How to Run Properly: Do You Need To Push Off? with Todd Martin MD

[@logans3365]

I thought leaning to walk was difficult, but trying too focus on form while controlling your breath, and where your feet land is proving much more difficult. It might help if I master the new walking first, but it’s hard to go on runs knowing I am doing it wrong.

[@ToddMartinMD]

I wouldn’t assume you are doing anything wrong. This video in particular is a look at controversial running theory and my take on it. You don’t need to understand the theory to run perfectly fine.

[@divad968]

Hmm, that PUSH, man. I thought I understood it, now I'm not so sure. How the heck can you do push in the mid air? There's no pushing off the ground. I'm a little confused. 🙃

[@ToddMartinMD]

You don’t need resistance to do the motion. The push energy is federated in the core. That is what is pushing the swing leg toward the ground. As soon as the foot touches the ground, then it is pushing the body off the ground. It’s the same motion you do pushing down when riding a bike.

[@cannibalmanimal2336]

If you take a bowling pin and tip it over, after it drops you’ll see that it’s moved a bit from its place. It moves in a direction, it doesn’t just lay down. Why push & hop when you can just fall & hop? Double work without benefit.

[@ToddMartinMD]

No. Any forward movement of the pin would be a result of the energy you put into tipping it over, or the result of it bouncing or sliding as a result of the kinetic energy of the fall. The bowling pin cannot fall and then find itself upright again to repeat the fall without someone picking it up. All of the kinetic energy of the fall is bringing your center of mass closer to the ground and energy is needed to keep it up. When we run, our center of mass goes up, not down. Only after going up does it come back down to neutral. You cannot fall up. Why push and hop? Because a fall and hop is called a dive, as one might due when diving into a pool. Only a push and hop will propel you up and forward and allow you to land and repeat the process.

[@ToddMartinMD]

What you are calling a fall is a push, and it requires energy. Falling with no energy is call collapsing.

[@jlprescott7243]

For long distance running, just watch the elite runners. There is a subtle push. The trailing leg is relaxed and extended, and the hip flexors are stretched. Once the toe-off phase is complete and foot in the air, the stretch reflex will bring the foot up and bend the knee as it moves forward. You should not force or pull your foot up and forward.

[@ToddMartinMD]

Yes, I agree there is a push, which is the point of the video. Pose tries to say there is no need to push-that you can just fall and pull put the leg, which defies physics.