Video Interview of Dr. Lieberman

Courtesy of Crossfit.

This video is a great example of the problems with video analysis. If you look at the runner at about 1:20 in the video (captioned "Fore-foot Striking") he doesn't look like he's fore-foot striking, he looks like he's heel striking.

When I run it looks pretty much the same. What is happening is that he's bringing his foot forward, flexed up (dorsiflexed) to keep his toes out of the way, and then when his forward movement ceases (under COG) he drops the fore-foot and lands (plantar flexes).

I've actually hit rocks with my heel or the ball of my foot when trail running, when I'm not busy hitting them with my pinkie toes, as my foot is dorsiflexed while moving back under my COG.

Keeping your ankles loose and flexible allow this to happen naturally, and allows your achilles tendon to load when you put your weight down on your foot.

This also allows you to decide you DON'T want to put your weight down, if you feel something sharp, for instance.

Then he intentionally heel-strikes, *and it' doesn't LOOK very different!*.

Thanks to Ken for posting.