The best runners know that symmetry matters. When you apply force equally on the left and right sides of your body, you become a more efficient—and faster—runner. More importantly, you’re less prone to injury.
Ground Contact Time (GCT) Balance is a metric that can help improve your running symmetry.
In this article, get up to speed on ground contact time balance and see our five tips for improving running symmetry.
What is ground contact time?
To understand ground contact time balance, let’s start with ground contact time, or GCT for short. This is the length of time your foot is in contact with the ground when running. For most runners, a GCT between 200 and 300 milliseconds is normal. Elite distance runners are capable of sub-200ms ground contact times.
The ground contact portion of your running gait is also known as the stance phase. The stance phase starts with the initial foot strike, continues through the ‘load bearing’ midstance, and ends with toe-off.
Why does ground contact time matter?
Running speed relies on the ability to apply force through the ground quickly. The faster you can apply force through the ground, the quicker you will be propelled forward.
Scientists have studied the link between…
Source link
CHECK OUT THE LATEST: Exercise Bikes On Sale