forefoot striker

[Alicia]

My daughter's runs and skates as a forefoot striker. This is rare and is usually discouraged because it is slower and harder impact with the ground.

However, there are track and field events that encourage this style- long jump and high jump. It involves running with the front leg past the center of gravity and landing and taking off from the ball of the foot. Thus, the run appears more like a prance as each stride gives a lift.

I noticed it when she plays soccer. She is also a slower skater than most of the girls at her level. When she tries to go very fast, she has caught a pick. Her jumps are noticably higher than the others.

Against popular opinion, a olympic 100m gold metalist encouraged forefoot striker style. It is easily overcome by telling the youngster to run like your feet are on hot coals and lean forward (thus shortening your stride and keeping your feet behind your center of gravity as you run. You then land on your heal and take off from the ball of your foot).

My question is, should I discourage it or leave it alone and see how she progresses? As a forefoot striker, she will never aquire her full speed at running. She is small at <50lbs so the impact on her legs is insignificant.

[Mrs Redboots]

Skating is quite a different technique from either walking or running, so your question doesn't really apply, I'm afraid. When you run or walk, your free foot comes out in front of you, and you transfer your weight on to it before swinging the next foot forward.

In skating, this technique is almost totally reversed - your weight is totally over your skating foot, and your free foot is brought in to touch it, not in front of it (or behind, if skating backwards). Yes, you will see some people doing "swing rolls", swinging their free leg in front of them, but, if you look closely, you will see that they then bring their foot back down underneath them, such that it touches their skating foot, before they push off on to it.

[Alicia]

Yes, you will see some people doing "swing rolls", swinging their free leg in front of them, but, if you look closely, you will see that they then bring their foot back down underneath them, such that it touches their skating foot, before they push off on to it.

Although walking and running may not be the same as skating (although I do notice more simularities than your post suggests), I would think that jumping with and without skates (taking off from the ball of your foot) is quite similar. Her natural forefoot striker running style may then strengthen her jump (which has been observed).

[phoenix]

Somebody want to explain what "forefoot striker" means?? I assume it has to do w/ the way your foot hits the ground when you run?

[Alicia]

Foot strike is a term that you may hear bantered about in a running shoe shop, as in, "Are you a heel striker or a forefoot striker?" Most runners tend to be heel strikers who land on the outside of the heel and then roll up to push off the ball of the foot and the toes. A few runners are forefoot strikers and land more on the ball of the foot.

[Mrs Redboots]

Although walking and running may not be the same as skating (although I do notice more simularities than your post suggests), I would think that jumping with and without skates (taking off from the ball of your foot) is quite similar. Her natural forefoot striker running style may then strengthen her jump (which has been observed).Yes, but there is a very great deal more to skating than just jumping! Your skater will be far better off practising her basic stroking - you simply can't practice your edges and turns too much! The jumps will come in due course, but correct stroking technique is far more important at this stage.

[jp1andOnly]

I'm a forefoot striker. When I run I don't use the heel to help me, I run more on the ball and front of the foot.

It has no impact on my skating.

[phoenix]

Ah, I see. Well, probably the jumps where it *might* come into play would be edge jumps, where the take off foot rolls up to the toe pick as the jump launches....since she may have strong arch muscles due to her running style....don't know. In general skating she'll have to learn to set the heel down first & stay off the ball of the foot or, as you've noticed, she'll hit her toe pick a lot.

The foot action of skating vs. running is so different I wouldn't worry much about it. The skate boot immobilizes the foot to such a large degree that the movement/ usage is very different. After I'd been skating for years I started dance lessons, & I had no idea how to use my feet, since I was so used to them being basically one unit as opposed to flexing in different areas past the ankle.

[Alicia]

I'm a forefoot striker. It has no impact on my skating.

I know there are disadvantages as in slower running speed and increase wear on ankle joints, but if there are no advantages, then why don't you change and why does an olympian recommend it?

[Isk8NYC]

She [Mr. Alicia's daughter] is also a slower skater than most of the girls at her level. When she tries to go very fast, she has caught a pick.

Your answer's already been given - she needs to change her stroking technique for skating to push off properly. Speed and power in this sport come from good skating techniques.

As to whether you should change her running technique, I think you would get more answers on a runners board.

[Alicia]

She is on a synchroskate team. Her strokes are steadily improving. Her picks do not normally get in the way. Only when she is in a race or being chased- and even then it has only happened twice.

[jp1andOnly]

Well, because somhow as a child I learned that way, and as an adult its a habit. I rarely run and quite frankly I'm not into track and field

And my point was there are not advantages to different runnign styles in SKATING. I have no idea about running and which style works best.

I know there are disadvantages as in slower running speed and increase wear on ankle joints, but if there are no advantages, then why don't you change and why does an olympian recommend it?

[Bothcoasts]

You mention in the other thread that you're including waltz jumps in her program, and here you mention that her jumping patterns cause her to take off from the ball of the foot. Despite this, her (skating?) jumps are higher than those of others.

Since she doesn't have a coach, you need to ensure that her waltz jumps are not taking off of or landing on the ball of the foot--either of which could cause injury now or problems later on. Both the take-off and landing of the waltz jump occur on the toe pick. If she does either on the ball of the foot, this could cause problems for her as she goes to learn higher jumps. She could also shift her weight too far back on landing and go off of her heel! Make sure she understands that take-offs from edge jumps are on the toe pick, and that all backward landings hit the toe pick before switching to the blade.

[TreSk8sAZ]

Foot strike is a term that you may hear bantered about in a running shoe shop, as in, "Are you a heel striker or a forefoot striker?" Most runners tend to be heel strikers who land on the outside of the heel and then roll up to push off the ball of the foot and the toes. A few runners are forefoot strikers and land more on the ball of the foot.

Okay, I was a track runner in high school and would have been in college had I not decided I wanted a life instead. I'm confused by this tremendously. ALL the sprinters (400 m and lower) I have known are taught to not really run with your heel. It slows you down and the quick-twitch muscles cannot engage as well as when you run higher (ie more toward the ball) of your foot. As long as the running is smooth and doesn't bounce, this helps sprinters. That's just what I've been taught though.

As for skating, it should have no impact if you have proper stroking technique, as has been mentioned by other posters. The strokes are completely different than either walking or running.

[Alicia]

Foot strike is a term that you may hear bantered about in a running shoe shop, as in, "Are you a heel striker or a forefoot striker?" Most runners tend to be heel strikers who land on the outside of the heel and then roll up to push off the ball of the foot and the toes. A few runners are forefoot strikers and land more on the ball of the foot.

I just copied the above quote from the web. I was concerned that she has a prance when playing soccer that causes her to be the slowest runner. When I heard of this relatively rare style of running I researched it further.

It's more than running on the ball of your foot, it's also putting full weight on your foot when your foot is in front of your body and the weight is in front of your center of gravity instead of at or behind the center of gravity. Thus, you are pulling your body with your leg while it's in front of your center of gravity instead of pushing you body forward as is normally done. You also tend to leap with your back leg to transfer your weight to your forward stretched leg instead of just pushing.

It puts extra strain on your joints; especially if you're heavy. But it may also use leg muscles that are required for jumping. If you watch a long jumper or high jumper, they forefoot strike and it causes them to kinda bounce!!