Switching to the natural stride was the subject of our previous article. This running technique delivers a host of benefits and advantages for the runner: fewer injuries, better performance, and durable, progressive endurance.
Running naturally indefinitely, however, is a long-term learning process built on one essential foundation: progressivity.
But how do you manage to run indefinitely without getting injured?
Before showing you how to treat your pain, I'd like to introduce you to a Trail Running shoe designed to reduce your risk of injury : This is the 864 drop control by CIMALP.
A few key answers.
- RUN LIKE A CHILD
If you head out for a run on wet grass, you instinctively land on the forefoot rather than the heel. It's a natural reflex that should be brought to every training session. Don't hesitate to rediscover your inner child.
- BET ON NATURAL PROPULSION
Returning to forefoot propulsion allows the body and muscles to consolidate, reinforcing support and balance during running. Wearing trail shoes works against this principle and fails to engage the right parts of the body, thereby increasing the risk of trauma. This is how the entire leg rediscovers its natural propulsive system, while also reducing the energy expenditure and heaviness felt during effort.
- STOP RELYING ON YOUR HEELS
Forget your heels to make your transition a success. The technique to follow from now on is lifting the foot to meet the ground. The foot leaves the ground gently through a movement that starts at the knee before touching down on the forefoot — not the heel. This stride is naturally shorter (roughly one third of the stride you'd take landing heel first).
- THE KEY WORD: PROGRESSION
Before finding your own natural stride, you'll first need to "unlearn" how to run — with patience and perseverance. Beginner runners have a better chance of succeeding quickly, as they pick up the right habits from the start.
Conversely, long-standing heel strikers need to take more time to adapt, as they already have their own established rhythm. This should be accompanied by a progressive method — for example, adding a 5-minute "natural" session at the end of a workout, then 10 minutes, then 15 minutes. Or gradually reducing drop over a longer period.
According to professionals, a minimum of 6 months is needed to be able to run for 1 hour naturally. This allows the entire muscular system to adapt to being used in a different way and helps prevent injury.
KEY REMINDERS:- Increase your cadence to 180 strides/min.
- Be careful not to lean too far forward.
- Training on an uphill is more practical: you'll find it's virtually impossible to land heel first going uphill.
- If you can't manage to land on the forefoot, try walking backwards while leaning slightly forward. Then accelerate.
- To check your progress, redo the test wearing a pair of running shoes: you'll immediately notice how the sole is there to cushion you, and you'll tend to revert to landing on your heels. Yet the natural shock absorber is very much at the forefoot.
- Listen to your body. Trying to ignore pain will be counterproductive. If you feel pain, do not increase your volume. If needed, take additional rest.
- Try to run as often as possible (at least 4 times a week) but for short durations, so your body can assimilate this new biomechanics more easily. The mechanical stress placed on your body will be better distributed.
- Incorporating walking and barefoot running as often as possible is a great way to strengthen the support structures responsible for natural shock absorption. It also teaches you the right way to run.
- Gradually introducing your new shoes while progressively phasing out your old ones will ensure a smooth transition.
NEW: On video: DR ARTHUR MOLIQUE / Sports physician, holder of a university diploma in sport-related locomotor pathologies and specialist in the longitudinal monitoring of elite athletes, shares his advice.
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- Through a series of interviews, you'll be able to get to grips with the concept of the natural stride and various technical aspects of running.
- A better understanding of running and how your body works gives you the best possible chance of improving your stride — making it more natural and less traumatic over time.
