So You Want to Change Your Running Gait...
Jun 30, 2022
Edited by: Danielle Abel
Can Your Running Gait Change?
Motor Learning is Velocity Specific. Stop looking for the one exercise to change an entire movement pattern.
Perhaps you’ve identified some aspect of your gait mechanics that you’d like to change (ex: hip drop, heel strike, toe off mechanics, that "chicken arm" thing you have going on).
You’ve seen a few "quick fix" posts on Instagram, watched Jeff Cavalier oversimplify it on YouTube, and you even googled “best exercise to fix ______” but no luck……
Well, Motor Learning broadly encompasses:
1. Motor Adaptation (acquiring or adapting motor patterns) Leading to:
2. Skill Acquisition (a lasting change in capability to perform a task).
The “Corrective Exercises” that you’re doing at turtle speed may be very effective for Motor Adaptation.
...but if you want that new movement pattern to carry over to running, you need skill acquisition in the context of forces and loads similar to the demands of running!
- Bodyweight Hip Hinge, and then,
- Single-Leg Hip Hinge, and then,
- Loaded Hip Hinge, and then,
- KB Swing (Velocity Specific!)
...and then you'll finally probably see improved hip extension mechanics with running! There are specific neurophysiological and muscular adaptations at each step of the motor learning process. For best results follow ALL steps of the process!
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