IMPROVE RUNNING FORM TECHNIQUE: HEEL LIFT TIP BY COACH SAGE CANADAY

[@kow294]

dancing makes sage out of breath more than running. 😁

[@Drewb18c1]

What's interesting about that is it's evidence of how much being comfortable in what you're doing can affect your endurance. Not saying Sage was uncomfortable dancing, but rather that it's out of his comfort zone/wheelhouse. I've seen this a lot in combat sports, as a fan and as someone who has dabbled in muay thai. In muay thai, it blew my mind when sparring that I'd get so winded so quickly despite having quite good cardio from running. Also in MMA, you see it all the time how someone who doesn't have extensive grappling experience will gas super quickly when things hit the mat, but can go a night when doing what their specialty is. Suppose the interesting takeaway here is to not be overconfident in your cardio when doing things that are out of your comfort zone. I think a lot of it is from the fact that just because you might have excellent vo2max, it takes a degree of mental comfort to fully unlock that maximum potential.

[@tubesockets120v]

I noticed that too.

[@mav3ric100]

@@Drewb18c1 I know what you mean. A simple test is running flights of stairs. You can be pretty good endurance wise in running and running only activities. But try a jog up 5 or more flights of stairs nonstop and see how funny you start breathing despite being someone that crushes 30+mpw running.

[@TheArtofBlues]

Drewb18c1 its all about technique not comfort zone. I do muay thai/freestyle wrestling technique is key. And roadwork is a must no matter who you are.

[@yarakharam5343]

@@Drewb18c1 Its not necessarily comfort but rathe ryour central nervous system knowing exactly what contractions are needed in what order and timing to perform a certain movement "ideally" and then more you do that movement the more these neurals patterns get strengthened and less energy is needed. You can have good pulling force but if your body doesnt know how to properly engage the lats and scapula at the start of that movement you will struggle with a pullup.

[@danielgiese3987]

Only Sage would start dancing during a training tips video. LMAO

[@shawnjenkins5477]

Right?

[@2678dhetysjk]

That shit was funny random af

[@topoisomerace]

I love that he had the club music ready to go.

[@pinoynurseportal]

haha

[@HarveyRSM00]

Random AF 🤣

[@mmeccafork]

4:29 me trying to leave work early

[@navidnikraz2299]

JoMario Rivera haha gold

[@igordragoslav9672]

Ahahhsh When I go away from class

[@successinspiration4676]

😂

[@backbencherofdemocracy326]

Savage

[@314WIKINGERBANDE-qd9qz]

Fired 😂

[@spikerboy81]

Something tells me you made this video just to have a reason to dance

[@baschena16]

Lol the best way to drive home a coaching tip is definitely through breaking out in a dance party 💃💃 always informative, thank you!!

[@erwinandrew]

I had a feeling prior clicking this that Sage would dance. Sage doesn't disappoint. Nice video! Cheers!

[@Robert-pm1uq]

Hardly as qualified to give tips but here are my thoughts: I successfully transitioned from heel to mid foot strike after overcoming a xc injury. I focused on running very slow with good form (tall, lean from ankles, mid foot strike). The key was making this a habit which I would instinctively remember. It will feel strange at first, however if it can’t be maintained for the duration of an easy run then something is likely being done wrong.

[@HeathifyMyLife]

Hi What does XX mean please?

[@DaniAh]

@@HeathifyMyLife xc? Cross country

[@error.418]

@@HeathifyMyLife xc = cross country = competitive long distance running (5km and 10km depending on age)

[@error.418]

Strong agree, mid-sole strike is far healthier, and often it can be related to shoe choice as well as improving technique

[@KrisPeter]

Thanks Sage. This video kicks butt.

[@fantasticpanties]

😂 💗 this comment!

[@florme6494]

I see where you’re going there

[@brandontan3938]

LOLOL

[@Ruck.Norris]

🤦🏽‍♂️

[@alimbo9436]

I tried this on my run this morning and I felt a lot more activation in my quads and hamstrings. Will take some getting used to but at least it feels like I am running right now. Thanks man!

[@ElectricHorseman66]

What are you doing Sage? You don't want to push nor slide and even less lift up your heels. I find sad that a guy of your level are encouraging runners to drill things that lead to bad running. Lifting up your heels reduce the bounce and therefore shorten the stride. Sliding back the feet is another way to dissipate a clean rebound. I am shaking my head, so frustrating to see public figure like you misleading a lot of followers. Huge thumb down.😤☹

[@troys1101]

Isn't the goal to reduce bounce (you want to go forward, not up) and shorten the stride to prevent over-striding and increase cadence? The sliding Sage showed was to demonstrate the action statically but once you're moving you aren't sliding your feet but are pulling them backwards, kicking your butt is the cue to make sure you are pulling your foot backwards rather than lifting it early & having to push it forward (i.e. over-striding).. I've made a conscious effort to action this video and it gave an instant increase in my speed with no extra effort. I could also feel my glutes working when first starting out on it.

