Once you’ve mastered legal race walking technique there are many other tweaks required to reach efficient, ideal technique. Let’s start by looking at a common issue with beginner walkers.
When race walkers first learn the technique, they do not usually exhibit the ideal timing of contacting the ground with the forward heel just as they roll off the toe of the back foot with the briefest of double-support contact phases.
Instead, a lack of strength, flexibility and perhaps a little too much weight around the belly lead to an excessively long double-support phase where both feet are on the ground at the same time.
Elite walkers, unless they have hit the wall, walk with no or a very minimal double-support phase. A smooth transition from the rear foot pushing off the ground to riding over the lead leg is a must. If both your front foot and rear foot are in contact with the ground for an extended duration, then while your rear foot is pushing off to propel you forward (Figure 7-1), its force is counterbalanced by the braking action of your front foot (Figure 7-2). This adds stress and can lead to injuries.
Focus and drills fix an excessive double-support phase.
Focus on increasing the turnover rate of your feet. Pick your feet up and put them down at a faster rate to increase your cadence. Elite walkers walk at an average of approximately 200 steps per minute. A beginning walker averages closer to 150 steps per minute. With a little focus you can narrow the gap.
We can’t say enough times that it’s all in the hips. Rotating your hips effectively lengthens your stride behind your body. One reason why people overstride is that they are trying to achieve a longer stride length. However, by reaching in front of the body with the leg you are not propelling your body forward. In actuality, you are slowing your progress. On the other hand, if your stride length increases due to good forward hip rotation, the increase in your stride is behind the body, where it can help to propel you forward.
Put a little oomph in your stride with a flick off your big toe. By pushing off your big toe, when your foot is behind the torso, you drive your body forward with more force. The additional force helps to reduce your double-support phase. However, be careful. If you push off prematurely, your body is pushed upward instead of forward.
Training can improve your style if you lack leg speed or are overweight. Obviously, more training can lead to greater weight loss and therefore an improved style. If you lack leg speed, add a rhythm / economy workout once a week.
One of our favorites is Bohdan Bulakowski’s workout of 100-, 200-, and 300-meter sets with 100 meters of walking easy in between. This is a great workout to get you on your toes with your legs moving quickly. See the book Race Walk Faster by Training Smarter for more detailed information about training.
There are four variations of Quick Step drills that help to increase your speed, increase your turnover rate, and reduce overstriding. In addition, these drills allow you to practice getting your toes up. They also force you to straighten your knee as quickly as possible. Each variation follows the same basic steps.
Body Position
Race walk with normal leg technique.
Steps
- Walk with very short strides of 12 inches or less.
- Focus on turnover, forcing your feet to pick up and come down very quickly (Figures 7-6 through 7-8).
- Focus on planting with your heel, landing with your toe up, and rolling through smoothly.
- Focus on quieting your shoulders and torso.
The first two versions of Quick Steps are to place your Hands Behind the Back (Figure 7-9) or to place your Hands Behind Your Head (Figure 7-10). This causes the hips to be forced to move without the aid of the arms pumping forward and back, thus also helping you develop forward hip rotation.
You can also try the Superman variation (Figure 7-11) where you place your hands out in front of your body and keep your head held as steady as possible. Excessive movement of the head could cause judges to think that you are lifting. Therefore, this is good practice not only for our feet, but also for our head.
A final variation of Quick Steps is the Airplane (Figure 7-12) where you place your hands out to your sides. This helps with turnover and forward hip rotation.
