Dr. Yessis Sports Training Blog

Runners often substitute cycling to maintain leg strength and sometimes to help improve running speed. Cycling is a good substitute when you are not able to run as it does involve the same muscles but not to the same degree.

For example, cycling relies mainly on the quadriceps in leg extension. It is a dynamic move that powers the cyclists forward. Read more… »

The most distinctive characteristic of a player who can quickly accelerate is the quick first step. It has two key components; an explosive knee drive and a powerful total leg push-off.

After the first step, most important is to have maximum turnover speed (stride frequency) together with an increasing stride length. The faster the knee is driven forward and then back and down, the sooner the leg can make contact with the ground and the faster you can take the next step. Read more… »

Since the advent of trail running more runners appear to be coming down with ankle sprains and twists. To remedy the situation many are now wearing ankle straps. However, doing this may also exacerbate the problem.

When you wear ankle straps, the muscles do not function to hold the foot in place or to enable it to do his various actions. In time, the muscles become weaker making you even more susceptible to injury. Read more… »

When I saw this title in a recent triathlete magazine I was somewhat intrigued as it did not make sense. Runners who wear shoes use cushioned shoes that would help absorb the landing forces. As a result they should have a softer landing.

As I got into the article it became clear that they really meant that the barefoot was better able to absorb the landing forces and not allow the forces to travel up to the ankle, knee, hip and lower back. This is a great benefit of barefoot running.
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In reading the title of this blog most of you will probably say “no way”. And I agree. But yet a study that was reported in the International Journal of Design and Nature and Ecodynamics says just the opposite.

According to a study, “what’s important is not whether an athlete has an innie or an outie but where his or her navel is in relation to the rest of the body… It so happens that in the architecture of the human body of west African-origin runners, the center of gravity is significantly higher than in runners of European origin.” Read more… »

To increase turnover (stride frequency), sprinters use downhill running. They correctly believe that maximum stride length and frequency are controlled by your neuromuscular system, as with any other skill. It is believed that downhill running teaches your nervous system to let you run faster.

These comments although accurate, are somewhat misleading. The statement that downhill training trains your nervous system to let you run faster is accurate when you do over-speed training. In this the nervous system goes beyond what it does when running on level ground. Read more… »

Ordinarily I would never asked this question because I have never seen a runner have too high a knee lift. But now I ask this question because of a recent article stating that many runners have an excessive knee lift.

According to the author. “When runners tire, they often overstride, which exaggerates their knee lift. But lifting your knees just tires out the entire quadriceps even more quickly, leading to sore thighs the next day.” Do these comments hold water?
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In the great song by Kenny Rogers, “you have to know when to hold them, you have to know when to fold them.” By changing a couple of words the same concept applies to skill technique.

This means you have to know if you should change technique and you should know when to change technique. We can even add that you should know how to change technique if and when called for. Very often changes in technique are made that are uncalled for that produce even worse performances. Read more… »

I recently read three articles in running magazines related to breaking specific times for the marathon and other events. For example, how to break a 4:30, or 4:00, or 3:30, etc. time for the marathon.

The key to breaking these times was related to different types of programs and running techniques. In essence, all the recommendations revolved around a change in how the runner ran different distances. They all related to running! Read more… »

Many athletes persist in trying to use the glutes and hamstrings in the running push-off. The reason for this is that they still believe that the gluteus maximus and hamstrings are the key muscles involved in the push off. But they are not.

The reason for this is that the glutes and hamstrings cannot be used in the push-off. During the push-off the leg is in contact with the ground. The leg joints (hips, knee, ankle) are undergoing flexion and the muscles are in an eccentric contraction. Read more… »

Recent studies are once again proving that runners and triathletes suffer injuries at a higher rate than ordinarily thought. For example, a recent study of over 500 competitive runners and triathletes found that 90% had suffered an injury in the past year.

About half of the athletes were sidelined for at least two weeks or forced out of training for more than a month. Yet, in spite of the statistics, runners and triathletes in the run, do not take preventive measures to not only decrease the incidence of injury, but to decrease the severity of the injury if it occurs. Read more… »

It is often recommended that runners do strength training in order to do more effective hill training. This is great and will help the runners greatly when it comes to hills. But is it most effective for improving overall running speed?

The answer here is maybe but most often it appears to be no. The reason for this is twofold. First you develop some of the same muscles as are used in running, but not in the same manner. In other words they are not specific to running. Read more… »

A recent article in the Washington Post extolled the virtues of Chi running. According to the article, “Chi running is a revolutionary approach”. Sadly, this could not be further from the truth.

Chi running is based on false assumptions that can lead to a decrease in performance. In fact, the information presented rather than being revolutionary, is a rehash of some old information with a little bit of worthwhile knowledge. Read more… »

In studying stride rate (frequency) in runners, researchers have come up with the “ideal” stride frequency for all runners. It is based mainly on the frequency seen in the best runners but with no consideration of stride length.