[@ElectricHorseman66]

@@troys1101, Kipchoge won the Berlin Marathon 2018 and set a new world record. His cadence average 185 and his stride length was 1.90 m. Do you think he was reducing his stride for not overstriding? Of course not. Reducing your stride doesn't make your overstride go away, good efficient running does. A near vertical midfoot landing without pushing off and letting your foot fall will. Lifting up your heels instead of letting your hamstring and gluteus do the job by natural extension will disrupt the natural elastic recoil and reduce your time airborne, which will reduce your stride length, which will cause you to run slower. We know that speed is the sum of cadence and stride length so if you run at a cadence of 185 and have a stride of let say 1.20m, your speed will be around 4:29 min/km, kipchoge ran Berlin Marathon at the pace of 2:51min/km with the same cadence. So the difference is in the flight phase.

[@troys1101]

If you are moving at 4:29 min/km and your cadence is 160 then you might be over striding, no? If you shorten your stride while moving at the same pace then your cadence increases and efficiency improves. Drill like this are to help improve your efficiency if you are running out of whack.

[@ElectricHorseman66]

@@troys1101, Probably overstriding but increasing the cadence artificially isn't going to fix the overstride and inevitably you will slow down. You will reduce your stride and still overstride. Overstriding isn't caused by the stride length, it's caused by poor running form such as bending at the waist, too much forward leaning which causes to step a head of body for balance and mostly because your brain is moving your feet forward to reach the ground in front of you. Chosing how and where to land the foot causes overstride as well and loss of elastic recoil. You fix the overstride by improving your running form which causes to reduce braking significantly. Running tall, keeping a straight body alignment with ankle/ hips/shoulder and a near vertical midfoot landing, letting the foot fall naturally without trying to place it on the ground. Then stiffening during impact for optimizing the rebound, which allow you to be more time airborne. By NOT lifting up your feet you will allow the full elastic recoil to occur. The good running form will lead to an increase in cadence between 175 to 185 depending on the speed but only because the brake is off after reducing the overstride, not the other way around. You can check the book and the story of world record holder Keith Bateman. Older Yet Faster. By purchasing the book you get free access to his support group on fb. Keith Bateman and his Podiatrist wife Heidi jones help us in person with free coaching.

[@ConanObrien22]

4:29 just who the hell running with that form smh lmaoo

[@cloudyhead9172]

It’s when u shit yourself

[@ryang4492]

I cannot stop laughing at this comment omg

[@asfaltasfalt1]

I know. I’ve never seen anyone run like that. Very funny. He tried. Just over amplified.

[@Player-001]

Conan O'Brien actually got someone from the other class who runs like that(i honestly laughed when i first saw him running that way lol now im used to it)

[@paulfogartysongs]

The Thunderbirds run like that. But then, they are puppets.

[@CrazyEggs123456789]

You explained all of this so simply in an easy to understand way. Thank you!

[@coinmarketswot3264]

I feel less lonely, because the cameraman is laughing too. @ 4:29

[@sadangani233]

I am watching it again after 2 years ❤❤❤❤ awesome video

[@whitneywilsondesign]

I have the hardest time with this! My feet barely come off the ground when I run - especially during slower run days

[@dboardjr8873]

Ok I thought that was just me. The kicking makes me fatigue faster then I struggle through the last few miles.

[@Deadlyaztec27]

@@dboardjr8873 That means you need to do more kinetic stretches like high knees and butt kickers. You may also benefit from doing squats every other day.

[@dboardjr8873]

@@Deadlyaztec27 I do alot of squats and deadlifts. But I will give those kinetic stretches a try

[@pauljohnson4786]

I run like a Clydesdale; rocks fly from under my feet, lol.

[@MegaDreamOo]

Same here especially in slow easy recovery runs.

