Form Correction - Pushing off

[Tristan]

Kyrrinstoch - without having more info I tend to agree with those that suggest your blisters aren't necessarily form related and possibly just TMTS. My forefoot, specifically the slight recessed area between the big toe and next, got a couple blisters there myself and also nearly got blisters a few more times but just red and burning. This includes my second year, after the first couple weeks of barefoot runs after winter. Its quite possible the skin just needs to toughen up a bit.

That being said there certainly is pushing off and then too much pushing off. I wont argue that one can run without pushing off at all, but its how your pushing off. You can run with a loose foot without much any downward force on the forefoot at all, and propel yourself with your upper legs. I think this is why I had very weak calves when I started running barefoot, I just didn't really use my calves much. Or you can push off hard enough on your forefoots that your heels never even touch the ground, or 'skin' your toes. Perhaps we are confusing terms and such, but you can certainly engage your forefoot & toes more or less for the same amount of forward propulsion.

 

[Kyrrinstoch]

OK, results from this morning's run; 3.4 miles with reduced blistering (ie - a noticeable improvement) .

I tried a few of the different suggestions to see how each felt and didn't worry so much about my time (still managed just over an 11:00mm pace though):

• running up a hill - this I interpreted as running more "flatfooted" and any pushing off/forward should use more of the entirety of the sole of my foot for gripping and not so much just the ball or toes.
  
  
• lift on the click - trying to lift my foot on the click from my metronome. Feels *really* weird and a challenge to not slip back to landing on the click instead (it's that drummer thing of the click being on the down-beat and not on the off-beat...)
  
  
• keeping my ankle more rigid when lifting off - the second half of the "flatfooted" technique mentioned above. Also seemed to naturally fall into place with the "lift on the click" as well.

The "Flatfooted" method worked really well on the rough asphalt and the chipseal surfaces. Much more comfortable landing and liftoff on those than before. Easy to slip out of the method on the smoother surfaces though, so I'll have to remember to be more vigilant about that on those surfaces.

The "Lift on the Click" and the "hoping a log" methods both seem to encourage leading with my knees more. I hadn't thought about it before, but does make sense in the context of all the running in place exercises they had us do in boot camp - "get 'em up! get 'em up!"....

I'll continue to experiment with these suggestions over my next few runs, as the initial results seem promising. Thanks for the input all!

 

[scedastic]

OK, just my two cents: Like Kozz, I find a lot of standard form cues to be nonsense, and unfortunately a lot of them have seeped into the barefoot community. I also think it's silly to run with a high cadence unless you're running fast. It's really hard to overstride while barefoot, so for the most part, don't worry about it. That's the beauty of barefoot running; a lot stuff that shoddies have to think about comes mindlessly to us. The main thing is adopt an erect, yet relaxed posture. Of course you won't be completely erect--you'll be leaning forward a bit--but I feel that if you can get the posture right, and don't have any footwear on, most other things will sort themselves out by themselves.

For me, I think running 20 miles within the first two weeks of going barefoot is probably what has produced Kyrrinstoch's blisters. If I were to rake leaves without gloves for more than 10-20 minutes I'd probably get blisters on my palms, because I'm not used to raking leaves. It wouldn't be because I'm holding the rake incorrectly. Sometimes a cigar really is a cigar.

The blisters could also be from faulty form, but over time, this should be largely self-correcting. Just give your blisters time to heal, then allow your plantar calluses to develop more slowly. Maybe try walking as well as running while the calluses are forming. As they form, your soles' proprioception should seek out the least abrasive manner to land and push off. "Lifting the feet" may be an effective coaching cue for some, but it makes no sense from a biomechanical perspective. Running is basically forward hopping, to hop you must push, and when you land, you must brake your fall a bit. Both pushing and braking involve some abrading, no way to get around it. The funny thing is, the plantar callus ends up being a lot smoother and supple than most people would think, given the initial propensity to blister after just a bit of skin-to-ground contact.

What BL said.
Also, vary the terrain you are on. Go 50 yards on gravel or rough pavement here and there, just to experience how your form naturally changes. Switch from soft to hard surfaces, hilly trails to flat pavement. You will be surprised at how much your body will subtly but distinctly change what it's doing to negotiatie the terrain. I think that's good all around for keeping stress on your body varied, but also for learning how to relax and use the feedback loop of the surface to make form less effort. At least, that's how I feel about it.
Finally, my feet FRY on warm/hot pavement no matter what. Then, if I get thinner skin one day, not even blisters, and then run again the next, I get into a cycle where my skin is continually being worn down rather than thickened.

 

[Kyrrinstoch]

What BL said.
Also, vary the terrain you are on.

I have been. The loop around the office that I run is a mix of asphalt path (varying conditions from seal coated smooth to heavily degraded and gravel-like), concrete sidewalks and chipseal streets. I also have the added bonus of avoiding all the goose droppings near the 3 ponds my routes takes me past

Finally, my feet FRY on warm/hot pavement no matter what. Then, if I get thinner skin one day, not even blisters, and then run again the next, I get into a cycle where my skin is continually being worn down rather than thickened.

That's precisely why I've been running in the mornings, before the sun gets much of a chance to heat up the asphalt and concrete. I remember how hot it could get from running in the mid-day in mid-summer in central Florida. That was bad even in shoes..

 

[migangelo]

i've always felt my form was off. i work on it every run. people have told me i run gracefully even though i always felt something was off. that said i'm in chiro school and found out another student runs bf and helps others learn how to run properly. found him and set up a training time. he had me run laps then do some exercises. he pointed out my weaknesses.

then we went in the gym. basically he had me run in place. i had to lean backwards or i would've been running. oh, i place my hands on my hips so that i could feel my iliopsoas lifting my knees, not my quads. once i felt those activated he told me to lift my knees and go. i did and wow. felt like springs in my legs.

he may get our chapter together and teach everyone to run properly. if so hopefully someone brings a camera this time and posts it here or youtube. very useful info from him that we could disseminate to the masses.