Should all runners strive to achieve this magical number so that their stride frequency will match the best runners? Common sense will tell you that this would be silly. But yet, this is what we see happening.
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At one time hand, wrist and ankle weights were very popular with runners and walkers. Today we are seeing a renewed emphasis on the use of hand and ankle weights in order to get a greater aerobic and sometimes anaerobic affect.

The weights are recommended to develop strength at the same time as you get even greater aerobic benefits from the walking or running. In many cases, the weights, specially ankle weights, are also prescribed to increase the intensity of the run or walk. Read more… »

If you closely look at marathon runners, especially near the end of the race, you’ll find that most of them are shuffling, not running. Some shuffle the whole distance! This is especially true of novices and the elderly.

The most distinguishing characteristic of a shuffler is a lack of a true knee drive with a bent leg. They appear to be running with almost straight legs, that is, there is only a slight bend in the knees and the thigh is brought forward approximately 10 to 20°. Read more… »

I continue to see and read about the need to land on the heel for long-distance and to an increasing extent, for athletes who must run in their sport such as baseball and football players as well as track sprinters . But is this an efficient method for effective running?

Although not as often, you can also find many coaches saying that the heel hit is natural in running. Can these comments however, be substantiated? The answer here is no and there is no scientific or even logical explanation for landing on the heel first. Read more… »

To improve overall running speed many coaches now recommend speed training for 5K, 10 K, and marathon runners. There is no doubt that doing speed work can improve your overall running speed, especially in the shorter distances.

However, is speed running or doing repetitions of 100, 200, 300 or 400m one of the best ways to improve speed for long distances?
Read more… »

A few decades ago physiology books referred to the cardiorespiratory system in which the heart, circulation and respiration were thought of as a single unit. You could not work on one without also working on the others.

Today however, a distinction has been made between the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This is a shame because in time most athletes and sports teams thought of the cardiovascular system and ignored the respiratory system. Read more… »

According to various coaches, even high level runners have flailing arms and slumping shoulders in a race. Because of this they wonder if form is that important when even the world’s best runners do not always possess the best form.

There is no questioning the fact that form is important on all levels of running. All runners can be better if they would improve their running form. As I have stated many times in the past everyone, regardless of level, can be better. Read more… »

Stride length and stride frequency are the two variables that determine running speed. Stride length is determined by the amount of ground that you cover in one step while stride frequency is measured by how many strides you take per unit of time.

In general these two factors have an inverse relationship. If you increase stride frequency, stride length will decrease and vice versa.
Read more… »

Many professional athletes use different types of running in their training. This includes hill running, sand running, sand hill running, etc. to improve their ability to run faster. In addition, they do strength exercises such as the lunge, squat, leg extensions and leg curls.

To top it off they also do core work. This is the core training developed in balance training with some simple abdominal and/or lower back exercises. This includes crunches and planks for the abdominals and superman’s for the back. Read more… »

Beginning and novice runners typically are not capable of running sufficiently far in order to get a good training effect to improve their aerobic capabilities. Higher level runners are often unable to improve their aerobic abilities by not being able to run further with greater speed.

As a result their training is held back. They can show much greater and faster improvement however, if they would first do some specialized (dynamic correspondence) strength exercises that will enable them to go longer and faster. Read more… »

One of the most popular suggestions given to runners is that they should keep the thumb and index finger lightly touching one another. Some coaches maintain that you should feel like you’re letting handfuls of sand run through your fingers.

Still others say that you should pretend that you’re holding a potato chip in each hand without breaking it. But are these suggestions sound ? Read more… »

Most coaches use hills for strengthening the muscles and/or to develop greater anaerobic capabilities. However, according to Tom McGlynn, who trains Jim Sorensen, masters world record holder for the 1500m, “Hills are aerobically intense without too much strain on the muscles and joints”.

This statement seems to contradict what seems to be common knowledge in the running community. Running up moderately steep inclined hills at a faster and faster pace as recommended is definitely anaerobic — not aerobic — although the aerobic system will come into play during recovery. Read more… »

I’ve run across articles recently dealing with the topic of efficient running. In each the key was to run relaxed. However the definition of what constituted relaxed running was quite different.

For example in one article the running form guru maintained that relaxed running is “quickly lifting your foot off the ground instead of pushing off with excessive force.” Also, …” adding the awareness to just touch the ground and lift on every stride.” Read more… »

Many more runners now running the marathon. For most runners this run is very difficult and takes a lot out of the body. Many runners have difficulty even completing a marathon! Finishing one not only exhausts the body but often creates additional problems that they did not previously have.

