Usain Bolt running technique by Posecoach Jacky (Nederland)

Edited & Published by Posecoach Nederland Jacky Ledeboer, www.fysioenzo.nl.
In the first race (300m), Bolt did an attempt to break the WR held by Michael Johnson (30.85). He looks fine in the first part of the race, but in the last 50-100m he's unable to finish as relaxed as usual. It might well be, that lack of stamina on such a "long" race (leading to deteriorating of technique) hold him back from achieving his goal.
In the second race Bolt runs a WR on 150m, which distance is much more his specialty. His running looks fine all the way through and fatique doesn't seem to bother him too much this time.
Both beautiful and interesting races to watch ;-)

[@5ol582]

As Michael Johnson observed him, he could tell that Usain does not care much about formation, shoulders all over the place, running in his own way with a bit of key techiques to improve his speed from his professional coach. So for the ones that try to imitate him 100% on how he runs, you won't improve much. Find your own way that makes you feel comfortable running, everyone have a different body, Usain's technique might just not work for you.

[@joachim7]

Nothing is wrong with his technique. He is just more natural and others are more robotic.

[@fpetes]

What is disgusting is how fast those other guys actually are but look so slow in context...

[@amjan]

A very positive effect. This is exactly what sprinters need to do. With the covered distance, the muscles tighten up more and more and you need to keep your knees high not to shorten your stride in order to keep your speed.

[@flava82]

what amazes me is that usain just looks like he's running as he knows and wants, while the rest look like they have worked hard and put in hours perfecting their technique in on the track and gym etc etc

[@anferayoub3053]

there is no secret for sprinting , bolt said it , you have to train realy hard to have this result , nothing come without training =D

[@krislivesformagic996]

he pushes himself from the start block with an amazing 500kg power. Others just reach 400kg. his body length legs are just perfect for running fast. in the next 50 years his records are still not gonna be broken.

[@JackyLedeboer]

I truly think this is totally true when talking about BOLT. He just feels instinctively how to perform best. I even believe his running technique would deteriorate when trying to do better by doing what other people tell him to do. I recently saw a vid of him teaching running to kids. It was a demonstration of technique very different of what is own running is about. He also showed lack of understanding of what he was telling them to do. Quite interesting .....

[@RobertSchmitt]

hes so fast because he can generate the same rpm's as the smaller guys with his longer legs

[@mesomefun]

your faster when you run on your toes. thats why its so crucial to stay on your toes when your sprinting.

[@OriginalJoseyWales]

Well according to a study I read its not the length of stride or the frequency of the stride. Its the force exerted on the ground with each stride that decides the speed.

[@therunningpianist42]

@jt1143 Knee drive in sprinting among the very best sprinters is passive. That is, they don't actively try to lift their knees up on each stride, it just happens as a result of the stretch-shortening mechanism. The only time they consciously work on knee drive is with certain drills. It's similar with "butt-kick". They don't need to actively pull with their hamstrings to get their feet up, it happens naturally once they're at top speed.

[@ryerye1111]

Well to start he is like 6'5'' and has a great stride length. If you look at his documentary with Michael Johnson, it shows how terrible his Drive Phase is. He can keep with the others off the blocks and then his stride length just leaves them in the dust. He truly does simply enjoys running and could be much faster if he worked on his technique.

[@gd2261]

@Thjeko. You have a good explanation on his form and how it helps him go fast, but another key thing is how he takes big strides when he runs.

[@dean101792]

@K1rkHammet well he's like 6'5" he's fast because he takes huge strides (because he has such long legs), plus as he goes he has a quick turnover so he's covering more ground each step and taking those long steps at a faster pace so it's actually kind of unfair to everyone else

[@JackyLedeboer]

I think we all agree on that!! Of course he's trained very well to be able to do this. I think no one denies on that (-:!

[@HappyTriggerXD]

what they should have shown is that bolt has a higher knee drive, straight back, and pumped arms... with a straight back ur legs get a larger stride .... with a high knee drive and pumped arms you get a greater push

[@BistritaUnited]

guys please dont say he has a slow start....he has the unnoficial wr for 60m 6.31sec and at 20m he is always first look at berlin race....in this 150m at 50m he clocked 5.64sec and was like 2m in front of the others so please dont say anymore he has a slow start...or what do you mean by slow start? first 2 inches ?

