I used to believe forefoot striking was the key to running faster and staying injury free.

I preached it to anyone who would listen.

Then in 2020 I started working with a professional football club, and I wanted to improve their running form.

So I sat down and studied hours of tape of some of the best athletes in the world.

And I noticed something that broke my belief system.

They didn’t have one way of running.

They had three.

Forefoot when they sprinted.

Heel when they had to stop and change direction.

Midfoot for everything in between.

So I went back to the research...

In 2020, a meta-analysis pulled together 53 studies on what actually happens when runners change their foot strike.

They found no clear difference in running economy between habitual heel strikers and forefoot strikers.

When heel strikers were switched to forefoot straight away, their running economy actually got worse at some speeds.

And while forefoot running took load off the knee, it put more load on the calves and ankles.

The researchers’ conclusion was essentially this:

If you’re a heel striker and you’re not injured, changing your foot strike can’t be recommended.

I personally think that’s one of the reasons so many runners who force a forefoot strike end up with Achilles problems and shin splints.

In my experience, it matters far more where your foot lands than how it lands.

If it lands roughly underneath your center of mass, you’re not hitting the brakes with every step.

So here’s what I want you to do.

On your next easy run, stop thinking about your heels or your toes.

Relax your feet completely.

Focus on one thing only: landing under your body, not out in front of it.

Good running form isn’t about copying what looks fast.

It’s about wasting less energy on every single step.

Nicklas “Relaxed feet” Rossner

P.S. Not sure where your foot is landing? Film 10 seconds of yourself running, upload the clip to Fast Lane, and you’ll get a running form analysis in seconds. It shows you whether you’re landing under your body or braking out in front of it. Your first 14 days are free: https://fastlanerunner.com/​

Reference: Anderson LM, Bonanno DR, Hart HF, Barton CJ. What are the Benefits and Risks Associated with Changing Foot Strike Pattern During Running? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Injury, Running Economy, and Biomechanics. Sports Medicine. 2020;50(5):885–917.

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