What I generally see with a “bending at the waist” runner (this is just a version of anterior pelvic tilt) is excessive heel striking, run cross over gait, lateral shifting of the pelvis, non support side pelvis drop and lower cadence. The theory is (hard to prove) that this all starts with anterior pelvic tilt. Jay Dichary (run gait researcher and expert) calls this the “toilet bowl” posture because once it starts, everything goes down the drain.
Yes- chicken v. egg. Great post, and very difficult to apply with the limited research. My current proposed research (still waiting on the approval) is working toward pelvic position, but the intervention is extremely problematic. Primarily because length of time to remediate the position, all of the potential ways identified thus far to correct, and then still the need to control external factors such as training variables and lifestyle. So although the work won’t even begin to see that iceberg, I’ll at least start getting at the 7% above surface. Plus, compounding the issue is what is the endstate- better performance or injury reduction? Just because performance and efficiency may be increased, doesn’t mean that injury potential is reduced, and vice-versa. Probably a happy medium between the two…
I am intrigued by the idea of using strides to fix run gait.
My observation is what you stated on motor learning transfer. We use strides at the end of every run for general speed and perceptions of what “right” feels like, but it’s within the context of factoring in individual differences. In other words, no specific drills, skips, bounds, etc, but rather a random distance and rep amount from which athletes transition from a standstill, to a slow run, to perceived 5k speed, and ease out of it (maybe 60-80m). Walk the recovery. Allowing them the freedom to discover their own lumbo-pelic-hip control in speed provides enough variability to get the benefits.
I can, in many cases, get the runners to feel their glutes engage while running for the first time.
Amazing how when a runner feels this for the first time, and then is able to assimilate it, the light bulb moment occurs. For many, when they do finally feel this, they realize that footstrike position, spm, and toe off, etc, all become small and minimal in the grand scheme of running. Many of those things still matter and are contributing factors, but are more fine tuning than major areas of focus.
But, you are right…not an easy fix.