Trail descents play a crucial role in the world of trail running. It’s often said that trails are conquered uphill but lost downhill—a pivotal phase where the margins for success widen. With a bit of practice and sound technical advice, you can not only save time during descents but also conserve energy, minimizing muscle fatigue. Enhance your descend trail running skills with our valuable tips and avoid common mistakes for better performance and safety.
Trails present varying degrees of steepness and technical challenges during descents. To develop proficiency, we advocate for a gradual approach. Avoid extended, steep descents initially, allowing your muscles to acclimate to the demands and preventing stiffness.
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Why do descents hurt your legs?
Understanding why descents can be tough on your legs is essential. Muscles engage in eccentric descent, slowing down the leg extension movement. It’s often described as “breaking fibers” downhill, which doesn’t imply muscle damage but rather refers to small tears in the muscle fiber membranes known as aponeuroses. As these membranes reconstruct, the muscle fibers gain strength and resilience.
Here are our recommendations for a successful descent in trail running:
Lean Slightly Forward: Contrary to the instinctive reflex of leaning back, leaning slightly forward places less stress on the quadriceps and minimizes upper body contraction. Position your bust forward, ideally perpendicular to the slope, ensuring your center of gravity is directly above the point of support, reducing stress on knees and pelvis.
Stay Relaxed: Maintain a relaxed posture to stabilize your center of gravity, conserve energy, and maintain a steady breathing pattern. Your arms play a crucial role as stabilizers.
Look Ahead: Anticipate the trail ahead, adapt your stride to the terrain, and calculate the optimal trajectory. The ideal path may not always be the shortest but one that allows you to navigate natural elements effectively.
Breathe Effectively: Focus on proper breathing, exhaling with each breath to avoid side stitches during the descent.
Strengthen Muscles: Incorporate plyometric exercises, such as leaps and squat jumps, to prepare your muscles for the eccentric/concentric demands of descending. Work on core strength and abdominal posture to minimize back pain.
Adapt Stride to Slope: Adjust your stride based on the slope. Use light zigzags for steeper descents to brake naturally, and reduce stride length to decrease impact and minimize the risk of falling.
How to apply these tips?
To put these tips into practice, consistently train on various slopes and terrains, including roots, stones, and rocks. Perform booster sessions regularly, ensuring they are spaced at least three days before a race to stay fresh.
Urban runners can incorporate stair descents into their training regimen, providing an effective workout for muscles engaged in eccentric activity.
While a certain degree of innate ability contributes to descending prowess, consistent training will significantly enhance your skills. Gradually, the apprehension of technical descents diminishes.
In conclusion, effective management of effort is paramount. Avoid reaching the summit completely exhausted, preserving energy for a strong descent. You’ll be amazed at the time you can save by maintaining a bit of reserve for the downhill stretches—a secret weapon in the world of descend trail running 😉