Trail Running - Part 7
July 22, 2010
by Stephen R. Santangelo
http://www.primalfitness-systems.com/articles/archives/2010/sports_specific/trail-running-part7.html
Trail running is much like combining plyometric exercises while on the move.
With all the obstacles, on the trails, you’re constantly hopping, stepping and jumping in various directions.
On active rest days or non running strength days perform your plyos.
One of the simplest and most effective plyos is the game hop-scotch. This is a typical hopping and jumping children’s game which can be used. Begin with small hops & jumps. As you develop speed, stability & strength, increase the distance between landings. Perform this drill on grass or synthetic tracks.
After you have gained complete control with the advance hop-scotch, move onto standing triple jump (hop, step & jump).
There are many details you must pay attention to and learn to execute properly.
Keep in mind this isn’t to teach triple jumping, it’s about body mechanics for trail running.
Step 1:
Stand tall with both feet together. Raise your right foot off the ground. From a one foot stance hop as powerfully as possible, keeping the upper torso straight and tall. Land on you’re your take off foot which is your left foot.
Step 2:
Immediately and forcefully, push hard off with your left foot and land on your opposite foot which will be your right foot.
Be sure the hop & the step landings are flat footed and at the moment of ground contact they become well balanced and coordinated.
These 2 points are very important in developing efficiency and saving energy while on the trail.
The landings must have a pawing back motion in order to propel the body forward and not lose horizontal velocity. If forward motion is lost, there becomes a great deal of energy loss.
When the pawing action takes place you must actively drive hard with the foot and ankle to maintain forward thrust.
During the hop-step phase, it is important to use dynamic arm action to maintain balance and momentum.
Step 3:
As you land from the step phase, be sure the active foot lands directly under the hips. This will stabilize the body and prepare it to take off for the jump.
If the foot does not land directly under the hips a blocking (braking) action will occur. This will, drastically, slow the body down and will cause velocity to be lost almost instantaneously.
In a race, this will equate to excessive energy expenditure and losing ground on your competition.
As you jump, drive the arms up, lift the knees and nail the landing with both feet.
After you have conquered these movements, begin the triple jump with 5 running steps and eventually with 10 running steps.
Only perform this exercise on a rubberized runway, such as you would find on a track or on flat grass.
Be sure to practice the take off from both the left and right foot.
Have fun and conquer the trails!
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