We have a kid on our running high school team his strides are almost ballet like. He doesnt bounce when he runs its almost beautiful and enthralling to watch him. Hes fast really fast. His strides are long and soft but powerful. And beautiful. I hope he goes far in his life. I wish the world could see him run.
What a superb analysis. Probably the most useful running vid I have seen so far (and I've seen a lot), thank you so much. Made me realise that after watching other form vids I was trying to be a slightly overweight gazelle, with disastrous results. Gonna shift focus this week onto being a better glider. That plus negative splits will hopefully bring some improvements at the next parkrun without any change in fitness level.
great explanation of the science involved. I appreciate your objective view of both sides and the intent to use science to refute the idea. other websites state one style is right and the other is wrong. Your video shows that one style (glider) may take you pretty far, and then another style will take you the rest of the way.
I was a Gazelle runner and now shifted to Glider. I agree to ttbikefitdotcom that some of the Gliders become Gazelles when running 5k or when they spotted the finish line. Great explanation!
I stumbled on this technique by accident and then tried to google it as the "shuffle" technique because it feels like one is doing a fast shuffle, sort of keep you hips stable at one height as you run...wow. Huge difference in efficiency (you can feel it!) and I'm much faster automatically with the gliding technique than my old sort of 'bounding' like a gazelle (big mistake as I'm not strong enough to do that after the bike and that's why I'm tiring so badly on the run) - now to work on the gliding work, work, work to make it second nature - it feels RIGHT..which is a good start:-)...might finally transform my run after the bike.
Jump rope helps a lot with running..Try it as a warmup before you run. Do three 2 min sessions of jump rope b4 u run. I promise you you'll notice the difference in your running.
thank you for presenting a great comparative observation of these techniques. Presentations of this sort are extremely helpful in determining potential best practices for training.
Very helpful video. I am definitely a glider, but I wasn't always that way. I started out more in the gazelle camp, really trying to spring and cover as much ground as I could with each step. I found this was harder on my joints and required a lot more effort than the glider technique. I agree with the video, if you ever want to be elite, you have to be a gazelle, but for people like me, gliding is the best way to go. I can still achieve good speeds and it seems easier on my body. The higher turnover feels funny at first but you get used to it pretty quick!
very good analysis... but you forget the main point.... Why a runner choose to run as a Gazelle or as a Glider ? BECAUSE OF THE BODY WEIGHT .... look at the Body Mass Index of each of the runners and you will find that the Gazelles have skinnier bodies and the gliders have a more " dense" body....
Thanks for the video. I always considered myself a shuffler and thought that was bad, but now I realize that I'm a glider and there is nothing wrong with that. Very educational- thanks!
awesome video! I am also converting from gazelle to glide. A complex process. Gliding is more efficient at longer distances. But it takes time to get used to running differently. This video gives lots of insights and introduces some new concepts. Great work!
Great analysis - I'm a beginning runner trying to get it right. However, one thing I would like to see in your runner style review is the physiological differences in the runners as well. That is, the length of the legs and the length of the upper torso area. Weight distribution as well (upper body mass development vs. lower body ratio) that is, very skinny to no muscle from waist up to include arms, deltoid, chest, rear back muscle mass. If we added these variables to the charts, I think they will be revealing.
Wonderful video! I am a natural glider and a midfoot striker. Somebody tried to convince me to run more like a gazelle and forefoot strike, tried it, hurt my achiles. Just listen to your body and feel how you naturaly run. Then go out and have some seriously fun run!
When I tried to run, more so in the past, it felt like I was "defective" in some way. Flat feet. Lower legs would fatigue. Seemed like I expended too much energy. Over time I've learned to adapt my technique and now very short runs feel more effortless. What I've been doing recently does seem more like "gliding." I also focus on allowing the lower legs to relax and not landing on my heels. Funny how I never really learned how to run unless you count short sprints! Maybe I should see if I can develop some distance now. It amazes me that people can happily run so far! And I'm talking about local joggers. haha
I agree. There is no doubt that if you are falling from a higher altitude, the landing will be harsher. So the Gazelles hit harder, but the question is, how much of that energy is absorbed by active eccentric muscle contraction (=requires energy) vs passive elasticity (=free spring motion) that can then help return the Gazelle to altitude. I suspect the best runners use elasticity predominantly.
Great information - thanks for posting. Appreciated the comparisons after years of hearing and reading we should be trying to run using the gazelle style...happy to be a glider! Better, longer runs & injury free!
Great video on cadence and stride as it relates to speed and a bit regarding efficiency. One of the things to consider when gauging your preference is the braking and impact aspects for each. As you watch the slow motion, you will see that the Gazelles land heavily on their heals where the gliders land on the mid foot. This is where the difference in stride is key. Impact to the joints increases injury potential.
Great video. Just the type of analysis that one gladly follows. And some observations that probably many of us had already made on their own, reflecting on running styles and watching videos of elite runners in action. Only you gave them some fit names and studied them thoroughly, which is nice. I hope the labels stick and come into general use, because it would make up for some easy reference when talking about these phenomena. Just a note: I came to your video after many specific searches in Google. Since a few workouts I've been experimenting with a different tecnique in the attempt at (humbly) emulating pro runners' style, and I think I sort of "discovered" gazelle (to use your terminology), which I'm finding very difficult to keep hold of for more than a few kilometers. But I think I will try and stick to it for a while, so to see if I can make it my new running style. I can now go under 6:30/mi with less effort compared to my previous running style (which wasn't really gliding, but a mix of the two I guess). Only as I said this new technique comes as very expensive, and I've found that the hardest (but most important) part is to "keep hold" of the entire body structure while running, especially after some time you're doing it. But when you find yourself able to perform these leg movements without compromising your overall stability and you reach a sort of "rhythm" you can really feel the potentiality behind it, even at the relatively "slow" paces I'm taking about (I'm not an ironer but only a middle distance runner, so 6:30 is nothing spectacular in my field). I can quite say that I discovered a new world since some days... hope it's not something I'll have to drop soon. I'm looking forward to improvements. Thanks again, and if you find anything else to share... please keep 'em coming because they're good. Cheers
I was actually gliding for long time until recently I started changing towards gazelle because with gliding style I feel pressure on my shins (of the front leg). Of course gliding is more comfortable but one must be careful to not put the front leg too much in front of the body. Gazelle is more demanding on upper body but less on the legs, so good for my one hour faster runs..