[@mybrkly]

I was laughing during your running man.🏃🏻‍♂️

[@brendanbravo4960]

Omg just lost it when you started dancing 😂😂 oh god that made my day

[@Ruck.Norris]

4:29 me crossing the street while a car is at the stop sign

[@PabloRodriguez-mx7pr]

improving my running technique cured my iliotibial band syndrome. no ammount of rehab replaces good mechanical movement

[@budabead]

Okay THIS is it! I have watched.... nothing short of dozens of videos from "larger" YT channels whom over complicated what you managed to drill into my head in 5 minutes! Thank you so much this is golden stuff right here! You sir have (probably) single handedly saved my heels, here have a new sub! Ps sick moves btw 🤗👍

[@skyekingdom0]

4:29 me going to the kitchen at 3 am

[@hektor6766]

This is terrible form and terrible advice. You don't claw yourself forward as you overwork your hamstrings, you push yourself forward with your quads and glutes as you full-body lean forward. The high heel kick is for faster pace as you extend your hips further forward, lengthen your stride, and conserve the angular momentum of your swinging leg. You don't pull yourself up a flight of stairs, you hop or bound up. Running is the same action, only with that forward lean.

[@onthevlog9352]

This video is so helpful, we will definitely be using some of these tips to help improve our form!

[@DaniAh]

Dude his legs are prettier than mine haha goals

[@i_would_but_i_wont]

I'm surprised at how winded you got from dancing, haha.

[@topoisomerace]

Shocking!

[@masterasia4175]

dancing is always surprisingly aerobic/tiring try what he was doing for a min or two!

[@usmclongrangebrainsurgeon]

Sage I like the idea behind this video, I also think you should address muscle tightness that may prevent runners from butt kicking especially tight quads and/or psoas muscle which in turn may cause the improper form you demonstrate

[@Eugene-tp5qn]

Very helpful tip although easier said than done when you're 30+ years old. Nice legs btw, incredible muscle definition.

[@Dougwatson2]

This made my day! Thanks for the tip and thanks for the moves!

[@joshpeck3880]

4:29 When im prairie dogging on the way to the restroom

[@GlassJoe-fgc]

I searched up "Running like Sandman"

[@sophiawolf985]

lol me too

[@darky9482]

Same

[@user-jl2wd1it8h]

I from Uganda 🇺🇬 I wish I had nutrients like this man

[@FYI9102]

why are you gae

[@andrewapple1729]

The running man is my “ go-to” dance move on any occasion.

[@fabiolalove9072]

Thanks Sage..I do got that big problem...Im working on it...Thank you...

[@nielsliljedahlchristensen4924]

+1 for Creedence!

[@BucketlistFitRunning]

hahaha the dancing is awesome!! Great tip too, I think that's something most could benefit from too actually.

[@Retcon__]

Yes! Great technique! I like to visualize gum on my shoe and im using the friction to get it off. Gives me a good visual of sliding the foot back and up. :-)

[@joshuaadao4087]

Oh wow, this actually works 😀

[@davidfisher345]

‘I’m a little sloppy with that .. haven’t been in the clubs for a while’ Quote: Sage :)

[@ssfnp]

Loved the "running man" demo & "haven't been to the club in a while"!! 🤣😂 Thank you for making me smile 😊

[@xuganyu96]

Coach Canaday has got some killer dance move!

[@Vo2maxProductions]

ha ha, I try! Full Dance Video with Pacer The Dog on my Instagram: @SageCanaday

[@xuganyu96]

@@Vo2maxProductions Followed! Your dog has terrific talent for dance, as well!

[@MichalWck]

The shuffle tutorial cracked me up

[@hebrews11vs5]

This video is a classic.

[@devc285]

I wish I could say this taught me anything at all

[@kkwong6528]

It doesn't. The lifting is not a form, it is physiology. No way can a beginner try that, and he didn't mentioned how trained his thigh, hip, back, neck, arms/the whole body to accommodate the lifting. It is natural to propel us that way when our muscles can take that jumps.

[@vinayakasiddi1544]

Not all useful

[@paulsmith1490]

Great training tip. I’ve ran for years recreationally & recently added this back kick drill to my running, it has made a big difference 👍🏽

[@iffkitchen941]

*run ( I have run = I’ve run ) or simply I ran

[@tracystevenpeal5005]

You do understand 2 things: first, your foot hits the ground, it doesn’t move, you move over it; second, the fact that you’re butt-kicking is the reason why you knee drive - it’s called a counterbalance...PULL your foot underneath you.

[@yuno-hx3he]

I learned this from sandman(jojo part 7)

[@looneypersoney]

That's how i got in here

[@nuddle7726]

was looking for this comment xD

[@user-tq6fx7tl7e]

Didnt understand the explanation they did for soundman but aight

[@randolfkila2125]

Hey, How do I incorporate this into my walking form.

