A lot of buzz goes around about barefoot running, running with cushioning, running with a low or a high drop, …. And all these topics are important to think about as a runner. But they all miss the most important element in your running gait. The push off phase.

Landing on the feet, finding stability, building up power as elastic recoil all will have less effect if the way you push off fails.

Check for yourself. Who knows how they push off? Most of us don’t. We just run, do strength training, increase the running volume to a certain level, run occasionally with barefoot shoes. And we think that is enough to perform.

To optimize your running, whether you are a marathoner, a track runner or an ultra, the way you push off will give you comfort and will optimize your running. You can develop that natural potential. By adding specific running drills and exercises to your schedule. Nothing fancy but incredibly important. I notice a lot of runners do strength training but as soon as they start running, they don’t use what they have learned. A waste of time. Optimize your running.

Your push off phase will benefit from your shoe choice as well. One of the main questions that every runner I coach on running technique asks. And a solution only comes with observation, testing and adapting.

My advice is simple, focus more on the way you push off. And except that you need to train in a certain way to optimize this. Whether you will run barefoot, with cushioning or minimalistic is just an approach that will help you find the perfect push off in your race.

John Rooms

RT Coach with Footrooms Running Academy