Thanks for the reply. Appreciate you getting back so quickly. Nice to watch a run video from someone who really knows their stuff. Will check out part 2. Cheers
Awesome breakdown in styles. I am coming into my own. After ACL reconstruction on my second knee I glided by necessity. This was a learned transition to be able to run. As I have become more healthy I am gazelle running again. I think that I fall back to gazelle as I push my duration. I am training for Boston next year and wish to complete in gazelle fashion.
I loved this video and think the arguments were very well presented. As a glider myself, running ultramarathons, I have agreed that this style seems to be much more efficient and much less risky, in the way of potential injury. When I started running, I was of course looking to adapt a gazelle style run, based on the pros and their forms. It didn't take long for me to realize that the glider style was much more suited for my long distance attempts.
As a casual runner, I find that the gliding style imposes much less stress on the joints, I can definitely go faster with gazelle style but I worry about the long term damage to the joints.
food for thought. I noticed that i had a higher cadence in races than my 6 min pace(5k) competitors and i'm 6 feet tall. My theory is that I dont have very efficient feet(flat) and I cant generate the force to fly and be a gazelle so im stuck gliding. I found that with arch supports/ orthotics that a can be more gazelle but havent decided if its worth the extra weight in my shoes. Of course there are other considerations like race distance, etc. still experimenting. great video!!
Would love an update with Lucy Charles Sarah Stan Crawley and the Queen daniela Ryf who holds a special place in this age groupers heart as she’s a heel Stryker and leaving them all in the dust
By nature, heel strike is a gliders trait. Vertical travel, on the other hand, sustains horizontal travel without ground resistance. The video does a great job of this delineation
it's easier to glide for me... i thought i was doing it wrong and tried to be more like a gazelle, but it was painful. i am not bothered by time, i just love running. great video!! thanks
I would be interested to know the injury history of the gazelle vs gliders. I would expect the gazelles to have higher incidence of achilles, hamstring, and impact related injuries and the associated training downtime.
Very useful observation ..I am guessing this is due to knee flexing .if they flex the knee ,more to acute angle .. .foot time to reach the ground is more ..similar to gazelle style
I'm just a veteran runner, not an ironman or triathlete. Great video, very well explained. Interesting that you make no mention of heel strike though...it's obvious that the gliders(like 60+ age grouper me!) are heel strikers meeting the ground well in front of the centre of gravity with rather straight stiff leading legs...we hear over and over how this is poor form, and that mid-foot striking is the correct classic way and can avoid injuries. Gazelles do look so much more elegant than the gliders of course(shufflers is maybe a more apt word) . You're right though and thanks for standing up for us mere mortal runners...some people just don't have the spring or agility in their legs to achieve the classic gazelle motion..better to get more strides and stay nearer the ground, heel first. I have tried running like a gazelle but I strained a muscle in my buttock and developed a nasty piriformis muscle injury in the process which laid me off for 6 months...so much for less injuries with classic form!
ggaylmer A lot of European/American runners tend to start running with rather bulky/thick (the traditional nike/adidas) running shoes, and as a result many of us are running on our heels. Running like a gazelle is certainly the more natural running style, as you'll notice you will instinctively run mid/forefoot if you were to run without shoes. However, the amount of cushioning we are accustomed to with thick running shoes also leaves our feet/ankle muscles underused. Trying to switch to a midfoot/forefoot strike is certainly not a change you can achieve in the middle of a training regime, as it will require a lot more calf and lower leg strength. It is not an impossible change by any means - I managed to change successfully, albeit with quite sore calves for the first month! In my experience, gazelle (midfoot) form definitely requires those glutes. The very reason humans have comparatively large glutes is to enhance our running ability - chasing down the prey back in our hunter/gatherer days. Doing squats, lunges, frog jumps etc. is essential. The midfoot strike will ideally involve less pure muscle force than a heel striking form, by utilizing the achilles tendon like a spring. This is how Ethiopian and Kenyan runners are so amazingly efficient at running - they require less brute force muscle to push them through. Physics should carry you a good percentage of the way. My favorite analogy is "running like a ninja". it is certainly not necessary to pound your feet and legs into the ground to work up good speed. You'll notice that the best runners have high cadence (180-200 bpm, on a metronome), and very relaxed upperbodies. Relaxation, light and quick steps. Thus, you avoid injury, save energy and propel yourself forward. Running economy is just as important as strength and fitness, if not more so.
ggaylmer Some of the gazelles land mid-foot, but of few of the triathlon guys had a pretty heavy heal strike. Some of the gliders landed pretty well, too. I don't think one necessitates the other.