[@IRunRoseville]

Sage I wanted to let you know I used this tip on my Sunday run and it worked great. Helped keep me running upright, and you were spot on about the efficiency/effort. Way easier to run tall

[@garethhornby4694]

Coach Sage got some moves 😅😉🤣. I have adopted the heel lift recently in my running and am seeing the benefits to this 50 year olds running. I don't think I will be doing the running man in a club anytime soon tho... 😂😁😅

[@pmhwong]

I think if you had ended the video with a "how it looks when I do it naturally" would have made this video complete.

[@JoshBugg]

Heel flick and calf swing are automatic and shouldn't be done forcefully, it's actually unnatural and less efficient. The flicking of the heel towards the butt is an automatic reflex which is a result of the degree of power of hip extension. As you run faster and generate more power as you extend your leg behind you, the reflex of your hip flexor as your leg swings forward causes the calf and heel to flick towards the butt as the muscle disengages. Try bringing your leg through straight - it's not natural.

[@YeNZeC]

Yeah i had issues with this i had would "manually" activate dorsiflexion. My foot would go numb and calfs would get fatigued only 3km in a run

[@Runner9264]

I also agree.

[@bernhardschneider79]

Hammertime!

[@MrKingamaziah]

I noticed today on my 20 miler that when I increased my heel lift behind me, I increased speed consistently for the same or lower cadence.

[@robert.mechura]

If you want to get faster, you should watch my newest video. Don't mean to be one of those guys who promotes there channel in the comments but I think it could really help you out.

[@Richard_Garza]

Robert Mechura you could be frank, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

[@samrothstein31]

Tular Ikarra big help thanks a lot ! (Newbie doing first 10 miler)

[@RamdozaCh]

Dude, I can’t IMAGINE running 12 miles, good on you bro

[@trinichinee6426]

the overall motives of running form is higher efficiency.. gather as much momentum to carry you forward. kicking behind your buttocks propels u forward a bit .. hence the reason why u had a better run there are other methods too for increasing your momentum. the smoother your stride is .. the less stress place on u feet

[@RunningMan4ver]

More of these video! Awesome!

[@ndk4]

4:29 who in the name of whatever runs like that 😂😂🤣

[@caseyjohnson1103]

Maybe try "forefoot" with a mid sole strike. The body isnt made for landing on the heels. You can run much faster and less lower back pain with forefoot running.

[@robmyers8948]

Confused, sliding back to push forward is what others say not to do. But instead push down with a slight forward lean. Any idea what right?

[@jeronimolopes1150]

It’s what I need to practice, I am a V50 marathoner with a heel strike and my PB last year at London Marathon 2019 (2:46:35), maybe if I improved my strike can be much better runner. Thank you Sage nice videos and tips. 🖐👍

[@error.418]

Good luck! Switching to mid-sole strike will give you a ton of efficiency benefits but also health benefits (our heels are not good for absorbing impact). Given you've been a heel strike runner for so long, do take it easy as you transition. Your calf muscles and the smaller muscles around your tendons will need to do some catching up to the new form, so slower/shorter distances while you concentrate on the form will be good to avoid pain or injury. Also consider shoe choice. If you have a higher heel or over-cushioned heel it can be detrimental to efficiency and injury-free mid-sole striking. So evaluate if you should get a lower heel drop (you don't have to go zero drop or zero cushion, I know some of the barefoot movement pushes that really hard, but it's not at all a requirement for mid-sole strike gaits. If you do choose to go that route, go gradually.)

[@just.do.something]

You had my sub at running man! LOL

[@creedbratton2271]

Instructions unclear, I am moonrunning now.

[@honeybadger9425]

I have to say i have never seen anyone running like you bad example that was funny AF lol

[@KarenReep]

Totally awesome! Thanks for the tips!

[@dragonchr15]

I do not know if this is a helpful cue, but i try to imagine i am propelling myself forward as opposed to bouncing up and down with my feet slamming the pavement. I saw another video wherenthe runner said to watch the horizon in front and make sure that it does not move up and down much.

[@laurieinjapan]

I tried cues like "high heels" and "soles to the sky" but it made my pace much lower (around 165 to 140 steps per minute). Do you have any advice for trying to increase the pace while improving form?

[@adityashetty948]

Thanks brooo

[@shashankshekhar3791]

3:44 He's shufflin lmao

[@carlotapuig]

Sage uses the night club as a running form training opportunity

[@markharris1730]

This is the worst running form video I have ever seen. This is upsetting, all running form should emphasize strong front side mechanics with a focus on knee drive and dorsiflexion and proper foot strike under center of mass with knees together at ground contact. This is UNIVERSAL to all great running from sprints through middle distance up to distance and road racing. This is a HUGE point of contention for me as people are taught and practice these back side mechanic techniques leading to UNDER striding and spinning the wheels and going nowhere. The ONLY difference between the mechanics of sprinting and distance running is frequency and range of motion because one is more ballistic than the other. Emphasizing heel flicking or a "heel lift trick" is a terrible cue and continues the cycle of bad mechanics in middle distance and distance running.

