05/07/2026
What makes you efficient uphill? šļø
New research in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics shows that ankle plantar flexor work is the key biomechanical predictor of better running economy on steep (10%) uphill grades.
ā
Not the hips
ā
Not the knees
ā”ļø The ankles do the work when the grade gets steep
Trail runners in the study also showed:
⢠Better uphill economy
⢠Greater ankle contribution
š Coaching takeaway: If you want to improve uphill performance, train the calves.
Check out Rachel Robinson's recent publication here: https://lnkd.in/g88siBmu