The type of gliding shown in the video is mainly where the leading lower leg is thrown forward ahead of the body with very little knee bend and with the toe pointing above horizontal, helped by forward propulsion from the rear leg. It doesn't look particularly elegant to me. Usually the heel will touch ground first but this is no big deal. The forward momentum soon guides the foot parallel to the road as your weight comes down. After all, racewalkers can get down to 6 minute miles heel striking all the way! The gazelles normally lead with the knee into the stride with upward and forward spring from the rear leg. Gazelles will generally have more vertical oscillation per stride but more time off the ground and therefore a longer stride length. Gliders will generally need a higher cadence to compensate for less time in the air and a shorter stride length. Triathletes tend to be heavier than dedicated runners so it makes sense to be a glider and keep vertical oscillation to a minimum.
It depends on the conditions of the terrain. If you run mountain trail Ultramarathons you will rarely find people with a "gazelle" running style. High cadence midfoot strike is the only way to negotiate this type of varied terrain.
I am 50 years old and I have done both styles. When I was 19 years old I had a gazelle style, I was 185 pounds at 6'2''. I was running a 5:05 mile. Now I am 220lbs. The gazelle style is slower for me now because of the extra up and down. Not to mention it's harder on my 50 year old body. I no longer have the power-to-weight ratio and need to conserve energy by keeping closer to the ground to get a decent time.
I agree that it would be interesting to look at very fast runners running "slowly" - I have been thinking about this but so far haven't found a way to get the footage.
i find it funny you use the term gazelle. Im no athlete, but over the years I keep hearing the adjective gazelle to describe my running. these are separate instances and often people from different towns ive moved to saying this. glad its a regular occurrence to see this type of style.
You need to see Edan Syah. A malaysian marathon runner who moves so smooth and glides. Its hypnotizing to see him run 5 minute miles with such leisure looking form
I run like a gazelle but i practice running like a glider to become more efficient in my stride. However, i found when running comfortably(natural cadence), I more or less bounce from place to place using the elasticity of my legs and it's doesn't tire me out as long as I'm not landing on my heels.
I am extremely appreciative of this video and analysis, really informative. I think running style has a lot to do with inherent body mechanics. Personally, I'm aware I run differently based on the speed I'm trying to achieve. For longer distances I choose to deploy the Glider style because I feel as if it's more efficient and certainly less taxing on impact. Again, great video and thanks for putting the effort into it!
This explains why in all my race photos I am never in the air! I don't run that way. Being 60 with a BMI of 29, but with lots of muscle, I have to strive to be a glider and not walker. :P
If you see young children running on a Saturday morning in the 5K parkrun events all around the UK, they're like natural gazelles, most of them..full of bounce and spring. They have no problem with short legs. When you get older, stiffer and lose the spring in your legs...that's when you have problems, no matter how long your legs are!
. . . I ran 20,000km in four years when I as a high-schooler, a little ahead of the era as I did it in the mid-1960s in El Paso. I focused on running relaxed (not raising the arms high, letting the thumbs skim the hips), but never had a video of my running. On the way to a 58.7-km road run in 4:06 I passed the 42.2-km marathon distance in about 2:54, which is only a 4:14-per-km or 6:40-per-mile pace, more or less. . . . Not having modern running shoes, I wore sponge-rubber-soled leather hush-puppies, and as I wore out a pair a month running up and down the tramway road, McKelligon Canyon, and over the horizon and back, the evidence was there. The heels, outside edge, and toes were all about equally worn down, proving I did a lot of heel-striking. If I knew then what I know now (age 70), maybe I would have had better track times at age 18 than 34:50 for 10,000m or 16.3km (40-1/2 laps) for one hour. Since I still do sprints and long-jumping, I'll get someone to use my iPhone for self-videos to study, like they do now at the university.
It is critical as Todd says that a glider needs high cadence for the speed, since the gliding otherwise requires overstriding, which is inefficient and injury prone. Closely related is that the knee must be relaxed during the forward swing and allowed to flex. Gliders simply use as little force as possible for their speed - the position of the leading foot at toe off is just a consequence. The glider’s leading foot gets closer to the body at higher speed, if the knee is allowed to flex.
I think this is an awesome video. After having it distill in my brain for several days, it seems to me the math stands up, i.e. Marathon Result is a function of Distance Traveled Per Step x Number of Steps per Minute. And, Todd, you then show us two different ways of making that math happen! Awesome and thank you!
Nice video. I'm a glider with a PB of 2:37h at the Marathon. I didn't know this is a common running style for Ironman Women. I need to buy one of these foot-pods and record my leg turn-over-rate on my next shorter race!
Your velocity graphs at 18 mins for the glider has a greater delta Vy through multiple cycles than that of the gazelle. The glider would have to make up that negative Vy for the next take-off? very interesting points though for sure. Loved the video and appreciate that you did not impose a style upon the watcher. Us learners get preached to enough about how wrong we always are and it is nice to be presented the facts in a coherent and detailed manner to allow us to think for ourselves for once! Great work!
The first two runners shown in video 1 have nearly equivalent vertical travel - just watch their heads in relation to the background. The true difference can be seen in the inclination of their bodies. The first runner has a nice forward inclination, allowing her to extend her leg in line with her trunk, making it easy to accelerate through her stride. This allows her to travel further per stride. The second runner is too vertical to accelerate in the late part of her leg extension.
Howard, look at 6:09. The Gazelle, who has all the excess vertical movement, is heel landing, and landing in front of her CoM. The glider has just landed, having touched the ground in front of her CoM but her foot was still unweighted until it was under her CoM. The Gazelle is much more harsh in her landing.
I agree. It might be fast and also comfy to land on the heels with some heavy absorbing cushioned soles. But indeed it will mashup your knees hips and lower back over time. since the impact with each step weights the whole body weight into the straightened/aligned bones, instead of absorb it with muscles and tendons...
I think people pay too much attention to foot strike. As I say in the blog writeup, it doesn't matter so much as long as you are not not braking. Be sure to distinguish between "striking" and "touching" - the first touch is relatively insignificant - what matters IMO is where is the foot when weighted relative to the CG - not what portion of the foot touches the ground first.