[@natesilvers2166]

Wrong. You don't slide your foot back or push off try doing that barefoot you will have no skin. Lift the foot and extend the hips then place the foot down. Do not push when the foot is loaded. Please watch Cuccazellas Principles of Natural Running. The back kick comes from running from the hips it is passive and a waste of energy to force it.

[@moldoe78]

This is wrong on so many levels. The back kick should never be voluntary. The amount of back kick is directly proportional with the angle and force of hip flexor extension. If you lift your heels voluntary during your run that is just wasted effort. Just before the toe off the hip flexor is extended and stores a big amount of tension/force that is released after the toe off. That hip flexor snaps back from extension and make your femur and knee start the forward drive. That forward drive start will cause your lower leg to kick back effortlessly just because of the momentum. The faster you run, the more hip extension and more force in your knee drive you'll have, thus heel will kick higher by itself.

[@יואלבלום]

I didn't get shit. Liked the dancing though :)

[@hikenadventure]

Very helpful, loved the Dad dancing.

[@erica8165]

3:45 Running video becomes a club dancing tutorial! Then he's out of breath. Lol.

[@zohaibjan]

He lost his breath while doing a running man. This video is about running :D ?

[@puertousbmonkey]

from tutorial to glee club in a few minutes

[@lewchiha]

Mate...you’re telling me we can train by shuffling? This is sick!🙌😂

[@htw1230]

Ah yes the sandman technique

[@jgt1120]

How do you always know what i need to work on! THanks

[@runningwithstelvio]

I like the moonwalk style 😃👌

[@YienLiu]

Lmao I was laughing so hard

[@anthonyhughston829]

what shoes are you wearing

[@lowcountrysmoke]

4:31 this is how I run around town

[@bpotato3310]

3:45 in tried this and never stop doing shuffle haha

[@NorwegianVFX]

Running form is something that is really frustrating to me, as I have always felt that mine is really poor even though i have made efforts to improve it. The problem is that when I try to lift my heels, drive the knees and have a higher frequency, it feels weird as f*** and my heartrate goes through the roof. I mean, the whole point is to run more efficiently, right? well, I don't experience these "big" movements as efficient, as compared to the form i currently have. I have also noticed that trying to bring my pelvis forward makes for a less relaxed form, resulting in an increase in heartrate at the same speed. Does anyone have any opinions on this?

[@antoncigurh6342]

when i first started running competitively this was the single best tip. i watched kipchoge and other elites running form from behind them and noticed the heel coming back so high. so i implemented this into my stride, and it took a while but really improved my times and endurance. you don't want to be lifting the heel so much as you are pushing yourself forward and the heel comes back as a natural motion from inertia

[@AvsFan32]

How does this correlate with driving the knee forward? I’m trying to understand both ends of the stride.

[@nashhamster]

that dancing part had me dead lmao, good vid thanks for tips!

[@radhi0zil]

I don't see that shuffle is coming 😂

[@johnbouttell5827]

More dancing please

[@1234mytubeuser1234]

too much talk...yada yada yada...

[@lucinide1020]

I typed in "how to run like sandman" and this video came up... i mean he covered the heel part and im just here waiting for him to run faster than a horse

[@eltemplariodetierrasanta7234]

Lol. Same

[@lucasrodriguez9108]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who ended up here looking for "running like sandman"

[@AnananasFanta]

Nice! Infornative, simple and funny :-)

[@maureenseel118]

Worth it just for the dance moves LOL. I'm doing a lot better with kicking the heel back and focusing on almost a wheel motion coming from the hips instead of running from the quads or calves...but the non pavement options around me are scarce so I'm still having shin splints sometimes...

[@Lescoureursfoudelasco]

Probably one of the most important tips in running, and should be told to all beginners on day one.

[@oneswolleboi7323]

So this is how Sandman runs

[@inhaulyt5295]

Tutorial on how to win the steel ball run without a horse:

[@jaypunzalan6999]

The music should be everyday im shufflin

[@abcdefghijklomop3414]

Dem legs

[@vicoyw]

I keep watching your Moon walking dance.. Gosh It really makes me LAUGH!!! Thank you!! It's sooo cute!! I've never laughed this much watching a HOW to on running!! BUT HEY... IT WORKS.. I did it today!!!

[@dboardjr8873]

My kick is something I'm working on constantly. But I feel like I get tired faster with more kick. On another note, that dance though bro 😐🤔😬