SATORI Physical Therapy &
PACE Sports Training
Satori Physical Therapy & Pace Sports Training
1051 Meads Avenue
Orange, CA 92869
United States
ph: 714-639-7557
fax: 714-639-7557
laurence
articles
July 21, 2007
Walking – Training for running by walking with good form.
If you can't walk with efficient mechanics, it is a sign that you are not going to be able to run with efficient mechanics.
Think about it...how are you going to perform a a physically challenging activity like running with good tempo, if your body isn't able to do all the proper body forms at walking speed?
A good drill to practice 2x/week is to walk 1/4 - 1/2 mile repeats with proper foot and arm mechanics. You might try 4-6 reps of this drill, with 3-4 min between reps. Finish the workout by laying on your back and elevating your legs for 10-15 min to get the extra blood that is in them, back to the rest of your body.
During the Walking Drill:
At the feet, you should focus on actively engaging the strong part of the forefoot (big toe and second toe). This means you will gently press the toes into the bottom of your shoe, triggering a stronger foot muscle reaction when you are in the stance and propulsion phases of your stride.
At the arms, you should focus on a range of motion and freedom of arm swing that encourages your legs and hips to move well, causing a full stride. Your elbows traveling backward will trigger your hips to extend (your thigh moving backward), aiding in the elongation of your stride. The path of your arm swing should be forward and back, confirming that your shoulder blades are back and your chest is open.
Overall, you are powerwalking the laps.
You are intentionally working on your foot stability, hip extension, arm swing efficiency, breathing and finally, your total body posture. You will be working on, many of the efficiency factors that you would normally work on in training runs, only at walking speed you are much more likely to be accurate. If you master these skills at a power walk speed, then develop greater endurance with them during your running workout, particularly during this base building phase. When it comes time to start adding greater speed to your program, you will notice a much greater ability to maintain good form even when fatigued.
Perfecting your form through walking can both help you be a faster runner and it will help you avoid injury, due to faulty mechanics.
- Larry Pace
July 16, 2007
Footwear – Does your footwear help or hinder your sports performance?
You go into the mall. You meander into the athletic shoe store. The walls are covered with shoes of all types. Running shoes, tennis shoes, basketball shoes, walking shoes, golf shoes and hiking boots, indoor court shoes, outdoor court shoes, cleats, track spikes and aquasox. If you have ever found yourself puzzling over the vast array of sports footwear, wondering what to put your feet into, you’re not alone. While the shoe companies have made better efforts to design shoes that actually help your feet perform better, they have done very little to educate the average weekend warrior about how to chose what amounts to being the most important sports gear, our footwear.
Typically, the salespeople at the shoe store are not very helpful beyond helping you find what feels like a comfortable fit. In the back of your head you are thinking comfort is important, but you have heard something about: over-pronation, supination, flat-feet, bunions, high-arches, corns, calluses, and the fact that there are shoes specially designed for many of these foot problems. You’re wondering if the shoes that you are selecting are the right athletic shoes for your feet. You’re also wondering if the salesperson knows what’s right for your feet.
While a shoe company may design an athletic shoe that is beneficial to one type of foot condition, it may actually be detrimental for a person with a different type of foot condition. So how would the salesperson know what type to sell you? They won’t, unless they can assess your feet, and your specific performance needs. With modern athletic shoe designs, it is pretty certain that there are shoes well designed for the specific needs of your feet. The tricky part is getting your feet into the proper brand and model.
Important factors such as body weight, foot shape, foot mechanics and foot mobility, will all play a role in helping determine the best shoes for you. One of the most valuable things that you can learn about your feet is, what type of functional foot mechanics you have. A person who is classified as more flat-footed (over-pronator), will be at great detriment in a shoe designed for a high rigid-arched person. The shoes for a high-arched foot will likely make the flat-footed person perform worse, due to the fact that the shoe for a high-arch is actually designed to promote pronation motion. This is the opposite of what is desired for the over-pronator. In this example, the feet will at best perform worse, and may even be more prone to the mechanisms that cause injury.
The marriage of correct shoe model with your specific needs seems complicated. It is, if you haven’t had a good assessment and explanation of your foot mechanics. To find out what your feet need, and to get the most out of your sports footwear, visit a qualified physical therapist for a footwear assessment. Make sure that they give you enough education about your foot mechanics and current footwear product design, that you feel confident walking into the shoe store. The therapist should not only show you what to look for in the structure of a shoe that will enhance your foot performance, but what to avoid. Knowing what your feet need in order to perform at their best, you can apply the information to help you select the shoe that was designed to fit your specific needs.
The sum of the entire process of learning more about your feet, will be greater confidence in your shoe selection and the avoidance of selecting a shoe that would be potentially harmful to you. You will know what to look for and what to avoid. Who knows, you may even find yourself teaching the salesperson a thing or two.
Two resources for footwear include:
Road Runner Sports Catalog (www.roadrunnersports.com)
1-800-551-5558
They include shoe feature/benefits with every shoe model, taking the guesswork out of the maker performance intentions.
Larry Pace, PTA, CSCS
Owner/Founder
SATORI Physical Therapy & Sports Training
Located at Ridgeline Golf & Tennis Club
Orange Park Acres, California
714-639-7557
July 21, 2007: Walking - Training for running by walking with good form.
July 16, 2007 : Footwear - Does your footwear help or hinder your sports performance?
Satori Physical Therapy & Pace Sports Training
1051 Meads Avenue
Orange, CA 92869
United States
ph: 714-639-7557
fax: 714-639-7557
laurence
