Trainer's Corner Week 5, Part IIIb: Gait Cycle

A runner will begin the Gait Cycle with a Footstrike. During running, particularly during Footstrike, a runner has a lot of force working against him or her. Here are some stats

Sprinting—the vertical ground reaction forces can exceed 6 times the body weight with each stride.
Pace running—ground reaction forces can range from 2.5 to 3 times the body weight with each stride.
Walking—ground reaction is 2 times the body weight, when running

All in all, when running, impact is taking place twice as often, and the vertical force is generated in half the time. This means that running produces 4 times more strain on connective tissues than walking. What does this mean to you? The faster and longer you run, the more important it is to have GOOD RUNNING SHOES and GOOD RUNNING FORM.

Although trainers and coaches argue for 3 phases (Support, Drive, and Recovery), I like to argue for the (4) phases: Footstrike, Midstance, Toe-Off, and Swing.