As a result, it requires weeks of recovery. Because of this many runners are now asking how can they recover faster after completing a marathon.
Read more… »

In an article reported in the FITNESS and SPORTS REVIEW INTERNATIONAL, Russian researchers found that the maximum speed reproducible in a specific exercise depends upon many factors. Two of the most important are: 1) The athlete’s level of physical development and 2) The degree of his technical mastery

When an athlete is given an assignment to execute a movement at maximum speed, the movement should have the same biomechanical structure as in the competitive event. This is related to exercise specificity, also known as dynamic correspondence exercises. Read more… »

If you are a runner or have participated on a track team, I am sure you have done many different running drills. Many of the running drills were probably duplicates of some of the key actions that runners perform.

However running drills and doing drills religiously before each practice as many runners do, does not ensure that you are running will be improved or that you will have better technique for the session. There are two or more major reasons for this. Read more… »

Many recommendations for improving your run relate to improving your posture. In this regard we hear coaches tell a runner to be more upright. But how does one get more upright?

You are often told to straighten up and to maintain your head and shoulders in alignment. This typically means that the head should be directly above the shoulders which should be directly above the hips. However, this alignment is only seen momentarily in certain phases of the running stride. Read more… »

In the off-season it is typically recommended that you work on your sports weaknesses. This is a great suggestion but how it is implemented often leaves much to be desired.

For example some experts have stated that working on weaknesses are much tougher on you than when you work on your strengths. Because of this they recommend working on weaknesses in small doses with several days rest in between. Read more… »

In a recent article an elite 1500m runner stated that she does a lot of core body and flexibility work in the gym. She does this with yoga.

When you look at her running form you can see almost 70 to 80° of shoulder rotation. This is excessive and slows her down greatly. She could be a much better runner by simply improving her ability to hold her shoulders basically in place during the running stride. Read more… »

It is common knowledge in the running community that the more economical your run, the further you can go because you are using less energy. In spite of this, we see very little work done on improving running economy.

One of the latest recommendations is to do plyometrics to improve running economy. This is effective but it is essentially jump exercises. If you do more true plyometrics (shock training) you would also get even more economy – but this aplies more to the elite runner. Read more… »

If you read the many reviews of running shoes and what each shoe supposedly does, it makes you wonder why we don’t have more outstanding runners. But then it may be due to some of the information about shoes presented on a lack of understanding of what occurs in running.

For example, according to an article in Runners World, “…a shoes flexibility is … important in helping the body generate maximum propulsion …” This flexibility is needed since “runners spend 70 to 80% of their time on the balls of their feet as they transition from footstrike to toe-off”.
Read more… »

Following are some comments that I wrote in a discussion about the best marathon training programs: All training should be individualized. This is something that the running world has not addressed nor is it for the most part practiced.

Each runner should have a general overall plan worked out which includes some specific goals. The weekly program should be adjusted every two weeks (sometimes one) depending upon what he or she experienced and how well he or she did in the prior week(s). Read more… »

I’ve seen several articles dealing with not getting hurt while running in which the authors make some far-reaching comments regarding the pelvic girdle. For example, they state that “almost all common overuse injuries are related to a lack of pelvic stability”.

This conclusion, however, may be based on false assumptions. For example, it was stated that when you have a weak, wobbly pelvis, “As you stride, one side rotates forward as the other side drops down, forcing your back to overarch and your striding foot to rotate in”. Read more… »

Runners often substitute cycling to maintain leg strength and sometimes to help improve running speed. Cycling is a good substitute when you are not able to run as it does involve the same muscles but not to the same degree.

For example, cycling relies mainly on the quadriceps in leg extension. It is a dynamic move that powers the cyclists forward. For runners, the quadriceps are used mainly for preventing excessive lowering of the body after touchdown and to create the vertical forces when pushing off in runners with poor technique who push off with a body above the foot. Read more… »

I keep talking to runners and athletes in different sports that require running, who maintain that they have tight hamstrings. However, upon questioning them in regard to how they know that their hamstrings are tight, I never get a straight answer. Most often it is, ” I just feel it” or “I just know it.”

It is almost as though they are supposed to have tight hamstrings. If they didn’t, something would be wrong with them. Is it a figment of their imagination or do most runners and running athletes truly have tight hamstrings? Read more… »

Although they do not specifically state this, most articles in running or other magazines that deal with running, are intended for beginners and novices. Howeve, they are typically written in a manner that indicates that they apply to all levels of runners. This is misleading.

As a result of this many runners incorporate recommendations in the belief that it will improve their performance when in reality, it can produce the opposite result. With sorrow, we still do not have a system that can identify different levels of performance so that each runner will know where he stands in relation to other runners. Read more… »

An interesting article from the New York Times Services appeared in the paper the other day titled, “Despite injuries, humans are born to run”. It was related to marathon running and brought out some very interesting facts.

For example in the US, 425,000 marathoners completed the marathon. This is an increase of 20% from the beginning of the decade. At the same time injury rates have climbed with studies reporting that 90% of those who train for the marathon sustained injuries in the process. Read more… »