Low knee lift can create high braking forces when running

Fredrik Zillén - Running Technique Specialist

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Published 2024-02-18

Yes, if you land too far in front of your centre of mass when running, known as overstride, there is an increased RISK of higher braking forces. But that doesn't mean that the more overstride you have, the more braking forces you have. It is possible to land well under your body and have high braking forces just as it is possible to land too far in front of your centre of mass and still have low braking forces. One thing that can affect how big the braking forces are is your knee lift. In this video you will see how the knee lift in one test gives increased braking forces even though the runner landed really well below the centre of mass while the braking forces decrease significantly when we adjusted the knee lift even though the runner in test two had some overstride.

Link to the video "Lifting Your Yeet Higher Costs LESS Energy When Running":
• Lifting your feet higher costs LESS e...

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Fredrik Zillén is an running technique specialist that has over the years helped thousands of runners to a more efficient running technique - from the slowest beginners to members of the Swedish national team in running and triathlon who have participated in the World Championships and the Olympics. Fredrik also writes articles on effective running technique for Runner's World magazine.

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All Comments (14)

@Itz_Jack57 4 months ago

Incredible information! Very interesting about the lateral forces.
@TheMassif 4 months ago

Was the comparison between the two runners done at the same speed? lifting the heel is a bit awkward at slow pace
@berengereu 4 months ago

Thanks for the tip. I feel like we see the foot of the high-force stricker coming from the back, whereas the low-force stricker comes more from the top. I saw on another video on YT that it usually makes a very different sound on hard road (and I agree with that after I tested)
@moses5407 2 months ago

What is your biomechanics rig? Great work!
@HowIsThat69 4 months ago

Are they running at the same speed? And what might be interesting, what Are their cadence?
@99cya 3 months ago

im focusing more on my running form. havent done that for years. i have already managed to increase my cadence to around 175. when running, is it correct that im trying to thrust my knee forward? i mean the foot will follow :D thats why im trying to feel my knee movement more. is that right?
@mp9386 14 days ago

Do you need strong hamstrings to hold the leg in flexion (90degrees) for a good knee drive? How should you strengthen?
@WiseGuyFTW 21 days ago

How can I keep the heartrate low while maintaining a good leg lift and knee drive? I have not been able to do this without taking walk breaks or just completely slow down to more of a shuffle than a run.
@chrislee8886 4 months ago

Its very difficult to lift the knee if the cadence is slow - you bounce. Increasing the cadence however increases your heart rate and so crap for MAF runs.
@DR-ti7yi 4 months ago

and who was more injured from those 2 guys?
@yeahhhhh9209 4 months ago

Uhmm from the picture(1:32) it looks more like 13 cm to me . and yes that's overstriding if the heel is touching the ground
@StopTheRot 4 months ago

I think there’s an issue with running technique advice, and it’s this - and I’m willing to fight about it! Get runners to run a 200/300 race, and their form will be close to good - if not better than that. Sadly, the average runner doesn’t have the engine to run with the form that they have when running fast. In other words, it’s a chicken and egg thing: do the best runners run fast because they have great form? Or do they have great form because they run fast? I’m a believer that the latter is true. Don’t believe me? Get Kipchoge (or similar) to run a 200 mile ultra, and look at their form. It will be good, sure, but not so good that it’s used as an example of perfection.
@bui340 4 months ago

Tuck the chin in, narrow your step-width and you all be fine!