Would you want me to punch you from an inch away, or an arm length away?  You’d want me to punch you from an inch because I can’t generate that much force from that close and I’m not Bruce Lee.  When running (or more specifically, sprinting), the same is true.  Power when you run requires knees drive.  If your knee isn’t coming up and driving back down to the ground, the muscles that generate power in the lower body don’t really get a chance to activate.  The same is true for the two old myths of “run on your toes” and “run low”.  If you stand on one foot, up on your toes and examine where you feel muscle activation, you’ll probably feel it primarily in your calf.  Lower your heel till it almost touches the ground and you should feel the emphasis shift to the quads and glutes, the power muscles in the lower body.  Running low doesn’t mean “run bent over”, it means create a line of force strong enough to require a forward tilt of the entire body to maintain balance and equilibrium.  More powerful and therefore faster running requires technique long before it requires strength.

Jaime Gamache M.Ed., CSCS, is Owner and Head Strength Coach of The Way Human Performance Institute ( www.thewayhpi.com or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/The-Way-Human-Performance-Institute/117742824954659 )