Hills

I've noticed a lot of questions about how to run up hill, how to run downhill, and whether or not to have a heel strike or a midfoot strike or a forefoot strike during each. Here's my idea on the matter. It works for me and maybe it will work for you too.  

 

 

 

 In this picture, the stick figure has a line traveling through the pelvis. That line is parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the lumbar.

 

 

 

 

This next stick figure has all the same features - pelvic line parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the lumbar  - but it is running up hill. This runner is using his abdominals to hold a "crunch" position

Finally, the downhill runner has all the same features again -pelvic line parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the lumbar - but it's running downhill. This runner is using his back muscles (erector spinae and psoas) to hold a squat-like position on each step.






What makes this work is that all the other features of running stay the same. For example, to maintain a constant speed, become fully weight-bearing with the foot directly under the body. While running up hill there is less time spent in the air so you might need to have a faster stride to bring the foot back under the body by the time it is fully weight-bearing. With downhill running there is extra air time so you might need a slower stride so that being fully weight-bearing happens directly under the body and not behind it.