extreme calf fatique from running - JP Fitness Forums

karky · 02-12-2008, 11:16 AM

Whenever I run, my calfs tire, get stiff and hurt very quickly. It's actually so quickly that I doubt it's "normal fatique" I think there must be some kind of imbalance or something as it's almost instant. It limits the duration of my runs more than my cardiovascular ability, which is really annoying. Anyone ever had this? It doesn't seem to get better as I train either; it still gets tired and stiff as soon as it did when I started training.

sg516 · 02-12-2008, 11:21 AM

yeah my calves used to burn out really fast. i started adding calf exercises and stretches to my workouts. i was told that its from forefoot striking and that its normal. they said that peoples calves tend to be weak at first and that i needed to start out slow to avoid injury. it took a couple of weeks to get used to it and get the strength up and i can go a lot further.

thats jsut my experience though maybe you should talk to a trainer or doctor to make sure something isn't wrong.

emartin10 · 02-12-2008, 09:44 PM

Yeah man, how much are you stretching before a run? That, combined with proper hydration should work you out. The only time I get sore calves are when I don't give them a good stretch, or when I'm dehydrated. Good luck man!

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karky · 02-14-2008, 08:25 AM

stretching them before I run? static? Never tried that.. I thought it was bad to stretch a muscle before working out. The problem is not that they get sore afterwards, but they fatique and stiff up during the run.

SG, are you saying it's caused by the forefoot striking first, instead of the heel? I'm pretty sure my heel is what hits first.

thanks for the help!

sg516 · 02-14-2008, 08:53 AM

you heel strike? i was taught that it is bad to heel strike. my heel barely touches the ground during any part of my run.

sg516 · 02-14-2008, 08:55 AM

maybe you should try doing a run/walk until your calves get stronger. do a good warm up walk at a brisk pace then 5 minute run, 1 minute walk, 5 minute run, one minute walk, etc. give your calves a chance to recoup. just an idea.

emartin10 · 02-14-2008, 10:56 AM

Everybody has some sort of heel strike, just look at how they build running shoes. So much padding in the back. It's really a matter of how much you heel strike, the thought of landing on the mid-sole will help cause TOO MUCH heel strike...

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sg516 · 02-14-2008, 11:12 AM

i have been trying the evolution running. went to a clinic for it a month or so ago. anyway, one of the things that was mentioned was that a couple of his high caliber runners put masking tape on the heals of their shoes and most of them come back with very clean tape. i tried it and i still have some work to do but its not bad. my problem is vertical displacement. i have my cadence at 180-182, i forefoot strike, my foot strike is under my hips, i have a forward lean and the whole bit but i just keep straightening my back leg a little. i don;t even notice it that much until i film myself and slow it down to like 30 frames/sec and it becomes so pronounced. but the point is that there are runners that don't heel strike.

actually ken mierke (sp) was saying at the clinic that the extra heel padding was there bc the old way of thinking was that heel striking was preferable. and he said something about the shoe industry being responsible for a lot of runners' bad habits and injuries. it made sense when he said it and then mentioned the african distance runners and how they are primarily forefoot strikers bc many of them grow up running without shoes.

karky · 02-15-2008, 12:58 PM

so where are you supposed to strike, if not the heel? (I always thought it was the heel) Maybe I should try running in different shoes.. I now run in my running shoes, but I do have a pair of chucks, but I've heard they are not prefferably for running.

sg516 · 02-15-2008, 01:25 PM

running shoes are fine but its been my understanding that heel striking used to be the standard but is not not reccomended. i was told to run on the ball of the foot. the way it was explained to me is to think of which part of your foot has more natural cushion. the forefoot, or ball of the foot does and its supposed to be more structurally sound for taking the impact of running. heel striking, from what i have been told leads to injuries. stress fractures, knee problems, etc. everyone should run they way they feel most comfortable with. i am just relaying what i have been told. the fore foot running does put more strain on your calves though but you get used to it and they get a lot stronger pretty fast.

sg516 · 02-15-2008, 01:41 PM

YouTube - The Biomechanics of Running

i thought that this was a pretty good video (on mute. the music is awful except at 5:34). the body leans slightly forward frrom the ankles not the waist. the foot strikes under the hips. the hips feet and shoulders are in line. and he strikes on the fore foot. but again there is more than one way to run. everyone has their own preference.

emartin10 · 02-15-2008, 02:26 PM

That's a good video. It's interesting to see him still lead with the heel, but land mid-sole, it's almost like a little delay when most people would land, he hovers just a bit longer. I stand corrected. At very beginning though, you can see him land just slightly on his heel, which I think could just be the running shoe looking like he's hitting that way. Anyway, good vid.

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sg516 · 02-15-2008, 02:45 PM

at the clinic (sorry to bring it up again) there were a lot of people that lead with the heel (myself included) but the have a quick enough recovery so that the mid/forefoot strikes. the one thing that ken was saying about that is that it tends to cause the person doing it to make contact with the ground a couple of inches in front of the ideal position and is therefore slightly less efficient.

emartin10 · 02-15-2008, 04:49 PM

Yeah, when I get my stride, both literally and figuratively, in the summer, I get footstrike right below my hips. Just takes a bit to get me fine tuned again...

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BamaDave · 02-15-2008, 09:19 PM

I switched to the very flat, nonsupportive Puma H-Streets last June and learned forefoot or midfoot striking. I haven't taken the time to really determine whether my technique corresponds to what's recommended, but my overall leg fatigue, soreness, etc. have reduced dramatically. The only exception is the calves - I still deal with calf soreness and occasional mild injuries.

sg516 · 02-15-2008, 10:37 PM

i was thinking of trying out the nike free. but i really don't like supporting that company. are the shoes you have basically the same kind of thing?

Cynic · 02-15-2008, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karky

stretching them before I run? static? Never tried that.. I thought it was bad to stretch a muscle before working out.

Before lifting weights, not cardio.

karky · 02-16-2008, 05:06 AM

so stretching the calves might be a good idea before a run? I'll try that.

Thanks for the vid, it was really helpful! I'm doing it all wrong! I'm gonna work on that the next time I run.

Karen P · 04-07-2008, 06:07 PM

I also have problems with my calves when I run. I have to stretch them out really really good before I run as well as after or I'll be so sore I can't walk. I think I just have bad form where I sort of go up on my toes more than a normal person might. I'm really not sure what it is. But I've found that if I run a little to get warmed up and then do some really intense stretches for my calves, and then stretch again in the end, I'm hardly sore at all.

Every once and a while I get confident and think I can skip stretchin