How do I know if I am overstriding?
You are overstriding if, on a side-view video paused at the moment your foot hits the ground, the ankle sits well ahead of your hip and the knee is nearly straight.
The one frame that tells you
You cannot feel overstriding reliably. You can see it. Film yourself from the side and pause on the first frame where the foot touches the ground. Then look at three things.
- Where is the ankle? If it is well ahead of the hip, that is reach.
- Is the knee bent? A straight or nearly straight knee at contact is the second sign.
- Which way does the shin point? A shin that leans back toward you, heel first with toes up, completes the picture.
A runner who lands with the foot close under the hip, knee soft and shin near vertical, is not overstriding. It does not matter which part of the foot touches first. See what overstriding looks like for the full picture.
What overstriding feels like
Some clues show up without a camera. None of them proves it, but together they point the same way.
- Your steps sound loud or slap the ground.
- Your cadence is low for your pace. Count your steps for one minute at easy pace. Under about 160 is worth a look. See how to count your running cadence.
- You feel a small jolt through the heel and shin on each step.
- Your shins or the front of your knees complain after longer runs. Overstriding is often linked with those areas. A video shows the stride, not the cause.
Why you cannot trust the mirror
Runners who overstride usually think they run normally. The reach happens in a fraction of a second. On a treadmill mirror you watch your upper body, not the landing. This is why the check has to be a paused frame, not a feeling.
The filming setup matters. Put the phone at hip height, about 3 to 4 metres to the side, in landscape. A phone on the ground makes every runner look like they lean back. How to film yourself running covers the setup.
How to check it with Caden
- Tap Run a new analysis and set up a side-on shot. Film 10 to 20 seconds at your usual easy pace.
- Read the Where your foot lands dial on the results screen. It measures how far the ankle lands ahead of the hip as a fraction of leg length. A low score with the note "Reaching too far ahead" means you overstride.
- Tap Breakpoints then Foot strike. The landing ankle is circled and the hip is marked. You can see the gap for yourself.
- Open the Exercises tab. If landing is your lowest score, a 4 or 8 week plan starts with cadence and quick-feet drills.
FAQ
Can I tell if I overstride without filming?
Not for certain. Loud footfalls, a low step count and a jolt through the heel all suggest it. Only a paused side-view frame shows where the foot lands.
Is heel striking the same as overstriding?
No. Heel striking is which part of the foot touches first. Overstriding is where the foot lands compared with the hip. You can heel strike under your body and be fine.
Does everyone overstride a little?
The foot always lands a bit ahead of the hip at easy pace. The question is how far. A gap of a quarter of leg length or more, with a straight knee, is the pattern worth fixing. The fix is at how to stop overstriding.