What Moves a Walker Forward

by Mike Rohl

A summation in part, based on Guten, et al: Kinematic analyses of the racewalking gait. In the 1981-82, study the lead researcher, Guten, tested, using electro-mylographic techniques, the amount of muscle contraction and sequence of those muscles in competitive racewalkers. They compared the results from studies done on the "normal" walking gait. While the subjects were not named one was described as a 6-2 142 lb Olympian and American Record Holder the other was described as 5-10 148 lb Olympian and American Record Holder. For those who never met them at that time, there could only be two individuals who fit that description: James Heiring and Marco Evonik. The conclusion was that racewalking used basically the same muscles in sequence as normal walking only the muscle activity was higher.

Now, what follows is a description based on the above mentioned study (and other texts on human movement) of the sequence or order that the primary muscles fire during the swing phase. Starting from the double support phase assuming that the rear leg has a relatively straight knee. For our purpose it does not matter where the front foot is placed but we will assume the "classic" form with the front foot slightly in front of the body, heel touching and toes pointing relatively up.

At toe off the popliteus acts to "unlock" or unstraighten the knee. Next the "hamstrings," which would be the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris, contract concentrically. While all three act, the biceps femoris, the largest of the three, is the prime mover. Because the B.F. is the "outside" or lateral of the three it also causes a slight abduction in the anterior tibialis (shin bone) causing the foot to turn outward, slightly.

This movement places the body in single support phase with one leg in "swing" phase. The knee of that leg would now be at between 90 and 100 degrees.

At this point the rectus femoris, which is the "center" of the four quadriceps, and is a bi-articular muscle (meaning it crosses two joints, can absorb some kinetic energy and its "fixed" point can change) in conjunction with the sartorius, contract concentrically to "pull the swing leg forward. For this action the "fixed" point is the knee meaning that the R.F. is acting on the femur. This action brings the athlete in to the full up right position where the swing leg is now "in line" or parallel to the support leg. At this point the muscles which act to bring the swing leg forward have completed the movement.

While this is happens the diagonal or external oblique which was placed in its most stretched position during the double support phase, contracts "rotating" the iliac crest forward. This is what causes forward hip rotation or more properly trunk rotation.

The Illiopsoas then contracts "lifting" the thigh into that "knee forward" position. Three of the quadriceps, the vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and the R.F. then contract bringing the tibia (whole lower leg) forward 65- 75 degrees where the Vastus medialis contracts bringing the knee the final 15 degrees to the straight or "locked" position. It is interesting the R.F. serves a dual action and in the second the relative fixed point changes from the knee to the hip and is facilitated by that muscles unique "plume" shape and its many enervation points.

Throughout the movement the stabilizing muscles of the foot, (digitorum longus, brevis, hallucus longus and peroneus to name a few) are acting with the anterior tibialis to bring the foot into a dorsi-flexed, (toe up) position.

The now fully elongated and eccentrically contracted hamstrings, the gluteus medius and maximus and minimus act to bring the leg into the "touchdown" position There is also some aid here from a series of low back muscles.

Half of the racewalking cycle is complete.

When examining each movement it is important to understand where each muscle is, what movement it may cause, where its insertion and origin may be, and if it is uni-articular or bi-articular. What I have described is the "prime" movers and their actions on the limbs in the swing phase of the racewalking movement. I did not go into all the stabilizers as the point of the discussion has become "what moves a walker forward." It is important to note that all of the actions described act only on the limbs. The first lesson in human movement is that to produce movement the body must act on an outside plane. I.e. ground, wall, opponent etc.

This "pulling" in the swing phase does advance the stride of the racewalker, but beyond placing the leg in the "catch" position it does not provide for the forward movement of the walker. Granted, you can not move forward effectively with out this phase. In fact, if you stop a racewalker's or a runner's or even a walker's swing phase leg they will trip. Their momentum will continue but because the swing phase is interrupted and the "catch position" is not complete, the result is a tragic and sometimes comic fall.

The energy for forward movement comes from the calf and gravity.  In order to produce an action you must have something to act on and the only muscles that act against the ground are those of the posterior leg and feet. The "calves" simply lift the body up and forward and gravity does the rest. It is a push-fall-catch movement just like running, vaulting hurdling and jumping. The only difference is that in those events the very powerful quads are allowed to act with more mechanical advantage because of the bent knee, which incidentally, is why bent-kneed athletes can go so much faster then those with straight knees.

The fact that this "pulling" movement does not provide forward propulsion does not demean its importance. Strong quads and abdomen are very important to racewalking. Also, as a coaching technique, or maybe used as a verbal cue telling an athlete to concentrate on the swing or "pull" phase, may enable the athlete to better their turnover rate that a coach desires.

As for forward momentum gained from this movement of “pulling” the leg forward. It is minimized (but not eliminated) by the eccentrically contracting hamstrings, and in the case of very high level athletes the “negative” foot speed and in the case of lower level athletes the “touchdown” position.

A last point here. At no point does the walker ever "pull" him self forward at the heel strike with his hamstring and gluteus muscles. The hamstrings are already contracting eccentrically and the gluteus muscles are at a very poor mechanical advantage with hips not being flexed.

Racewalking obeys the same rules of movement as any other event. While a jumper certainly benefits from a hard knee thrust it is still the leg that is pushing against the ground that provides the great majority of energy needed to break the gravitational pull. In that cases the knee drive keeps the momentum generated in the right direction.

Net Links:

Racewalking Techniques and Training

Walking Techniques and Training