[@Turba80]

In the last race, the other 3 guys are like "there he goes!"

[@joegun525]

The reason why he is so fast is because of his efficiency. The other guys are probably much more powerful with more muscle mass etc. but Bolt has perfect technique and all his energy is focused in the right areas. The giraffe legs don't hurt either! LOL! It's so fascinating watching him run!

[@cobwebbyargos6953]

If Bolt trained for the 300m, I'm sure he could have gotten a world record for it

[@BistritaUnited]

maybe because his turnover isnt so high as the other runners but his leg power is incredibile which propel him to a massive stride length...at berlin 2009 there were lines at 10m 20m 40m and 50m and with a stopwatch you could clock him handtimed for these distances from first movement so everybody could compare theire times to his....for example his 50m handtime at berlin was approx 5.2sec

[@ryerye1111]

usain.bolt.the.fastest.man.who.has.ever.lived.

[@MrPAULONEAL]

The Tarahumara would blow by him in distance running...

[@naijaboy777]

@phastman1994 well people are wrong about height being a disadvantage. just not every tall person can control their legs so well. so we can't just assume all tall people can run. and many of them play other sports. its just that usain bolt is tall AND skilled. if he was tyson gays height it would be different. i didnt say it was just height its just that the height is the only factor u can easily contrast between him and the runners behind him.

[@TranscenDaMental]

He appears to bring his knees up higher than the other runners, how much effect does this have on his stride?

[@ObtuseSam]

Thanks.

[@Touhou101]

how I run fast:think about what u hate most and run as if u were angered by whichever specific thing u hate. Run strong!

[@allgoo19]

If the 150m was an official Olympic event, he'd set a world record for the next 100 years, woowww!!

[@davidiscoolerthanu]

even at the slow motion in 1:21 thats twice as fast as i could run lol. What a guy!

[@naijaboy777]

@phastman1994 well actually the info i got is from a website about striding. usain bolt takes about 40-41 strides per race whereas tyson takes 45-46. may not sound like much but it is true. i'll just say that his ability to stride is unfair so there isn't an argument. but yea there is proof.

[@dune310la]

His stride is his technique..because he's tall that's his strongest advantage to lift those knees and kick!

[@JackyLedeboer]

If you want to see and read about the differences between Chi- and pose running check (on this same channel) the vids and descriptions of; Chi running (Danny Dreyer) and Nicholas Romanov Pose running.

[@raulatletism]

tiene una tecnica increible ojala nunca cambie e increible que en su primer 300 le quitara el record del mundo a michael johnson con 30.85, este hombre tiene futuro hasta en el 400, ojala disfrute batiendo todos los records que pueda del atletismo

[@SuperGrant000]

He's been fast since he was a little kid. I ran AAU track against him, he was setting age group records back then.

[@zarrsar6372]

His form is beautiful. Almost perfect. That is why he wins.

[@kingkobe9378]

zarr Sar the greats win despite of what they do, not due of what they do

[@therunningpianist42]

@jt1143 You can do it in multiple comments then. I like reading about this stuff. Just to clarify, I'm not saying that a sprinter shouldn't have knee high drive. It's just that excessively messing with the leg mechanics during the swingphase of the stride is generally seen as detrimental according to sprinting coaches like Tom Tellez, who's arguably one of the best sprinting coaches.

[@spmfuvever]

he looks so relaxed when hes running like hes putting no effort while everyone is huffing and puffing to get within 2 sec.

[@SGTSOULTAK3R]

Other Racer: "Well boys who's coming second today?"

[@bundeligafan]

Usain plays QWOP everyday after he wakes up, that's his secret to success

[@RCLightweightBuddy]

Humans have 3 ways to move. 1) Sprint, all forefoot. 2) Run, midfoot. 3) Walk, Heal to Toe.. Those are the optimal ways to do each.

[@knschdx]

Thank you. Now i'm as fast as bolt

[@dashen7047]

Pose running, but Chi running is close. Pose is more upright while Chi leans forward. Casual running Chi works, but if you start running faster, you need to be more upright.

