Do You Look Like a Stiff Corpse When You Run?

[jschwab]

Both me and Capmikee look about the same when we run. We have very different bodies - he's very small, I am more than pudgy, he's faster while I am slower, he's inflexible, I'm flexible, etc. Anyway, the one thing we have in common is that we both look like stiff boards when we run (bare or in water shoes). Back and neck is ramrod straight with only the legs really looking like they are moving with some movement in the arms. At a race recently, Mike popped out so easily out of the crowd since every once else was running way more with their arms and shoulders and he looked like a living corpse. Beyond feeling self-conscious, what do we need to do to look more normal or is this normal for barefoot runners?

 

[C. Beth Run.]

I don't know what advice to

I don't know what advice to give, but I sure do love the thread title! If you keep your running style, maybe you should do some Tim Burton-esque makeup before your next run to really complete the corpse look. :-D

 

[Blind Boy]

Yeah, that title has to be

Yeah, that title has to be the best one I've seen over here.

About your "problem" if there is one i'd like to see a video of both of you running. It's kind of hard to tell what's wrong from just a description...

 

[Matt]

 There is a distinctive look

There is a distinctive look to the barefoot running form.

 

[jschwab]

We'll take videos once we get

We'll take videos once we get a memory card for our video camera. We do really look weird.

 

[Last Place Jason]

I agree with Matt... most

I agree with Matt... most barefoot runners have pretty unique form. I don't know that mine looks especially stiff, but trail running requires a lot of bouncing around. I probably look fairly stiff on roads...

 

[SillyC]

Funny thread title! Nope -

Funny thread title!



Nope - I don't look like a stiff corpse. I look pretty animated when I run. And I usually smile for the camera when I see one.

 

[Jimmy Hart]

 i believe form is

i believe form is individual. i do not however think any runner should look like a corpse. based on the description i would say to loosen up and relax. move your arms front to back letting them swing at the shoulder. make sure your shoulders are dropped and not raised up in a shrug. outside of that you should see little to no movement in the torso when youre running. everything should stay in a nice and perfect line with only your arms and legs moving.

 

[jschwab]

Jimmy Hart, your description

Jimmy Hart, your description sounds close to how I think we run (no shoulder shrugging, just relaxed, no movement in the torso, no bobbing, just legs like pistons). But I still think we look weird compared to other runners. I could spot Capmikee in a crowd of runners from a 1/2 mile away, I think, just based on form.

Here's Capmikee in the Mud Run - see how upright he is. The guy behind him is slumped a bit - all the other runners looked more like the second guy. http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_photo.asp?EVENTID=65257&ID=92337810&PWD

http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_photo.asp?EVENTID=65257&ID=92462247&PWD

No pics of me.

 

[Jimmy Hart]

 two pics are kind of hard to

two pics are kind of hard to make a solid judgement off of but i didnt see anything that made me question the form. the average barefoot/minimal runner has a lot more knee bend than a heel striker and i think that's what you are noticing. the knee bend keeps you from bouncing or standing as tall as a shod runner who is extending their leg out in front of them and landing on the heel.

i dont really follow the "typical" barefoot form myself as i like to be taller and reach out in front of me with my stride. i still land directly under my body but i've always been a reacher with my foot more than a trailer like most minimal folks. you can make any form work for you if you land properly and that's what it looks like capmikee has going on in the photos you posted.

 

[SillyC]

I think he looks like a swamp

I think he looks like a swamp creature in the second one! That looks like it was a fun race.

 

[capmikee]

Thanks!Here's what I think I

Thanks!

Here's what I think I saw in the photos of me:

My head is tipped back a little. I tend to do this when I'm being photographed, but in the pictures from this race I think it happened even when I didn't know someone was taking a picture. I have to make an effort not to shrug my shoulders and I think maybe I should make an effort to lengthen and straighten my neck too.

My knees look really weird in these photos. Even more in this one:

http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_photo.asp?EVENTID=65257&ID=92337638&PWD

It looks to me like my knee is locked on the front leg, and the foot is kicked to the side on the rear leg. Is that just how it looks when you really bend your knees or am I doing something funky?

 

[LavaRunner]

I used to get told all the

I used to get told all the time when I ran that I looked like I was exhausted.

Once I removed my shoes, I stopped hearing those comments. That means one of several things
[*]People stopped telling me how I look when I run[*]They notice my bare feet not my exhausted body[*]I have better form and am not exhausted when I run
Since I am running more and further than before, I am opting for #3

 

[paraganek]

I like Michael Sandler form

I like Michael Sandler form of running which you can see here

and that's where I am trying to get, it does not look like a stiff corpse to me, it actually looks pretty natural.

 

[Jimmy Hart]

 mikee the problem with that

mikee the problem with that picture is it looks all kinds of messed up. one thing to make note of is that it looks like you just came out from under the net there so your form probably isnt back in order yet so i wouldn't put much stock or concern based on that pic.

as for the head up thing i figured it was just for the picture but yes it will help you relax your shoulders to keep your head down and level.