Does one running technique fit all?
Updated: Dec 14, 2023
Again and again, many supporters of Estonian football try to find a magic wand that would help us out of the "mud" and bring the results of the national team to at least the same level as they were during the wonderful EURO 2012 selection cycle guided by Tarmo Rüütli.
It is repeatedly concluded that Estonian players get into trouble at the international level precisely because of their poor running technique [1] and that athletics coaches could be one of the lifelines of Estonian football.
Technique vs Technique (Physiological Differences)
Every person is different: differences can occur in gender, age, height, weight, mobility, as well as in the composition of muscle fibers, hormonal balance, heart rate, etc. Our physiological characteristics even influence how we perceive one or another situation in our environment (Harris et al., 2015).
While a person 1.60 m tall may see a huge distance and effort in reaching the jar of jam on the highest step of the kitchen shelf, a person with a height of 2.31 m may not present much of a challenge to reach the same jar of jam. The way one or the other picks up this jar of jam from the shelf certainly looks very different.
Basketball players Manute Bol (2.31 m) and Muggsy Bogues (1.60 m) played the same game, but their execution technique could be very different due to their physiological characteristics. Photo: Focus on Sport
Much has been said about the running technique of the four-time Olympic champion and eight-time world champion sprinter Michael Johnson. In an interview in 2016, Johnson mentioned [2] that since he was little, his running technique was made fun of because it just looked weird compared to others.
Regardless of the fact that he beat everyone and broke records, there were still people who took running technique as something with a set of norms and aesthetics. However, in both athletics and football, style points are not awarded for performance, and therefore it does not matter how the goal is reached — it only matters whether the goal was achieved within the rules of the game or not.
Of course, there are certain general points of reference that should be used to act effectively in a certain environment and situation. Whether the activity is running, jumping or dribbling the ball, hitting and catching it — you don't hit a "bomb" with a soft foot and you don't run over your heel quickly. But trying to forcefully change the natural biomechanics of a person's actions ("one size fits all") can work exactly the opposite of what was hoped for, because perhaps the athlete's unique characteristics have not been taken into account.
Running Technique vs Running Technique (Differences in Running)
If you compare the running technique of a sprinter and a long-distance runner, it is clear even to a person without a physical education degree that they are different. After all, both are involved in running, but there are nuances in their performance that are unique only to the specifics of their field.
The environment in which and with which intention we are currently performing our activities determines to a large extent how we perform our activities. Suppose a marathon runner suddenly decides at the start that today he is going to try to win by sprinting the entire distance at maximum speed. He probably won't last long in this run, and the consequences could be even worse than just stopping with legs full of lactate.
On the contrary: if a sprinter were to complete his 100 meters in the way that long-distance runners run a marathon, he would most likely miss the joy of victory, because this running technique does not allow him to function with maximum efficiency in the given environment.
According to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, those species that can best adapt to their environment will survive. Just as dinosaurs became extinct after extreme changes in their environment, so too do athletes who are unable to adapt to their specific challenging sporting environment.
Sprinter's Running Technique vs Football Player's Running Technique (Differences in Sports)
Football has become more and more intense over time, which means that players perform more explosive actions during the game. A study conducted in the English Premier League revealed that between 2006 and 2013, the number of sprints performed in the game had increased by as much as 80%, while the total distance covered decreased by 2% (Barnes et al., 2014).
Football is an intense interval sport. Example of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Even with the best of intentions, it is not possible to just sprint for 90 minutes in a row, so the teams try to choose the most favorable moments to outplay the opponent, while attacking in a way that does not leave their home defenseless. In this way, today's top football seems to jump between two extremes: periods of very high intensity and lots of explosive activities, and then a calm recovery (Fransson, Krustrup & Mohr, 2017).
The main reason for such changes may lie in the fact that most teams are able to defend in a compact and organized manner [3], which in turn means that scoring a goal requires even more cunning and quickness to act at the right moment.
But if football players sprint more and more in the game, why does their running technique differ from that of a sprinter? The following video could provide the answer.
The running technique of a top football player can be very different from that of a top sprinter.
The example of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Namely, during any football activity, the situation can change in an instant, and therefore the players must be ready for sudden braking or changes of direction, even when running at maximum speed. While in athletics only the maximum speed counts, which is specifically one-way, in football the actions are multi-directional and relative to the situation in the game (you have to be in the right place at the right time).
I am certainly not trying to say here that speed is of no use to players in football. The whole world is looking for agile players and they are ready to pay millions for them. A smart fast player is better than a smart slow player. But if you don't know how to use this speed, i.e. you start your activity from a bad position, with bad timing, in a wrong direction and inability to brake at the right moment, then this speed has less meaning in the football game.
Why don't sprinters just stop immediately after crossing the finish line? Since only absolute speed matters in the context of their sport and braking is unproductive, their running technique and training is mostly focused on how to function most efficiently in their environment.
Footballballer's running technique vs Footballballer's running technique (difference between player, his role and situation)
At any given time, the player finds himself in a new situation that calls for different football actions (opening, pressing, passing, etc.). In addition to the fact that each player has unique physiological characteristics, they also play in different positions and perform different tasks.
