Stiff calf and lower leg muscles.
4 watchers
Aug 2011
11:51am, 17 Aug 2011
278 posts
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Ian M
Darting, I rarely get tight calves nowadays although I used to be plagued by them. Now if I get any lower leg or foot pain I see it as something in my form has slipped, so I see what it is, correct it and the problem goes away. Maybe my blog post will help you to understand more about what Cabletow and I are saying. thinkrunning.com |
Aug 2011
11:59am, 17 Aug 2011
3,797 posts
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Chrisull
This would also imply that in addition to concentrating on form, that a strong core is of benefit?
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Aug 2011
12:03pm, 17 Aug 2011
279 posts
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Ian M
Chris, yes. You need strong core muscles to enable your body to support itself and move in the way Cabletow mentions using large muscles. Skipping, squats, lunges, press ups, burpees etc. All should be a part of daily routine to support running. Many folk try to change technique and their core isn't strong enough to do so properly. I'm lazy so kinda side stepped the whole core thing until I realised how important it is. My form continues to improve.
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Aug 2011
12:04pm, 17 Aug 2011
280 posts
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Ian M
I will post a few bits on what anyone can do to improve their running. I'll include drills etc. BUT they will be basic stuff like core strength. No Pose stuff at all, honest! 
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Aug 2011
12:52pm, 17 Aug 2011
3,804 posts
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Chrisull
The core stuff is interesting, running with the slightly higher cadence (for me that's gettign 170 per min to 180 per min) that good technique requires is tiring. I think my core has improved vastly over the last 3 years and as a result I went from always suffering with calf problems too very rarely even thinking about them. I find my glutes get very sore these days. I remember reading the core work needs to be qute targetted as things like situps can improve the wrong muscles in the core (I don't do situps anyway)? But not sure how accurate my memory is.
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Aug 2011
2:23pm, 17 Aug 2011
281 posts
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Ian M
Chris, I'd say just general fitness workouts, skipping etc will be fine. Can't see any reason not to do sit-ups unles you don't want to do them. Plenty of other stuff to do.
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Aug 2011
7:16pm, 17 Aug 2011
3,812 posts
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Chrisull
Skipping - something I am abysmal at - co-ordination and rhythm not great, but this strikes me as a great agility one as well, and I've been finding that I've been reaching threshold speed (ie I can't seem to run any faster pace, I do downhill miles and I've got it down to 5.19 for that and it feels like my neither my lungs or lactic acid are holding me back, but my actual leg speed), so something I shall try!
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Aug 2011
11:05am, 18 Aug 2011
285 posts
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Ian M
Chris, skipping is great for all that. Just because you don't feel like you are too good at it doesn't mean you are terminally crap. When I first picked a skipping rope up I struggled to do 5 skips in a row. As always, practice will make you better at it. As you do, you will realise what agility, leg speed, getting feet off ground etc. are all about thus your knowledge of movement improves and so does your running. |
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Aug 2011
8:28pm, 18 Aug 2011
37 posts
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pmo
After reading this I gave it a try this evening, and was startled by the results. While I couldn't hold it for more than a mile without a break I was amazed at how the tension on the lower leg decreased. I coud really feel the glutes working. Not a master in one session obviously. What the best way to manage a transition from hunched troll to upright runner? Little and often, or short intervals in a normal run?
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Aug 2011
9:45pm, 19 Aug 2011
9 posts
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Darting
This is really good feed back, thanks!
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