Whether you are an experienced runner or new to the sport, running technique is something that should be constantly considered. Most runners worry about how they swing their arms, lean their trunk, and how long their stride is.
Pose running technique is said to reduce injury by making running feel easier and more efficient. It consists of three parts: The Running Pose, the fall, and the pull.
The Running Pose
The Running Pose is the first step in the Pose method. It involves positioning your shoulders, hips and the ball of one foot in a vertical line of support with your torso leaning slightly forward. Then, you smoothly pass through the “fall” sensation of letting gravity pull your other foot off the ground for your next stride. This shortens your stride and increases your cadence, reducing the impact force of each foot strike and decreasing your chance of injury.
The fall is also thought to improve your running efficiency by minimizing sources of wasted energy in your running movement, such as the up-and-down “vertical oscillation” of most runners’ natural bouncing. Because your initial contact with the ground is made directly under your center of mass (CoM), it naturally reduces the amount of up-and-down bouncing.
In contrast, the standard heel-to-toe running style, which places your weight on your heels for push off and requires more energy to propel yourself forward because you are putting extra pressure on your feet, is like landing on uneven ice. Heel striking forces the body to use more energy to maintain the momentum of its forward movement and puts the runner at risk for injuries, such as knee pain. That’s why the drill sergeants at the Fitness Training Battery are promoting Pose running to their Soldiers: it’s proven to reduce injuries and improve run times.
The Fall
The Fall, a transition phase between the Running Pose and the Pull, is believed to improve your running economy or reduce the amount of energy it takes to move forward while you’re running. It does this by allowing gravity to freely drop your next leg down to the ground rather than requiring you to use your muscles to overcome the force of gravity. This also minimizes vertical oscillation or up-and-down bouncing, another source of wasted energy.
The last element of the Pose method is to gently pull your support foot from the ground, allowing it to follow your body and be ready for your next step, a movement known as the “Pull.” It’s thought that this technique minimizes overstriding and increases your cadence, which again helps with efficiency and possibly reducing injury risk.
Developed in 1977 by 2-time Olympic Coach Dr. Nicholas Romanov in the former Soviet Union, the Pose method uses a series of body postures or “poses” to teach movement techniques that maximize momentum and minimize energy use. Many of the concepts of modern running, like landing on your forefoot or avoiding overstriding, are rooted in the Pose method.
Blake explains that Soldiers at the Fitness Training Platoon have been trimming their run times by an average of a minute per week with the help of Pose. It’s not surprising, he says, because the Pose running technique reduces impact on the knees and other joints.
The Pull
A key component of Pose Running is that the fall portion – a transition from the Running Pose to landing on the forefoot or mid foot – naturally shortens the stride and increases cadence. This helps reduce the impact forces and resulting stresses that cause knee injuries. In addition, it allows the foot to make contact more directly under your center of mass. This minimizes the initial shock, and carries forward your momentum so that your next jump is essentially in-place.
Once your body experiences the fall, you then push off of the forefoot or mid foot. This re-establishes your momentum and provides you with more thrust than you would get by heel striking. It also minimizes vertical oscillation, or the up and down bouncing that many runners experience during their run. This is another source of wasted energy.
According to Blake, Pose Running has already lowered the injury rate of soldiers at the Fitness Training Battery by about 50 percent. Using a technique that is scientifically proven to reduce the impact on the knees, it’s also helped improve run times and overall performance. The Fort Sill drill sergeant said that he is excited about the future of Pose Running because it offers a model for injury prevention. He says that most of the injuries he sees among his Soldiers are caused by improper running mechanics.
The Stride
When you run with Pose, you shorten your stride to ensure that each step lands directly under your center of mass. This helps reduce the impact forces on your bones, joints and connective tissues while increasing your efficiency. It also reduces your risk of injury by eliminating the overstriding that can cause it.
The next portion of the running sequence is what the Pose Method calls a “fall.” This is when your body begins to fall forward, leveraging the force of gravity to help you drop down and transition to your new Running Pose. During the Fall, your supporting leg will push off with its toes while you pull up with your hip and midfoot. This movement allows for more of your energy to be carried over into the next push off. It also minimizes vertical oscillation or up-and-down bouncing, which is another source of wasted energy and reduced forward momentum.
Most beginner runners spend a lot of time worrying about how they’re swinging their arms, how far they’re leaning their trunk and what their stride length or cadence is. This concern often diminishes as the runner gets more comfortable, but many veteran runners may still be concerned about their running form and are interested in ways to improve it. The Pose method of running is a good option for anyone who’s looking to improve their performance and avoid injury.