One thing I have noticed is that the fast "gazelles" (particularly the Kenyan ones) do not actually have any additional vertical lift compared to the "gliders". Their flight time is attributed to the higher leg lift. My humble unskilled opinion is that I don't think these guys can be classed as gazelles or gliders... there are so many additional factors to take into account. Super interesting to watch though... thanks for posting.
No worries! It was just the 2nd time in these comments someone suggested I/we read that book. I think that book is a bit more revered than it should be - just my opinion. Thanks for watching.
Its hard to see the way they impact forefoot ore heel. The distance gazelles fly is allso the more energie they need? I'm Trying to run Barefoot Style more or less Gazell style ;)
This is a great video. I was thinking that it would be nice to see the same runners in race condition on hills, both up and down, with commentary by the narrator of this video.
I understand that it looks harsher (or essentially a more abrupt redirection of kinetic energy) but as the poster has pointed out, we can't ignore the inherent elasticity of the connective tissue. Think pogo stick.....it only works for the spring being there.
I've tried to run with the bare foot style or minimal style whatever people are calling it and the closest i got to it was these gliding style. I just run a slow pace these days and have no idea what my style is.
are ther any runners who land on their toes. ive seen a video some time ago and there war a guy showing how we run without running shoes. and the interesting thing was that after a while on the heels the run style went over to to running on the toes. this was by far not that noisy on the treadmill wich showed that this running style costs less energy
I slowed that video down and she is gliding. Key characteristics: feet always very close to ground, no vertical flight, foot well out in front of CG and knee at toe-off. I have a freeze frame pic but YT won't let me link it in this comment unfortunately. Thanks for the debate!
IMO Pose is more gazelle since it teaches pulling the heel up to butt. I think that these various run "methods" (Pose Chi) may help some and not others - if it "clicks" with that person it may help them, but a solid foundation and good mobility are most important followed by understanding the physics. I do think that gazelle is tougher on the body due to greater vertical displacement and also that it is tougher to do well especially for long distances - this is addressed in part two.
Great video. Just starting gait analysis in PT school and this gives me something to look forward to once I have mastered walking (hopefully at the end of the week haha). It would be interesting to see the ground reaction force that goes through these two types of runners in future videos.
key word "seems" - did you look at him closely in step motion and measure a fixed point on his body vs a fixed point in background (assuming no camera movement)? Also did you look at the Boston marathon leaders in the video - they have plenty of vertical displacement - goes back to the physics. The only way to stay in the air longer (time-wise) is to go higher. Re: strike I think very little. People are WAY too focused on strike location IMO. If not braking, I think it matters little.
sigh now im confused. i was just explained that i need to run at a lean with my feet falling beneath me, not in front. someone else comes over and says i need to run with my body straight , not leaning. which is it?!
Agree for the most part. I think what you say applies to most runners at "typical" speeds. I think very good to great runners get that vertical displacement almost for free, due to well developed tissue elasticity, etc - sort of like the blade runner, they have springs. I know for one I do not. It costs me more energy to gazelle. So that goes to which style "should" you use. If you have springs that provide "free" energy, by all means use them. If you have to run 5 min pace, you must gazelle.
The only way to stay in the air longer is to gain altitude. For a given time in the air a faster runner travels further... but at some point he needs to stay in the air longer to cover more ground, hence that maybe 4" of vertical gain we see in super fast runners.
never knew i was a glider until this video, i find that while you obviously can't sprint with that form, it helps minimize vertical movement making it easier on your joints and also your organs (cramps have always been a problem for me)
We have a kid on our running high school team his strides are almost ballet like. He doesnt bounce when he runs its almost beautiful and enthralling to watch him. Hes fast really fast. His strides are long and soft but powerful. And beautiful. I hope he goes far in his life. I wish the world could see him run.
How is he now?
Interesting. I use both. You can 'rest' a bunch of muscles by changing up your technique as you go.
What a superb analysis. Probably the most useful running vid I have seen so far (and I've seen a lot), thank you so much.
Made me realise that after watching other form vids I was trying to be a slightly overweight gazelle, with disastrous results.
Gonna shift focus this week onto being a better glider. That plus negative splits will hopefully bring some improvements at the next parkrun without any change in fitness level.
great explanation of the science involved. I appreciate your objective view of both sides and the intent to use science to refute the idea. other websites state one style is right and the other is wrong. Your video shows that one style (glider) may take you pretty far, and then another style will take you the rest of the way.
yes this is one of my points in part two of this video - that older athletes are more likely to glide (or should focus more on that style)
I was a Gazelle runner and now shifted to Glider.
I agree to ttbikefitdotcom that some of the Gliders become Gazelles when running 5k or when they spotted the finish line.
Great explanation!
I stumbled on this technique by accident and then tried to google it as the "shuffle" technique because it feels like one is doing a fast shuffle, sort of keep you hips stable at one height as you run...wow. Huge difference in efficiency (you can feel it!) and I'm much faster automatically with the gliding technique than my old sort of 'bounding' like a gazelle (big mistake as I'm not strong enough to do that after the bike and that's why I'm tiring so badly on the run) - now to work on the gliding work, work, work to make it second nature - it feels RIGHT..which is a good start:-)...might finally transform my run after the bike.
Hey Rebecca, HOW did you work to become a glider? what were the excercices you did?
Jump rope helps a lot with running..Try it as a warmup before you run. Do three 2 min sessions of jump rope b4 u run. I promise you you'll notice the difference in your running.
