just well understood, proper technique, regardless of footwear. The real problem is people hitting the pavement without learning…

Having been to a run clinic, I can absolutely call bull on the claim "Footwear is irrelevant, here.". At least the run clinic I went to assured me multiple times that my impression that wearing "trainers" specifically and greatly increases the difficulty of running "correctly" by striking with the middle of your foot with slightly bent knee. The large heel of virtually all training shoes makes landing in the middle o…

>I've been on the lookout for good places to run entirely barefoot as well, but I'm not as daring as some.

If you're fortunate to live near a good beach, I've found the hard packed sand along the water's edge to be the practical ideal surface for barefoot running. It's best if the beach isn't too sloped, and of course you have to mind the shells and other debris. Moonlit beach runs have become a highlight for me on coastal vacations. :)

Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#92

Post by Faint »

spodek wrote: post #59

The article mentions hunting by running as an evolutionary adaptation suggesting running distances, not necessarily sprinting. I have to imagine running like hell to escape predators as a major part of our evolutionary past. It would seem consistent with the effectiveness of high intensity interval training as well as how satisfying the feeling of exhaustion after running as fast as you can for a while.

Although, I don't know of any predators that hadn't the speed to catch a human. I think we always must have had the tools and smarts and friends around to make us a dangerous pray.

Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#93

Post by Faint »

spodek wrote: post #59

The article mentions hunting by running as an evolutionary adaptation suggesting running distances, not necessarily sprinting. I have to imagine running like hell to escape predators as a major part of our evolutionary past. It would seem consistent with the effectiveness of high intensity interval training as well as how satisfying the feeling of exhaustion after running as fast as you can for a while.

Although, I don't know of any predators that hadn't the speed to catch a human. I think we always must have had the tools and smarts and friends around to make us a dangerous pray.

Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#94

Post by keenerd »

WalterSear wrote: post #49
ak217 wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been running recreationally since high school, I average about 20 miles/week, an even mix of road/trail. I'm also a bit heavier than a typical avid recreational runner, putting more stress on my legs and feet. Having gone through a variety of shoes, I'd like to caution people about the minimalistic shoe trend, especially if you run mostly on pavement. It's true that overly cushioned shoes can cause heel strike a…

>Also, "pushing off with your heel" is not a thing. It's impossible to finish the liftoff from the heel while running. So what is going on in this picture? https://i.makeagif.com/media/3-05-2014/hQcYHP.gif I see the maximum force being applied just as the heel leaves the ground. Maybe the maxima is >just< slightly after, but the heel is still involved.

You can't draw any useful conclusions from that. It is only depicting vertical force. Pushing up, not pushing off.

Pushing off refers to forwards, longitudinal force. Walking and running are commonly modeled by inverted pendulums, and the best time to increase the energy of the pendulum is at the extreme of the range of motion. The middle of the swing is the worst time to add energy to the system.

Or think of it physiologically. If you are adding energy mid-stride, the gluteus maximus is responsible for producing all forwards force. (Which might be a fair assessment, humans's are unusually large for mammals.) Adding energy at the end of the stride allow the gastrocnemius to provide thrust as well.

Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#95

Post by curun1r »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #55
rosser wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Also, "pushing off with your heel" is not a thing. It's imprecise language, to be sure. I think it's more about where you're concentrating the force. If you look at the .gif that 'WalterSear shared down-thread, you'll see that the greatest force is just before the heel lifts, not after. That's the difference, I think, between "pushing off" with the heel or the forefoot: where, specifically, in the stride the maximu…

So can anyone sum up what the right way to run is?

When I changed my running style, I was given all the tips here, and they're certainly right, but it's a lot to think about when you're running. It didn't click for me until I concentrated on just two things...running more upright, so that my foot strike was almost directly underneath me, and upping my cadence to force myself to take very short steps. I was given the recommendation to strive for 180 strides per minute, so when I was relearning to run, I basically counted out a waltz beat in my head, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, ... Do that roughly once per second and keep your feet moving at that pace and it becomes hard to do it wrong.

Oddly enough, I expected that running with that cadence would fatigue me much faster, but midway through my first run, I found myself being less fatigued than my previous technique.

Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#96

Post by ErikAugust »

sndean wrote: post #72

> he calls treadmills the "junk food of exercise. > he believes running barefoot is more natural—and less likely to result in injury. This has always bothered me, and, even on HN, it still bothers me. Too many experts. I ran track and XC (HS, DIII, then DI for a season), did 100+ miles/week, won a half marathon, etc. Reasonably successful without any injuries, over ~15 years. Even I would get constant advice from eve…

Thank you.

Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#97

Post by Retric »

rosser wrote: post #9

The Fine Article doesn't really go into how we're doing it wrong, beyond a passing mention of barefoot running, and some dissing of treadmills (which is hyperbolic and orthogonal to reality; you can run "correctly" or "badly" on a treadmill or on the street or trail). I used to run a bit. Did an informal "couch to 5k" over a couple of months, before I'd even discovered that was a thing. The single most effective thin…

Treadmills don't prepare you for uneven surfaces so they are somewhat harmful in excess. Hard flat level ground is not uncommon in nature, but the ideal stride is reactive not simply repeated endlessly.

The best example I can give is a long stairwell with one step 1/2 an inch off is liable to trip people up. Yet running up uneven surfaces is easy when your paying attention.

Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#98

Post by exhilaration »

rb808 wrote: post #84
zzalpha wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

TL;DR, the gist of the "wrong" is that we've been trained by "trainers" (over-padded athletic shoes) to run in a straight-legged, heel-lands-first manner. Any reputable running clinic will teach you to make contact with the ground at the middle of your foot with a slightly bent knee. That's just well understood, proper technique, regardless of footwear. The real problem is people hitting the pavement without learning…

Most runners I see around here have never been to a clinic.

How does one find a running clinic?

Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#99

Post by zzalpha »

exhilaration wrote: post #98
rb808 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most runners I see around here have never been to a clinic.

How does one find a running clinic?

Google is your friend! Local shops specializing in running often provide clinics themselves, or can provide references to local clubs. In Canada, a chain called The Running Room is pretty good. I'm sure there's equivalents in most major cities.

The same groups typically organize running groups, training programs, etc.

Re: We Evolved to Run But We're Doing It Wrong

#100

Post by throwanem »

ErikAugust wrote: post #89

From the article: "The first thing I’d say is, you’re probably not doing it right. Most people dislike running because they have memories of things like running for a bus. That kind of running is usually deeply unpleasant, almost vomit-inducing. Most beginners give up when they get injured because they’ve done too much, too soon. Most of the benefits from running derive from going very slowly." I find this premise to…

Seconding long walks. It's easy! You just look around for something interesting, and let your feet carry you toward it - they know what to do, and they will if you let them. Repeat as necessary. When you start to run out of puff, look for interesting things nearer home than not.

Stay away from roads and sidewalks, if you can. Trees give shade, and shade is cool and pleasant and helps you husband your energy for finding interesting things, rather than sweating.

Keep your phone in your pocket. Keep your earbuds there, too. They put you somewhere other than where you are, and what's the point of that? Besides, you can't chat with people if your ears are blocked.

Chat with people. Say hello. Make eye contact. Exercise the social skills that help you make unplanned interactions mutually enjoyable. We don't do that any more. We should. Many fear it. Do not blame them. Give them the opportunity to overcome that fear, if they so choose. If they don't, leave them in peace. Another time, perhaps.

Pictures are okay, but be sparing. Use them when there's something you'll want to share. Don't use them so much that you forget why you want to share something. Me, I'm an amateur photographer. For me, pictures are often part of the point. Unless they are for you, too, use them as aide-memoire - not in place of it.

Cut through the woods. Go up hills. Go down hills. Go through streams, or over if they're narrow enough. Remind yourself of the simple pleasure to be had in using your body - jumping, climbing, shifting your balance to go down a 45° slope on your feet instead of your face.

Take chances. Don't shy away from decrepit buildings. Investigate them. There's always a way in, and it's amazing what's to be found there. Be aware of your environment, and be careful - not everyone you meet this way is friendly. But many are. Don't let fear hold you back, because you'll always wonder what you missed. And this life is transitory, anyway. Don't waste the opportunities that come along while you're living it.

Wear shoes, sturdy and comfortable as you like. You don't want the thing that holds you back to be that you'll tear up your feet if you go that way, either. For buildings, I recommend eight- or nine-hole logger boots - welted full-grain leather with good, arch-supporting insoles. Take care of them. They'll take care of you.

(I always wear boots like that. I may be biased in my recommendation. But they've stopped more holes than I can count from ending up in my feet. Wax polish, thinly applied, and buffed in long strokes with a damp - not wet - rag. No dress shoes ever looked so fine.)

Above all, enjoy yourself. Enjoy meeting the people and places you meet. Enjoy your environment, and the changes you make in it over the course of a day's peregrination. Enjoy the changes your environment makes in you. Enjoy not giving a fuck about email and parking. Enjoy the feeling of using your body, instead of just inhabiting it. Enjoy being where you are. Enjoy the ache of well-worked muscles and the stretch of your ribs as you breathe deeper than you can when you spend all day sitting down. Enjoy the deep sleep that comes of exhaustion honestly earned. Enjoy the fresh eyes with which you wake. Enjoy a simple pleasure no longer forgotten.

Enjoy!

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