Summary of 4.- Técnica de carrera: El arco de ataque
The video explains the biomechanics of running technique, focusing on the "arc of attack," which is the space between the foot’s most forward point and where it contacts the ground. It begins by describing the transition of the free leg into the impulse leg, emphasizing that the impulse starts with the descent of the advanced thigh and the energetic forward extension of the tibia around the knee. Proper knee extension must coincide with the tibia slightly passing horizontal, a critical moment where hamstring muscles perform eccentric contractions to prevent knee hyperextension and injury—common in sprinters and fast runners.
The arc of attack is crucial because a greater forward extension of the foot leads to a stronger backward push against the ground, generating a more powerful reaction force that propels the runner forward. Correct hip placement and running in an anterior cycle optimize this action.
Examples show runners with a posterior cycle have poor knee extension and minimal arc of attack, resulting in inefficient, vertical "piston-like" foot strikes that slow hip advancement. In extreme cases, the foot lands directly beneath or behind the hip, causing braking rather than propulsion.
Elite athletes like Shelly-Ann Fraser and Allyson Felix demonstrate better knee extension and arc of attack, contributing to their speed. However, flaws like hip anteversion and delayed rear thigh movement cause excessive hamstring tension and risk of injury. posterior cycle running leads to concentric hamstring strengthening and shortening, which limits knee extension and arc of attack, increasing injury risk.
Overall, running with an anterior cycle not only improves free leg impulse but also enhances the arc of attack, reduces hamstring tension, and lowers injury risk, highlighting the importance of proper technique for performance and safety.
Presenter/source
- The video references previous chapters and includes analysis of elite athletes but does not specify individual presenters.
Notable Quotes
— 01:47 — « What should be an attack gesture becomes a passive support gesture with an action against the ground that does not go from front to back but from top to bottom in what we will call a piston action. »
— 02:19 — « Entering with the heel from back to front and excessively in front of the vertical projection of the hip will be an eminently braking support of the hip. »
— 02:43 — « Achieving a very important arc of attack which is undoubtedly one of the reasons for her enormous running speed. »
— 03:27 — « The excessive delay of the posterior thigh is a real danger for these athletes since it greatly increases the tension in the hamstrings of the forward leg, especially in those athletes who run with the hip in anteversion. »
— 04:27 — « These muscles will tend to not allow the knee to extend forward thus limiting the arc of attack and suffering an even greater tension than normal when extending the knee. »
Category
Sport