Different situations in the game call for actions with different execution techniques.
In the video above, you can identify the various ways players move around the field. If you focus your attention on the defender who tries to stay in front of the opponent moving with the ball to slow him down, you can see that in addition to the usual movement in front of the face, football players must be able to move at high speeds also in side and backways. At the same time, you have to read the constantly changing game situation, correct your position and maintain your balance.
A comparison could be made with the 100 m run, where the sprinters are allowed to have false-starts, they will step in front of each other on the track, lightly nudge each other with their hands, and to top it all off, the judge informs in the middle of the run that the finish line is now in a completely different direction! Football players often find themselves in such chaotic situations, where it is impossible to apply one specific way of movement and at high speeds you have to instinctively constantly invent a new bike.
In a nutshell:
Each person is unique and therefore perceives and acts in their environment differently from others. There is no "one size fits all" technique for performing actions (except sports, where success is measured by HOW you do something).
In order to function as efficiently as possible, one and the same action in a different environment can be performed with a different technique (adaptation).
Even when running at high speeds, football players must be ready for braking and changes of direction. This means that in football, speed is first of all relative to the respective situation in the game (you have to be in the right place at the right time), which in turn means that in football and, for example, athletics, you may run with different techniques (specificity of the sport).
The technical execution of football actions can vary according to the physiological characteristics of the player, the position on the field, the role, the tasks set by the coach and, above all, the situation in the game (the bicycle has to be reinvented every time).
Conclusion
As long as a player's technique does not limit him from successfully performing football actions, it would be wise to keep the main training focus on the aspects that he/she is most likely to gain more from when playing football (for example, better positioning, timing, direction and appropriate speed). This does not mean that one cannot or should not work on polishing the biomechanics of the player's movements more efficiently — it is a matter of priorities arising from profitability.
However, if the player's way of moving significantly limits his performance, then he/she should be helped, and first of all in a football environment, because by solving the problem in its specific environment, you can be sure that a new, better skill has been acquired on the most practical level.
If for some reason this is not feasible or does not work, then one possible step is to train running technique in isolation from the football environment. This is where athletic trainers can be of great help. It is important for football coaches to be able to ask the right questions through football glasses and for athletics coaches to understand the peculiarities of football actions resulting from the characteristics of football, the player's position and tasks (Caldbeck, Dos'Santos, 2022).
Through such a discussion, the probability increases that the solution will not remain only on the athletics track (better running), but better performance on the football field will be achieved through cooperation.
References:
[1] Märt Roosna, Jaanus Kriisk (2019). Treener: 0-8 pole põhjus vaid tagajärg. Nii Eesti jalgpalli kui ka kergejõustiku juhtimine on autoritaarne ja ebademokraatlik. Delfi. https://sport.delfi.ee/artikkel/86507983/treener-0-8-pole-pohjus-vaid-tagajarg-nii-eesti-jalgpalli-kui-ka-kergejoustiku-juhtimine-on-autoritaarne-ja-ebademokraatlik
[1] Jaanus Kriisk (2020). Avalik kiri Eesti jalgpalluri lapsevanemale. Postimees. https://sport.postimees.ee/7112747/jaanus-kriiski-kolumn-avalik-kiri-eesti-jalgpalluri-lapsevanemale
[1] Gerd Kanter (2021). Eesti sportlaste jooksutehnilised oskused ei ole alati kõige paremad. Spordipühapäev. https://sport.err.ee/1608077050/eesti-sportlaste-jooksutehnilised-oskused-ei-ole-alati-koige-paremad
[1] Ville Arike, viide Jaanus Kriiski kolumnile ( 2022). Aivar Pohlak, palun jõulist avaldust, et Eesti jalgpalli on tabanud fiasko ja tuleb hakata vigu parandama. Postimees. https://sport.postimees.ee/7489623/kolumn-ville-arike-aivar-pohlak-palun-joulist-avaldust-et-eesti-jalgpalli-on-tabanud-fiasko-ja-tuleb-hakata-vigu-parandama
[2] Olympian Michael Johnson on how he learned to love his 'funny' upright running style
[3] TechnicalReport - 2018 FIFA World Cup, Russia 2018
Harris Laurence R., Carnevale Michael J., D’Amour Sarah, Fraser Lindsey E., Harrar Vanessa, Hoover Adria E. N., Mander Charles, Pritchett Lisa M. (2015). How our body influences our perception of the world. Frontiers in Psychology, 6. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00819
Barnes, Chris & Archer, David & Hogg, Robert & Bush, Michael & Bradley, Paul. (2014). The Evolution of Physical and Technical Performance Parameters in the English Premier League. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 35. 10.1055/s-0034-1375695.''
Dan Fransson, Peter Krustrup & Magni Mohr (2017) Running intensity fluctuations indicate temporary performance decrement in top-class football, Science and Medicine in Football, 1:1, 10-17, DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2016.1254808
Caldbeck P, Dos’Santos T (2022) A classification of specific movement skills and patterns during sprinting in English Premier League soccer. PLOS ONE 17(11): e0277326. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277326
留言