[@JackyLedeboer]

@balistic14 No don't think so. It would only throw his balance off (shifting his bodyweight backward). Try for you self. Run and lift your knees up till about 90 degrees. Does it really help you to go faster and land close under the hips?

[@TheRealBKZ]

it all comes from the power of his legs, notice how he propel himself

[@ghitawfik9775]

yes the technique is important but bolt has a best physique that's the difference

[@adritochowdhury598]

But, Bolt's 6'5

[@EdwoodCA]

@SilverStreek7 Landing with a heel strike is akin to putting on the brakes... it's counter-productive to moving forward when your heel jars your body when it hits the ground. Cool to see how his feet contact the ground pretty much right under his body, not out in front. Google forefoot, midfoot, or barefoot running to get the gist.

[@nialljamesbuckley]

@30Xrunner - yeah, no shit dude. it was 150m. it says so in the video. my point is he ran 150m in just over 14 seconds which is unbelievable. i don't think most people could do 100m that fast.

[@mcrekkles3090]

omg on 150m HE DRIVE LIKE A CAR

[@JackyLedeboer]

@triplestep1829 Hi there, don't know if the song is African. It's a jingle from Apple called Jaracanda. I thought it fitted nice with the beautiful atmosphere in the vid (beautiful colors due to the low sun, wet track field etc.). Up till now only 73 complained and 125967 viewers did not, so the balance is still fine ;-). But what would you suggest?

[@tybash]

Usain Bolt is son of the tribe of fastest Leopards back in Africa.

[@lamrof]

Bolt drives forward with high knees and lets his heel bounce off his butt to flex his legs open. His feet land under his center of gravity with his knees almost fully open. He leans his shoulder to the side of the landing feet to make the ground contact quicker and grip harder. His feet are str8 land fully. Gay lands with the ball of his feet in full speed.

[@babymiruku]

But how is that not true? I mean sometimes humility comes from honesty, yes? Plus, even though he is good, he never put his opponent down. This man is just very confident of himself, thats all.

[@catcoolishcat]

He's very very fast for a tall guy. And he is very very tall for a fast guy. That combinatiot makes him fastest man in the world.

[@doabarrelroll70]

Antoin that's very good. 400 meters is ny special skill

[@MegaKid11]

We could all try that technique but we will never be as fast as Usain

[@NamelessHill]

not exactly because the ratios of the duration of the acceleration phase to that of the maximum speed phase would be different...but I agree it's still pretty rapid

[@ModifyPhase]

does anyone realise he foot doesnt' touch the ground until every 3 metres?

[@bilalfighter95]

i know why he´s fast because he´s very long legs that the reason he always win. but he has a very good technique that´s very important too.

[@JXL21]

Well Michael Johnson says that there are aspects to Usain's technique that are "horrible" and there are inefficiencies in it, he needs to correct it to go even faster. Usain doesn't dispute him either. watch?v=UB_ZQfxXbTc&feature=related from 37:45 onwards

[@100m200m400m]

@itsnikbarre yes I know, and the fact that Bolts foot speed can be JUST as fast as guys MUCH shorter than him is just amazing, hes 6'5" that shouldnt even be possible. so NO his height isnt a advantage, hes a fucking beast and thats all.

[@Mriliketofu]

@OriginalJoseyWales by your logic its only force which determines how fast but infact it is all 3 of them.

[@pspgo71]

how to be fastest man step one:be usain bolt step two:run the trial race for your country step three:repeat

[@phastman]

@naijaboy777 Yeah I know he takes less strides, but that doesn't make it an advantage, Bolt and Gay are almost equal in top-end speed, the advantage Bolt has over Gay is his start, no one as tall as Bolt (6'5") should be able to come out of the blocks like Bolt does. Bolt also has slower turnover, so theres still no proof that height is an advantage in short sprints. It could be a slight advantage but not to the point where it's unfair...

[@JackyLedeboer]

Interview continued; 10.If athletics was on channel 1, and football on channel 2 which would you watch? Good thing I have three tv sets in my room so I would be watching both 11.As a sportsman, what is more important training or natural ability? Natural ability is great but training harder is even more key for me. One has to train to develop the natural ability which makes it a little easier. Well, ain't that nice! Now we all know about; ONE HAS TO TRAIN TO DEVELOP NATURAL ABILITY!! Nice ...

