BFR form analysis videos 2 years apart

[paraganek]

In August 2011 I shot a video to analyze my running form to get some feedback from the community.
Got some good comments back and suggestions what to improve.
The issue mentioned the most was carrying my arms quite low and having a reasonable amount of lateral movement in them.
The Gait Guys even took it for their analysis
http://thegaitguys.tumblr.com/post/27835811186/running-technique-video-with-complications-here
They concluded "that the right foot is spun out", "the left arm seems to cross the body more than the right" and that I got ""most likely some pelvic asymmetry"

For the past two years I have been trying to improve and work on these issues and finally got to shooting an update.

To my disappointment, I am not seeing much of a difference between those two. Looks like my left arm is still swinging more than the right one and as for the right foot...hmm...hard to say because of the camera angle.
I guess nobody is perfect and the pelvic asymmetry is a tough animal to beat, will see what happens after another two years

Side note:
I shot both of these videos intentionally on a chip seal forest road because the rougher the surface the less you can get away with imperfections in your form. In both cases I also ran 6 miles on the road prior the shooting the video just to "settle in the form".

August 2011

August 2013
(Jen, sorry for borrowing the quotation from your signature )

 

[NickW]

Wow Dan, you may not see much difference but I think you look smoother and more relaxed now.

 

[paraganek]

Thanks Nick, that's encouraging to hear.

 

[Darkand]

These are great comparison vids. You're definitely way more relaxed in the second one. I'm no pro on gait or form but I think if you're comfortable running then that's the right gait for you. You look confident,comfortable and pain free so hey, I'd say your form is spot on. Looks like you could just run on and on.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[NickW]

I just got to watch these on my computer instead of my phone Dan and I noticed it does look like you still toe out with your right foot a bit (I'm not sure how much of a problem this is, maybe someone with more knowledge can answer that). Also, I noticed it looks like you carry your elbows out pretty wide from your body (both videos) instead of relaxed and closer to your side. Other than that, I'm no gait expert but it looks like you are really looking much better. You amaze me with what you are able to run and walk on and I wish I could do that. It hurts me way to much, but I have a feeling running with a stroller all the time is stunting my barefoot growth.

 

[paraganek]

I just got to watch these on my computer instead of my phone Dan and I noticed it does look like you still toe out with your right foot a bit (I'm not sure how much of a problem this is, maybe someone with more knowledge can answer that). Also, I noticed it looks like you carry your elbows out pretty wide from your body (both videos) instead of relaxed and closer to your side. Other than that, I'm no gait expert but it looks like you are really looking much better. You amaze me with what you are able to run and walk on and I wish I could do that. It hurts me way to much, but I have a feeling running with a stroller all the time is stunting my barefoot growth.

Interesting observation about the elbows. Carrying them this way just feels natural to me when running but there may be something to it. Will experiment.
As for pushing the stroller, could this be a solution ?

 

[Line Kolbe]

Just want to say: Wow! what an inspiration you are!
and I see a difference in the videos. I'm so new to this. Can't say what right or wrong, just that there's a difference, that's for sure

 

[NickW]

Interesting observation about the elbows. Carrying them this way just feels natural to me when running but there may be something to it. Will experiment.

Dan, I seem to recall a coach telling me way long ago, that every little thing you do in running can affect how much energy is wasted. He said something about elbows too wide, having your arms swaying across the front of your body instead of in a generally forward motion, clenched fists, tense arms, etc... can waste unnecessary energy which can slow you down or shorten the distances that you are able to run.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

Looking smooth as usual! I keep my elbows and arms at the same direction as you, i have been trying to keep them closer but i stopped fighting it. It's my natural arm placement.

 

[paraganek]

I keep my elbows and arms at the same direction as you, i have been trying to keep them closer but i stopped fighting it. It's my natural arm placement.

When I try to keep them closer to the body it slows me down.

 

[Barefoot Gentile]

When I try to keep them closer to the body it slows me down.

Same! Elbows in throw off my gait as well.

 

[mokaman]

I find the elbows don't matter so much as to where the hands are...my running form has stayed the same for several years except I did change my hands from a comment I got from all places the POSE forum...and it wasn't about the POSE part of my form..it was just a small suggestion to raise my hands only a bit...turned out it helped some on my shoulders getting tired, seemed like a no nothing thing but really helped. So the arms do matter but only as a fringe thing after the basics are well sorted out.

 

[mokaman]

Looking at the video's a bit closer...not a whole lot of difference really...you have good form in both...your right foot turns out a bit more than the left because your left hand moves closer to the middle of your body...your right hand less so...so foot lands less so...or the the opposite doesn't matter hand follows foot or foot follows hand they go together...may not make any difference in the long runs.

Plus just want to say we all have small differences in our running forms that may or may not make any difference at all....some small things in form are differences in our bodies and not things that affect our efficiencies as runners. These videos are a good example of this...the differences are very minor.

 

[spoonerweb]

It hurts me way to much, but I have a feeling running with a stroller all the time is stunting my barefoot growth.

I actually found running with a stroller helped my barefoot running more. It made me slow down and I was able to run farther.

 

[NickW]

I actually found running with a stroller helped my barefoot running more. It made me slow down and I was able to run farther.

I can see how it slows you down, but living where I did was all hills and very few flats. When pushing a stroller you do have to push a bit when going uphills, especially the steeper the hills get. The pushing is where you get in trouble because you have a tendency to wear down the pads of your feet and you end up with sore feet all the time. If I wasn't running all the time on hills with the stroller I am very confident I would have had less problems with my soles wearing down.