Striding in sprints?

Question

Hi. I run 100m and 400m. I'm wondering how I should stride. Back a few years ago, all I concentrated on was moving my legs really fast. Now, I try to focus on a longer stride too; I'm quite short compared. Should I put in as much effort as I can to push off with all my power, almost like a jump? When my leg leaves the ground, should it be on the very tip of the toes, or should I just keep on the balls throughout?

Thanks

Answer 1

Many people feel their speed is solely reliant on their stride length.  Others think it's only in their turnover speed.  In fact, both are right.  

Speed comes from a combination of stride length and turnover.  Generally, the most efficient stride length is the one which lands under or just in front of the body, so you land on the ball of your foot.  turnover comes from speedwork.

good luck in your race!

~Abab

Answer 2

Your stride depends on how much muscle support force you have at ground contact. The shorter ground contact time you have the longer your stride will be. Focus on getting stronger so you don't collapse at ground contact while landing mid-foot. Force plate studies show force peaks before mid stance so there is no push off/pawing motion.

Just do two things. Get very strong with dead lifts and hamstring curls and run short under distance top speed sprints.

Answer 3

Speed comes from 2 parts:  efficiency of movement and power into the ground.  If you start lengthening your stride you made reduce the amount of power you put into the ground.  

You should keep your foot dorsiflexed as much as you can throughout the stride.  This means that you should be on the ball of the foot.  On your toes would mean that you are either bouncing when you run thereby reducing power (remember coach Newton when he said that for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction).  On you toes means that you will lose energy at the calf area.  Or even worse you will overstride and then you will have braking forces because your foot is landing too far in front of you and now you are pulling your body forward rather than pushing it.

Let's go through the motions.  Ball of foot lands about 4-6 inches in front of your body.  Ankle is dorsiflexed (picture your ankle that has been taped for an sprain).  After the push heel goes directly to the glute.  When the thigh reaches maximum knee lift, lower leg swings forward in relaxed movement.  Thigh moves down  sweeping leg in a "pawing" action back to the ground.  Arms are moving contralateral (right arm - left leg) at 90 degrees to help stabilize upper body.  

Good luck!