Form fundamentals
Hip Extension at Toe-off
Whether your stride finishes behind your body — where propulsion actually comes from.
What it is
At toe-off, your thigh should be ~10° or more past vertical, behind you. That trailing-leg position is where the glutes deliver propulsion. Runners with tight hip flexors cut the stride short and compensate by reaching out in front instead.
Why it matters
Limited hip extension is the hidden cause behind a lot of overstriding: the stride length has to come from somewhere, and if it can't come from behind, it comes from ahead — with braking attached.
How we detect it
At each detected toe-off we measure the hip→knee segment against vertical (positive = knee behind hip), median across strides.
How to fix it
Daily couch stretch is the highest-leverage 90 seconds in running. Add hill strides to groove the feeling of finishing the push behind you.
Recommended drills
- •Couch stretch (2x45s/side, daily)
- •Single-leg glute bridges (3x12/side)
- •Hill strides (6x10s)
Run these 2-3x per week. Expect to feel a change in form 4-6 weeks in.