Thanks man helped me correct my stride
Excellent explanation between run styles with a comprehensive comparison. A+!
thank you for presenting a great comparative observation of these techniques. Presentations of this sort are extremely helpful in determining potential best practices for training.
Very helpful video. I am definitely a glider, but I wasn't always that way. I started out more in the gazelle camp, really trying to spring and cover as much ground as I could with each step. I found this was harder on my joints and required a lot more effort than the glider technique. I agree with the video, if you ever want to be elite, you have to be a gazelle, but for people like me, gliding is the best way to go. I can still achieve good speeds and it seems easier on my body. The higher turnover feels funny at first but you get used to it pretty quick!
The most useful video I have found on running form. Thank you. P.S. for those interested, the Sage Canaday videos are very useful too.
Wow... great analysis and observations! Appreciate the time and effort it took to put this together. Thanks!
Jerry Meissner your welcome
very good analysis... but you forget the main point.... Why a runner choose to run as a Gazelle or as a Glider ? BECAUSE OF THE BODY WEIGHT .... look at the Body Mass Index of each of the runners and you will find that the Gazelles have skinnier bodies and the gliders have a more " dense" body....
Apparently I'm a glider... and this video totally explained why I've bottomed out right at 6min mile pace.. I really appreciate this information.
Thanks for the video. I always considered myself a shuffler and thought that was bad, but now I realize that I'm a glider and there is nothing wrong with that. Very educational- thanks!
awesome video! I am also converting from gazelle to glide. A complex process. Gliding is more efficient at longer distances. But it takes time to get used to running differently. This video gives lots of insights and introduces some new concepts. Great work!
Great analysis - I'm a beginning runner trying to get it right. However, one thing I would like to see in your runner style review is the physiological differences in the runners as well. That is, the length of the legs and the length of the upper torso area. Weight distribution as well (upper body mass development vs. lower body ratio) that is, very skinny to no muscle from waist up to include arms, deltoid, chest, rear back muscle mass. If we added these variables to the charts, I think they will be revealing.
Wonderful video! I am a natural glider and a midfoot striker. Somebody tried to convince me to run more like a gazelle and forefoot strike, tried it, hurt my achiles. Just listen to your body and feel how you naturaly run. Then go out and have some seriously fun run!
When I tried to run, more so in the past, it felt like I was "defective" in some way. Flat feet. Lower legs would fatigue. Seemed like I expended too much energy. Over time I've learned to adapt my technique and now very short runs feel more effortless. What I've been doing recently does seem more like "gliding." I also focus on allowing the lower legs to relax and not landing on my heels. Funny how I never really learned how to run unless you count short sprints! Maybe I should see if I can develop some distance now. It amazes me that people can happily run so far! And I'm talking about local joggers. haha
Focus on getting your power from your ass , calves/ankles/etc will follow
@@grungeface, how?
I agree. There is no doubt that if you are falling from a higher altitude, the landing will be harsher. So the Gazelles hit harder, but the question is, how much of that energy is absorbed by active eccentric muscle contraction (=requires energy) vs passive elasticity (=free spring motion) that can then help return the Gazelle to altitude. I suspect the best runners use elasticity predominantly.
Great information - thanks for posting. Appreciated the comparisons after years of hearing and reading we should be trying to run using the gazelle style...happy to be a glider! Better, longer runs & injury free!
Great video on cadence and stride as it relates to speed and a bit regarding efficiency. One of the things to consider when gauging your preference is the braking and impact aspects for each. As you watch the slow motion, you will see that the Gazelles land heavily on their heals where the gliders land on the mid foot. This is where the difference in stride is key. Impact to the joints increases injury potential.
Yes but the increased cadence may still equal out, in the overall impact result.
Great analysis on technique vs speed. Thanks.
Thank you. I was also looking at ground contact and pronation.
Great video. Just the type of analysis that one gladly follows.
And some observations that probably many of us had already made on their own, reflecting on running styles and watching videos of elite runners in action. Only you gave them some fit names and studied them thoroughly, which is nice. I hope the labels stick and come into general use, because it would make up for some easy reference when talking about these phenomena.
Just a note: I came to your video after many specific searches in Google. Since a few workouts I've been experimenting with a different tecnique in the attempt at (humbly) emulating pro runners' style, and I think I sort of "discovered" gazelle (to use your terminology), which I'm finding very difficult to keep hold of for more than a few kilometers.
But I think I will try and stick to it for a while, so to see if I can make it my new running style. I can now go under 6:30/mi with less effort compared to my previous running style (which wasn't really gliding, but a mix of the two I guess).
Only as I said this new technique comes as very expensive, and I've found that the hardest (but most important) part is to "keep hold" of the entire body structure while running, especially after some time you're doing it. But when you find yourself able to perform these leg movements without compromising your overall stability and you reach a sort of "rhythm" you can really feel the potentiality behind it, even at the relatively "slow" paces I'm taking about (I'm not an ironer but only a middle distance runner, so 6:30 is nothing spectacular in my field).
I can quite say that I discovered a new world since some days... hope it's not something I'll have to drop soon. I'm looking forward to improvements.
Thanks again, and if you find anything else to share... please keep 'em coming because they're good.
Cheers
I was actually gliding for long time until recently I started changing towards gazelle because with gliding style I feel pressure on my shins (of the front leg). Of course gliding is more comfortable but one must be careful to not put the front leg too much in front of the body. Gazelle is more demanding on upper body but less on the legs, so good for my one hour faster runs..
Thanks for the reply. Appreciate you getting back so quickly. Nice to watch a run video from someone who really knows their stuff. Will check out part 2. Cheers
Great video...I learned a lot, since I am a newbie to running.
