
Since?starting to train professional soccer players 4 years ago, one of the most common deficiencies I’ve found is in running mechanics. Many players have just one gait pattern. What I’d call ‘on the ball running.’ This is characterized by longer steps, foot contacts in front of the athlete’s center of mass, lower hips and knee recovery, and?significant forward trunk inclination and neck extension. This can work….if you have possession. Even then it’s not ideal. But the real problem is when athletes are jogging slowly with a downscaled version of that same gait (not energy efficient) or need to really break open in to a full sprint and use a faster variation of the same gait characteristics (not suitable to generate the forces necessary to run fast). What was ok, and possibly even rewarded while in possession is now punished. As a result, one of the first things I try to have players do is increase their physical capacities and motor skill to be able to transition to what are effectively different gait patterns…or at the very least a more efficient variations of what they do while in possession. More to come…
Mike Young
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I see this not only in soccer but in basketball and tennis. What is the best free source on running mechanics and exercises that I can reach out for?
Thanks a lot for your blog.
Running by Bosch & Klomp is a good book / DVD. I have several presentations on slideshare.net/hpcsport that are specifically focused on sprint mechanics and training. Other good resources (albeit not necessarily in formats that are easy to find) are anything from Loren Seagrave, Dan Pfaff or Boo Schexnayder.