Doug Hay takes a look at how to improve your downhill running style, and thus your speed, in “The Trail Runner’s Guide to Fast Downhill Running”
The Lost Art of Downhill Running
As runners we talk a lot about running uphill. We do hill repeats, focus on running form, hiking form, and attacking hills with purpose. The often forgotten piece of this hill running puzzle is that what goes up, must also come down. It’s easy for runners to ignore downhill training because it’s perceived to be easy, and won’t leave you huffing for air or crying from exhaustion. But run a mountain trail race and it’s easy to see who’s comfortable on the descents and who isn’t.
HINT: The gal who just flew by you going twice as fast while knitting a pair of socks, she’s the comfortable one.
And looking beyond just speed, races too often end in disappointment when a runner’s quads blow out because of downhill pounding, and no longer allow them to move efficiently.
Downhill running is fun. It’s exhilarating and exciting. But it’s also no joke. And to master the art of downhill trail running, it takes a lot of practice.
5 Elements of Proper Downhill Running Technique
I like to think of downhill running as my dance with the mountain. If flat running is me showing up, and the climb is my slow and often painful attempt to woo her, the descent is our time to let loose and get freaky. Some call downhill running 'controlled chaos'. I call it 'falling in control', because that’s more of what it looks like. Falling.
The 5 key components to proper downhill technique:
1) Quick Foot and Leg Turnover
2) Lean Forward, Not Back
3) Look Ahead, Not Straight Down
4) Use the Upper Body for Balance
5) Descend With Confidence
Full the full article, please take a look at the original, by Doug Hay: http://www.rockcreekrunner.com/2015/08/27/downhill-trail-running-technique/