Awesome breakdown in styles. I am coming into my own. After ACL reconstruction on my second knee I glided by necessity. This was a learned transition to be able to run. As I have become more healthy I am gazelle running again. I think that I fall back to gazelle as I push my duration. I am training for Boston next year and wish to complete in gazelle fashion.
That’s amazing!! As a fellow acl recon guy..I’m coming into running as a complete beginner so hearing your story gives me hope
I loved this video and think the arguments were very well presented. As a glider myself, running ultramarathons, I have agreed that this style seems to be much more efficient and much less risky, in the way of potential injury. When I started running, I was of course looking to adapt a gazelle style run, based on the pros and their forms. It didn't take long for me to realize that the glider style was much more suited for my long distance attempts.
Hoping to AG in the Kincardine Women's Du this Saturday. Will attempt to run more like a Glider.
Great to see such a detailed analysis. Thanks.
I run gazelle style but I switch to gliding sometimes. Can only do gliding on level tracks.
As a casual runner, I find that the gliding style imposes much less stress on the joints, I can definitely go faster with gazelle style but I worry about the long term damage to the joints.
Go barefoot and your joints will love you, also a free feet massage and soft skin. There are shoes with barefoot in mind.
+Tomasmoravia not if you have flat foot. The knee pain kills
Running pain is dependent on many factors that are unique to each runner. I have flat feet and run barefoot 80% of the time with no pain.
Yup.
food for thought. I noticed that i had a higher cadence in races than my 6 min pace(5k) competitors and i'm 6 feet tall. My theory is that I dont have very efficient feet(flat) and I cant generate the force to fly and be a gazelle so im stuck gliding. I found that with arch supports/ orthotics that a can be more gazelle but havent decided if its worth the extra weight in my shoes. Of course there are other considerations like race distance, etc. still experimenting. great video!!
Would love an update with Lucy Charles Sarah Stan Crawley and the Queen daniela Ryf who holds a special place in this age groupers heart as she’s a heel Stryker and leaving them all in the dust
By nature, heel strike is a gliders trait. Vertical travel, on the other hand, sustains horizontal travel without ground resistance. The video does a great job of this delineation
it's easier to glide for me... i thought i was doing it wrong and tried to be more like a gazelle, but it was painful. i am not bothered by time, i just love running.
great video!! thanks
i noticed the gazelle type runners tend to lean forward and the gliders tend to be on upright position
Except the late Sammy Wanjiru (check his videos). I still have to make sense of its super-fast (but so different) running style.
I'm a gazelle type runner but I'm almost completely upright while running (you can see my latest video for proof, I'm the 3rd place finisher.
I would be interested to know the injury history of the gazelle vs gliders. I would expect the gazelles to have higher incidence of achilles, hamstring, and impact related injuries and the associated training downtime.
ttBike - Thanks for putting this study together, very interesting piece and comments.
i'm not a runner but am a fan of body dynamics being a martial artist, this was a good video. thanks.
The gliding style has less impact forces as well, and therefor perhaps leads to less injury in the long term.
Very useful observation ..I am guessing this is due to knee flexing .if they flex the knee ,more to acute angle .. .foot time to reach the ground is more ..similar to gazelle style
I'm just a veteran runner, not an ironman or triathlete. Great video, very well explained. Interesting that you make no mention of heel strike though...it's obvious that the gliders(like 60+ age grouper me!) are heel strikers meeting the ground well in front of the centre of gravity with rather straight stiff leading legs...we hear over and over how this is poor form, and that mid-foot striking is the correct classic way and can avoid injuries. Gazelles do look so much more elegant than the gliders of course(shufflers is maybe a more apt word) . You're right though and thanks for standing up for us mere mortal runners...some people just don't have the spring or agility in their legs to achieve the classic gazelle motion..better to get more strides and stay nearer the ground, heel first. I have tried running like a gazelle but I strained a muscle in my buttock and developed a nasty piriformis muscle injury in the process which laid me off for 6 months...so much for less injuries with classic form!
ggaylmer A lot of European/American runners tend to start running with rather bulky/thick (the traditional nike/adidas) running shoes, and as a result many of us are running on our heels. Running like a gazelle is certainly the more natural running style, as you'll notice you will instinctively run mid/forefoot if you were to run without shoes.
However, the amount of cushioning we are accustomed to with thick running shoes also leaves our feet/ankle muscles underused. Trying to switch to a midfoot/forefoot strike is certainly not a change you can achieve in the middle of a training regime, as it will require a lot more calf and lower leg strength. It is not an impossible change by any means - I managed to change successfully, albeit with quite sore calves for the first month! In my experience, gazelle (midfoot) form definitely requires those glutes. The very reason humans have comparatively large glutes is to enhance our running ability - chasing down the prey back in our hunter/gatherer days. Doing squats, lunges, frog jumps etc. is essential.
The midfoot strike will ideally involve less pure muscle force than a heel striking form, by utilizing the achilles tendon like a spring. This is how Ethiopian and Kenyan runners are so amazingly efficient at running - they require less brute force muscle to push them through. Physics should carry you a good percentage of the way. My favorite analogy is "running like a ninja". it is certainly not necessary to pound your feet and legs into the ground to work up good speed. You'll notice that the best runners have high cadence (180-200 bpm, on a metronome), and very relaxed upperbodies. Relaxation, light and quick steps. Thus, you avoid injury, save energy and propel yourself forward. Running economy is just as important as strength and fitness, if not more so.
ggaylmer Some of the gazelles land mid-foot, but of few of the triathlon guys had a pretty heavy heal strike. Some of the gliders landed pretty well, too. I don't think one necessitates the other.
Exactly, I'm a glider, yet I still manage to be a toe/midfoot striker.
