I've always run with toe first, even though I don't go barefoot. It wasn't until I finished the book "Born to Run" that I realized so many people run with heel first. It just looks non-intuitive and inefficient. The most straightforward transition from a walk to a sprint is to explode on your toes. I really don't understand the heel first running style.
For most field sports athletes, I think it's a pretty natural form as well. For any sport requiring pivoting, cutting, and rotating (soccer, basketball, football, etc) explosiveness is key. I can't think of any activity where heel first running would work, except for really light jogging or power walking.
The high incidence of knee (or other) injuries in some sports isn't really related to running form either. Most of them are a result of trauma, such as landing awkwardly or physical contact. Toe first versus heel first doesn't really matter there, except for the stronger muscles that the former form may build. Running toe first will reduce the chance of injury from persistent strain put on the lower body as a result of long-form running, since it happens repeatedly over a long period of time.
"I really don't understand the heel first running style."
Running heel first is undeniably easier than running toe first.
For a runner to switch from heel to toe running is straight out painful. It puts more than double the stress on the lower leg (calf, shins). Overtime, becoming acclimated to toe running is probably beneficial, but it requires a lot more lower leg strength and conditioning.
Simply put, people run heel first because it's easier.
Heel running is easier if it's what you're used to, due to muscle memory and different conditioning of muscle groups. Your leg adapts to the stride it's used to, so you could just as easily say that heel-runners have atrophied lower legs as that toe-runners have strong ones. I would say heel-running is more intuitive for a longer stride and a vertical posture, and less so for a short sprint. Whether heel-running easier in a vacuum is not "undeniable," mostly due to the lack of such vacuums (vacua?).
Running heel first is definitely easier in your typical modern training shoe with a giant heel lift. But when you put on a pair of lightweight shoes with minimal heel lift, mid-to-forefoot striking seems much more natural. Heel striking in racing flats is very awkward, and I certainly wouldn't consider it easier.
I definitely agree that moving away from heel striking can be very difficult after many years of doing it. I've slowly worked my way down from bulky trainers to lightweight trainers to minimal flats, and my achilles tendons gave me hell throughout the entire process.
really? I've always found that if I do anything but the forefoot style I find myself needlessly in pain. On the other hand, I guess most folks are ok with some level of pain unrelated to muscle soreness as a consequence of the endorphin high being so positive for them?
For most field sports athletes, I think it's a pretty natural form as well. For any sport requiring pivoting, cutting, and rotating (soccer, basketball, football, etc) explosiveness is key. I can't think of any activity where heel first running would work, except for really light jogging or power walking.
The high incidence of knee (or other) injuries in some sports isn't really related to running form either. Most of them are a result of trauma, such as landing awkwardly or physical contact. Toe first versus heel first doesn't really matter there, except for the stronger muscles that the former form may build. Running toe first will reduce the chance of injury from persistent strain put on the lower body as a result of long-form running, since it happens repeatedly over a long period of time.