If you’ve been reading about barefoot running styles, you’re probably a little confused about the difference between a midfoot strike and Pose technique. Really, they are only slightly different, and they accomplish the same thing. A midfoot strike simply means a greater length of the foot is permitted to touch the ground, whereas proper Pose form dictates that only the ball of the foot should make contact with the ground.
Pose/Midfoot
As you can see, the Pose portion (red) allocates a slightly smaller area of contact. Also, runners using a midfoot strike often have just a slightly longer stride, as they are able to “reach” more with their feet.
It does not matter which method you choose. The main tenet of both concepts is the elimination of the heel strike. All else is secondary in running form. To see a detailed analysis of why the heel-strike is harmful, check out Barefoot Running & Injuries.
If you would like to learn more about Pose Method and its implications, check out this handy tutorial.