The type of gliding shown in the video is mainly where the leading lower leg is thrown forward ahead of the body with very little knee bend and with the toe pointing above horizontal, helped by forward propulsion from the rear leg. It doesn't look particularly elegant to me. Usually the heel will touch ground first but this is no big deal. The forward momentum soon guides the foot parallel to the road as your weight comes down. After all, racewalkers can get down to 6 minute miles heel striking all the way! The gazelles normally lead with the knee into the stride with upward and forward spring from the rear leg. Gazelles will generally have more vertical oscillation per stride but more time off the ground and therefore a longer stride length. Gliders will generally need a higher cadence to compensate for less time in the air and a shorter stride length. Triathletes tend to be heavier than dedicated runners so it makes sense to be a glider and keep vertical oscillation to a minimum.
Outstanding research and presentation. Gives some hope to this ageing age grouper.
It depends on the conditions of the terrain. If you run mountain trail Ultramarathons you will rarely find people with a "gazelle" running style. High cadence midfoot strike is the only way to negotiate this type of varied terrain.
I am 50 years old and I have done both styles. When I was 19 years old I had a gazelle style, I was 185 pounds at 6'2''. I was running a 5:05 mile. Now I am 220lbs. The gazelle style is slower for me now because of the extra up and down. Not to mention it's harder on my 50 year old body. I no longer have the power-to-weight ratio and need to conserve energy by keeping closer to the ground to get a decent time.
Thanks for posting I only run to keep fit but I know I am a glider now! I have tried gavelling but do not find it comfortable. Very instructive vid
I agree that it would be interesting to look at very fast runners running "slowly" - I have been thinking about this but so far haven't found a way to get the footage.
i find it funny you use the term gazelle. Im no athlete, but over the years I keep hearing the adjective gazelle to describe my running. these are separate instances and often people from different towns ive moved to saying this. glad its a regular occurrence to see this type of style.
A wonderful analysis, thank you. i am a glider, i have never tried gazelle because gliding is the way i run naturally.
You need to see Edan Syah. A malaysian marathon runner who moves so smooth and glides. Its hypnotizing to see him run 5 minute miles with such leisure looking form
I run like a gazelle but i practice running like a glider to become more efficient in my stride. However, i found when running comfortably(natural cadence), I more or less bounce from place to place using the elasticity of my legs and it's doesn't tire me out as long as I'm not landing on my heels.
I am extremely appreciative of this video and analysis, really informative. I think running style has a lot to do with inherent body mechanics. Personally, I'm aware I run differently based on the speed I'm trying to achieve. For longer distances I choose to deploy the Glider style because I feel as if it's more efficient and certainly less taxing on impact. Again, great video and thanks for putting the effort into it!
Thanks Melissa for the great feedback! I agree completely.
If you pay attention you can see that most of the filmed athletes run with heel strike (mostly bended knees, though).
They are tired
This explains why in all my race photos I am never in the air! I don't run that way. Being 60 with a BMI of 29, but with lots of muscle, I have to strive to be a glider and not walker. :P
Outstanding video, well done
How do you run like a gazelle if you have short legs?
More knee lift.
If you see young children running on a Saturday morning in the 5K parkrun events all around the UK, they're like natural gazelles, most of them..full of bounce and spring. They have no problem with short legs. When you get older, stiffer and lose the spring in your legs...that's when you have problems, no matter how long your legs are!
. . . I ran 20,000km in four years when I as a high-schooler, a little ahead of the era as I did it in the mid-1960s in El Paso. I focused on running relaxed (not raising the arms high, letting the thumbs skim the hips), but never had a video of my running. On the way to a 58.7-km road run in 4:06 I passed the 42.2-km marathon distance in about 2:54, which is only a 4:14-per-km or 6:40-per-mile pace, more or less.
. . . Not having modern running shoes, I wore sponge-rubber-soled leather hush-puppies, and as I wore out a pair a month running up and down the tramway road, McKelligon Canyon, and over the horizon and back, the evidence was there. The heels, outside edge, and toes were all about equally worn down, proving I did a lot of heel-striking. If I knew then what I know now (age 70), maybe I would have had better track times at age 18 than 34:50 for 10,000m or 16.3km (40-1/2 laps) for one hour. Since I still do sprints and long-jumping, I'll get someone to use my iPhone for self-videos to study, like they do now at the university.
It is critical as Todd says that a glider needs high cadence for the speed, since the gliding otherwise requires overstriding, which is inefficient and injury prone. Closely related is that the knee must be relaxed during the forward swing and allowed to flex. Gliders simply use as little force as possible for their speed - the position of the leading foot at toe off is just a consequence. The glider’s leading foot gets closer to the body at higher speed, if the knee is allowed to flex.
I think this is an awesome video. After having it distill in my brain for several days, it seems to me the math stands up, i.e. Marathon Result is a function of Distance Traveled Per Step x Number of Steps per Minute. And, Todd, you then show us two different ways of making that math happen! Awesome and thank you!
Nice video. I'm a glider with a PB of 2:37h at the Marathon. I didn't know this is a common running style for Ironman Women. I need to buy one of these foot-pods and record my leg turn-over-rate on my next shorter race!
Very thorough analysis and extremely informative. Thank you! I am glad I found it.
Dude this is an amazing video... really. Thank you
Your velocity graphs at 18 mins for the glider has a greater delta Vy through multiple cycles than that of the gazelle. The glider would have to make up that negative Vy for the next take-off? very interesting points though for sure.
Loved the video and appreciate that you did not impose a style upon the watcher. Us learners get preached to enough about how wrong we always are and it is nice to be presented the facts in a coherent and detailed manner to allow us to think for ourselves for once! Great work!
This is an amazing analysis - thanks for sharing your work.
