Running Biomechanics : Increase Efficiency, Strength and Speed

Most of us know a bit about the importance of biomechanics for example, how important it is to wear the correct footwear to prevent sports injury. But how many of us can properly define what biomechanics means? Let alone explain exactly how it affects our bodies not to mention our running performance? Most importantly of all, how many of us understand what we can do, as athletes, to improve our biomechanics in ways proven to add efficiency and speed to our sports performance? Because biomechanics is definitely not something that athletes should leave to sports professionals. It s far too important for that! Indeed, an understanding of biomechanics is essential if you want to get the most out of your training and conditioning programmes. (I ll explain why in a moment...) At its most fundamental, biomechanics is simply the evaluation of movement technique (e.g. walking, running, skiing or swimming). In layman s terms: the study of how we move. It s important to understand that we can assess either the biomechanics of the whole body, or just one particular part of it. For example, when an athlete carries out a particular movement, eg sprinting, hurdling or throwing a javelin, you can focus in on foot or shoulder biomechanics or you can assess their whole body movement instead. It all depends on the purpose of the assessment. By viewing these movements, particularly the interconnecting segments of body parts, we are able to evaluate how one movement affects another via a chain reaction known as the kinetic chain . And in doing so, pursue increased efficiencies in movement. The crucial bottom line is this: improve your biomechanics and you re instantly able to train harder and longer, and compete at a higher level. What s more, you achieve all this with a reduced risk of sports injury, simply because of the corrections you can make to hitherto-unrealised faulty movement patterns. It s a genuine win-win situation... Best of all, improving your body s biomechanics is something you can achieve yourself, without necessarily requiring the services of a coach or other fitness professional. All you need is the right knowledge to do it. This brand new report has two key editorial objectives: to show you, as a runner or other athlete, what to look for when evaluating your present biomechanical set-up, and to explain how you can improve your own biomechanics and gain the performance and other benefits that go with it (Of course the report is also relevant to health professionals and sports coaches who want to catch up with the latest scientific thinking in this area. Because it provides all the necessary illustrations and diagrams plus a list of further reading for those who may want to drill down into a particular topic.) So if the closest you have come to experiencing biomechanics is asking your local running shop for the correct running shoe, then Running Biomechanics: increase efficiency, strength & speed will give you a wealth of knowledge on the varying levels of biomechanics, as well as a solid foundation of training tips to build on over time. Here are just some of the insights you ll learn: Are the foot diagnoses made in high street shoe shops of any real value to a runner seeking the correct shoes? What problems are caused by excess pronation and supination and what can you you do to ameliorate the situation? What simple changes in upper body movement can help runners avoid lower-body injuries? Do motion control running shoes really help runners who suffer from excess pronation? Details of a revolution in shoe design that hold s out the promise of reduced injury through strengthen foot musculature. How to build levels of physical robustness that ward off injury problems