[@belarminus5]

if he gave me a 50 meter head start in a 100 meter dash, i will still lose --"

[@InfiniteUniverse88]

He beat world records despite having less than optimal techniques.

[@MadeToAmaze]

he ran that 150 faster than i can in a 100 but that was last year and i was slow last year :(

[@flirtwd]

@Nick08352 I used Shazam to find the song. It's called," Soul of The World" by Stefano Bonacina. Have a good day!

[@nialljamesbuckley]

christ - 14 seconds? i don't think i could run the 100m in 14 seconds. that guy is amazing

[@howardlitt86]

@prattcollege09 You're pretty ignorant to bio-mechanics, physics, physiology and running technique... he is changing his base of support (his feet) and when the support base is changed there is a shift of the body to align with the "new" support base.

[@JackyLedeboer]

@btominna04 It's a jingle from Apple (coming with Imovie), called "Motorcross".

[@Kobaganda]

Those Peruvian flute bands even made it into this video!!!

[@fysioenzo]

Can you give the definition of a true runner? Thx!

[@seanofafrica]

If the fastest way of moving - sprinting - uses a forefoot strike, and the slowest way of moving - on-the-spot jogging - also uses a forefoot strike, why should using a forefoot strike during any period in between be deemed non-optimal?

[@CSVhdd]

then he holds the world record for the 400 m

[@JackyLedeboer]

@CookieMonster1o It's a jingle from Apple (coming with Imovie), called "Motorcross".

[@nialljamesbuckley]

@TYPHOONATHLETE96 - yeah - but if he were to actually race him he would only be able to comment on his form from behind because that's all he would be able to see.

[@mauricioalfredo83]

SO THE VIDEO DOESENT SAY NOTHING ABOUT HIS TECHNIQUE...Usain ( 6`+)100mt tequnique its diferent from a power sprinter like Ben Johnson or Mo Green (both 5`10")....this its a fequency technique, he raises before the rest and accelerate whit "long steps" puching his knees up 90º thats it.

[@95175381]

he's a monster .

[@bassbonemexie]

1:17 the runners in the back look like runners in a video game with how they don't bob up or down at all

[@neversaynever234]

Thanks Sherlock Homles.

[@Mriliketofu]

@OriginalJoseyWales well to be fair you are refering to their study and bringing it up. if there was any issue about the report here itd be with you

[@1titans]

Right, folks are forgetting that the American sprinter, men and women did just as well

[@benpetrone5]

1:04 The mortals chasing..

[@Gypsye24]

well, you forgot the start, so 9.57 is wrong, it is 9.90s (shown in the video)

[@maxfeng123]

he doesn't run he glides

[@TheLincolnWorld]

He seems to put the most weight on his toes.

[@Mattu190]

@Actuallityy Which is exactly my point someone who has the SAME body type of bolt can copy him because they would have similar strengths to him.

[@lilparsnip]

i wonder if his mom ever had to tell him to run from bullies :P the bullies'd never catch up :)

[@SquirrelGott]

You know, when you see it from a distance you're like: "eh..." but @0:58 HOLY SHIT! Humans can do this!?

[@fawzeabdelftah6745]

every step is like a jump!

[@moayyad99]

daaame .. he is flyin

[@HvPman]

He looks like he is flying compared to his competitors.

[@spikedude55]

what if he played running back in the nfl?

[@RooR2027]

they should have him hold a spear and tie dried grass to his shins with a song like that lol

[@JackyLedeboer]

@derrrlicious Thats it, right on!!! Great description.

[@UggiKaldan]

Looks like an adult running against the kids :)

[@ryerye1111]

lol, well it wouldn't let me put the link and that is exactly how it is worded in youtube.

[@phastman]

@naijaboy777 Well obviously a 5'7" sprinter wouldn't cover 100m in 41 strides. And height was always thought to be a disadvantage in 100m/200m sprinting before Bolt, personally I think if height was such an advantage there'd be more international sprinters at 6'5" or taller.

[@ottl2]

Do you have maybe a good video how to learn some basics for sprinting? I would like to start with sprinting but I don't know really how