Every athlete
focuses on the Olympic credo of FASTER, HIGHER, STRONGER depending as well as
placing trust in the coach to put together the best training plan to achieve
their particular goals. Power and Speed development is a crucial part of every and
any all-encompassing training plan and
these sessions focus on the lumbo- pelvic- hip complex (LPHC) and lower
extremity muscle chain.
There is no
argument here about the advantages of both hills and stair running when
included properly in sport performance programs; this discussion is whether
hill running is better for the development and progression of an athlete than
stair running. To understand the comparative measure of his article, one would
have to take the points presented to a biomechanical level. Many studies have
been published in the “International Journal of Sport Physiology and
Performance” , “the British Journal of Sport Medicine” as well as the “American
Journal of Sport Medicine” that compare the two training methods along with
proving the physiological and even psychological responses that result in
enhanced athletic and sport performance.
Analyzing the
biomechanics of an athlete running, the athlete completes a cycle known as the
“GAIT CYCLE” which comprises of two phases; the stance phase and the swing
phase. Through further analysis the stance phase has four components including
initial contact, braking/ absorption, mid- stance and propulsion which make up
approximately 40% of the gait cycle. The swing phase has three components
including drive, mid swing and braking/ absorption making up the remaining 60%
of the gait cycle. Understand that one gait cycle is defined as when the foot
(right for example) makes contact with the ground and completes a revolution
and makes ground contact again.
Thus as the athlete’s speed increases the
inverse proportion between stance and swing phase is obvious; as the time for the stance
phase decreases while the time for the swing phase increases.
So why the
biomechanics 101 lesson, well it’s rather simple since it is the reason why
hill running reigns head and shoulders above stair running; THE GAIT CYCLE. An
efficient sprint stride optimizes all the phases of the gait cycle, from toe
off there is proper force application through the foot, Achilles and
gastrocnemius (research shows that 50% of elastic energy comes from the
Achilles and tendons of the foot) coupling with proper glute activation
resulting in triple extension of the stance leg and the subsequent hip flexion
of the swing leg with proper knee lift and dorsiflexion of the ankle in
preparation for touch down.
*SPEED = Stride
Length x Stride Frequency
Comparing “The
stair Run” and “The Hill Run” there are many similarities including
cardiovascular endurance, lower extremity strength training, lower extremity
power endurance, incorporate knee lift and rhythm. The stairs while providing a
strength aspect and more prevents the athlete from achieving an optimal stride
throughout the exercise.
Stair running
because each step or platform provides a flat surface allows the athlete to
land flat footed and minimizes dorsiflexion disallowing the SSC (stretch
shortening cycle) to properly engage for efficient force application that is required
to be an efficient sprinter. Especially when the athlete becomes fatigued,
proper running technique is even more difficult to maintain, as a result the
foot strike goes from mid foot to flat foot allowing energy dissipation/
leakage in the ankle, knee and hip joints. The hindrance with stair running is
stride length limitation. The athlete running up stairs is limited by the size
of the stairs, whether they are two narrow, too wide, too steep, etc. the fact
remains that there is difficulty in locating or achieving an optimum stride
especially as speed increases. Stair running either forces the athlete to under
stride (wasting power) or over stride (wasting momentum).
Alternatively
Hill Running provides an inclined surface that test the athlete’s strength from
the tendons
in the foot straight up the kinetic chain. The upward climb is a
forward drive and the incline forces the athlete to stay on the fore- front
portion of the foot utilizing proper dorsiflexion mechanics and fully engaging
the SSC for efficient power production. The fact that the athlete pushes up the
hill incorporates the gluteus muscle group (hip extension), quadriceps muscles
(knee extension) and calf muscles (ankle extension) resulting in triple
extension with every stride. On the hill the athlete is able to achieve their
optimum stride length (in relation to the speed and knee lift/ hip flexion), so
torso lean becomes a factor as too much inhibits hip flexion and thus
performance. Too maintain that tall running form with the lean from the ankles
straight to the shoulders, the athlete must have a strong core that is
continuously engaged throughout the exercise. Running tall allows for optimum
hip extension at “toe off” and hip flexion through “the swing” phase. Removing
the limiting factor of step distance, the athlete is able to get all the
benefits of running stairs with the extra components of an optimizing stride
length and stride frequency in relation to the speed.
Ultimately when
discussing Sport Performance both running hills and running stairs have a place
in the program. Stairs provide more frequency while still incorporating knee
lift/ hip flexion, lower extremity strength and power work and engagement of
the SSC and thus is better used as a form of plyometric training. The hill
allows for proper running mechanics (tall center of gravity, dorsiflexion resulting
in full engagement of the SSC, triple extension, increased hip flexion,
strength and power) while providing all the components of the stairs. This
alone allows the athlete to work on max- velocity, strength endurance and proper
sprint mechanics under muscle fatigue.
Messenger God
Sport Specialists Messenger
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