Hi Runners!

Which foot strike is correct?  If you are a distance runner you should have a combination between the mid foot and the fore foot.  Ideally

you want to hit on the line right in between the mid foot and fore foot in the picture to the right.  Most of you reading this probably already know this, but the real question is can you do this?  There are 2 big components to developing the proper foot strike.  The first is landing with your foot beneath (not out in front!) your body and the second is hitting the ground with a dorsiflexed foot.

This sounds simple enough in concept, but what I keep finding is most people do not know how to dorsiflex their foot, nor can they feel if they are hitting on their mid foot.

Unless you are 240% positive you can dorsiflex your toes and hit on your mid foot, I want you to try an exercise.  First I want you to take your hand.  Let your fingers go limp and hit a table as hard as you can.  What happens?  Your hand flops around maybe going an inch off the surface depending how hard it hit…It probably hurt too!  Now I want you to place your hand flat on a table.  Pull your fingers off the table flexing then back towards your head.  Now hit the table right under the area where your toes attach to your foot.  What happens?  The table pops your hand higher off the surface…and you could probably hit with more power without it hurting!

Now thinking about doing the same thing with your foot.  If you land with your feet aggressively dosiflexed with each stride, the ground will give you energy pushing you forward.  If you land with a lazy foot, it hurts and you don’t go as far.  Don’t have a lazy foot!