The first two runners shown in video 1 have nearly equivalent vertical travel - just watch their heads in relation to the background. The true difference can be seen in the inclination of their bodies. The first runner has a nice forward inclination, allowing her to extend her leg in line with her trunk, making it easy to accelerate through her stride. This allows her to travel further per stride. The second runner is too vertical to accelerate in the late part of her leg extension.
Howard, look at 6:09. The Gazelle, who has all the excess vertical movement, is heel landing, and landing in front of her CoM. The glider has just landed, having touched the ground in front of her CoM but her foot was still unweighted until it was under her CoM. The Gazelle is much more harsh in her landing.
I agree. It might be fast and also comfy to land on the heels with some heavy absorbing cushioned soles. But indeed it will mashup your knees hips and lower back over time. since the impact with each step weights the whole body weight into the straightened/aligned bones, instead of absorb it with muscles and tendons...
I think people pay too much attention to foot strike. As I say in the blog writeup, it doesn't matter so much as long as you are not not braking. Be sure to distinguish between "striking" and "touching" - the first touch is relatively insignificant - what matters IMO is where is the foot when weighted relative to the CG - not what portion of the foot touches the ground first.
One thing I have noticed is that the fast "gazelles" (particularly the Kenyan ones) do not actually have any additional vertical lift compared to the "gliders". Their flight time is attributed to the higher leg lift. My humble unskilled opinion is that I don't think these guys can be classed as gazelles or gliders... there are so many additional factors to take into account. Super interesting to watch though... thanks for posting.
No worries! It was just the 2nd time in these comments someone suggested I/we read that book. I think that book is a bit more revered than it should be - just my opinion. Thanks for watching.
Two people you said were Gazelles were using completely different running techniques. Ones was running fore-foot while the other was heel striking.
iamvezm Exactly right. Rubbish analysis
Its hard to see the way they impact forefoot ore heel. The distance gazelles fly is allso the more energie they need? I'm Trying to run Barefoot Style more or less Gazell style ;)
This is a great video. I was thinking that it would be nice to see the same runners in race condition on hills, both up and down, with commentary by the narrator of this video.
I understand that it looks harsher (or essentially a more abrupt redirection of kinetic energy) but as the poster has pointed out, we can't ignore the inherent elasticity of the connective tissue. Think pogo stick.....it only works for the spring being there.
very interesting. thanks for posting
I've tried to run with the bare foot style or minimal style whatever people are calling it and the closest i got to it was these gliding style. I just run a slow pace these days and have no idea what my style is.
had the same thoughts, if the quad is tight or hip flexors, the runner might not be able to extend the leg behind the body....
Gazelle - very exhausting ; Glide- less exhausting for me.
It is the opposite for me. Gazelle makes me light as a feather while I run
Glide is best for me feels more efficient
How does this compare to runners only? E.g., looking at the running form of high-level marathoners specifically?
They are all gazelle style runners - they are going too fast to use gliding. They are lightweight and can take maximum advantage of the spring effect
check out secret of athleticism, or my post running with quad vs glutes barefoot
are ther any runners who land on their toes. ive seen a video some time ago and there war a guy showing how we run without running shoes. and the interesting thing was that after a while on the heels the run style went over to to running on the toes. this was by far not that noisy on the treadmill wich showed that this running style costs less energy
very informative and well observed.
I slowed that video down and she is gliding. Key characteristics: feet always very close to ground, no vertical flight, foot well out in front of CG and knee at toe-off. I have a freeze frame pic but YT won't let me link it in this comment unfortunately. Thanks for the debate!
Great analysis! Very helpful!
IMO Pose is more gazelle since it teaches pulling the heel up to butt. I think that these various run "methods" (Pose Chi) may help some and not others - if it "clicks" with that person it may help them, but a solid foundation and good mobility are most important followed by understanding the physics. I do think that gazelle is tougher on the body due to greater vertical displacement and also that it is tougher to do well especially for long distances - this is addressed in part two.
Great video. Just starting gait analysis in PT school and this gives me something to look forward to once I have mastered walking (hopefully at the end of the week haha). It would be interesting to see the ground reaction force that goes through these two types of runners in future videos.
Beautiful video!
key word "seems" - did you look at him closely in step motion and measure a fixed point on his body vs a fixed point in background (assuming no camera movement)? Also did you look at the Boston marathon leaders in the video - they have plenty of vertical displacement - goes back to the physics. The only way to stay in the air longer (time-wise) is to go higher. Re: strike I think very little. People are WAY too focused on strike location IMO. If not braking, I think it matters little.
I wondered about that as well.
sigh now im confused. i was just explained that i need to run at a lean with my feet falling beneath me, not in front. someone else comes over and says i need to run with my body straight , not leaning. which is it?!
Agree for the most part. I think what you say applies to most runners at "typical" speeds. I think very good to great runners get that vertical displacement almost for free, due to well developed tissue elasticity, etc - sort of like the blade runner, they have springs. I know for one I do not. It costs me more energy to gazelle. So that goes to which style "should" you use. If you have springs that provide "free" energy, by all means use them. If you have to run 5 min pace, you must gazelle.
Yep my mifi too slow. Perfect at home. This is great stuff thank you SO much!!!
The only way to stay in the air longer is to gain altitude. For a given time in the air a faster runner travels further... but at some point he needs to stay in the air longer to cover more ground, hence that maybe 4" of vertical gain we see in super fast runners.
never knew i was a glider until this video, i find that while you obviously can't sprint with that form, it helps minimize vertical movement making it easier on your joints and also your organs (cramps have always been a problem for me)
Very useful! so I just know that I'm a glider type. would try the gazelle next run.
consider trunk position and glute involvement. Both make a difference