STOP! Don't Brake!

There are two major things that can REALLY slow you down AND contribute to injury during running or walking.

1. Allowing your heel to absorb the majority of impact.

2. Over extending or Locking your knees.

Both of these actions are equivalent to putting on the brakes in your bodys movement.

Say you are sledding down hill and you need to stop ASAP. How do you put on the brakes? You dig your heels in. So why would we dig our heels in when we run or walk? are we trying to stop? Why would we want to extend our heels out on an angle that causes our body to jar and essentially stop the flow of our bodys movement? Bad habit I suppose. Such a difference it makes removing this habit from your running or walking form, and what a difference it has has made for me.

As bad; or worse, is the locking of the knees. Our knees absorb 3 pounds of shock for every pound in our body. Have you ever jammed your finger? Those connecting bones in your finger are not supposed to slam together, that's why it hurts so damn bad. Similar story goes for the knee. When you lock your knee back, your bones nearly bang together(or they DO, depending on how damaged)....your bones collectively absorb that 3x body weight. There is some padding there, but not nearly the amount available while your knee is bent. Even worse, is landing full weight onto a locked knee......*cringe* landing on that bent knee absorbs the shock, landing on a locked knee sends shock waves through your body, typically channeling that shock into your weakest areas.

High repetition of these motions can cause multiple injuries that stop you, slow you down and excuse your lazy alter ego.

After my 4 mile run today, I am at 16 for the week. Since following these two rules, my legs and knees feel great!