Overstride

What is Running Overstride?

Running Overstride or Overstriding happens when your foot lands too far in front of your body’s centre of mass, usually with a straight knee and your shin pointing forward. This often occurs when runners try to reach for the ground or lengthen their stride to go faster. The main issue isn’t just where your foot lands, but what happens as a result: it can increase braking forces, so each step feels like a small speed bump you have to push past.

Your analysis report will give you an indication of what an elite athlete would achieve if they ran at your analysis speed.

It’s important to understand overstriding because it can affect how well you run and your risk of injury. More braking and longer time on the ground can make running feel tougher at the same speed and may lower your running efficiency. It can also put extra stress on areas like your shins, knees, hips, and lower back, especially if you don’t have enough strength or mobility.

To improve, try landing with your foot closer to under your hips, keep your knee soft and slightly bent, and let your stride extend behind you instead of reaching forward. Simple changes like increasing your cadence a bit, improving your posture, and doing strength exercises can help these new habits last.

Here are 5 exercises that tend to reduce overstriding by improving hip strength, stiffness/control at landing, and “pulling the ground back” mechanics. (Do 2–3 of them, 2–3x/week.)

1/ Wall drill (A-march → A-skip) 

• Teaches landing under hips with a stacked posture and quick ground contact.
• 2–3 sets of 20–30 seconds each side.

2/ Banded hip flexor drive (standing march) 

• Band around foot or ankle, drive knee up while staying tall; control the down-phase so the foot comes down under you.
• 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps each side. 

3/ Step-downs (slow eccentric) 

• Builds single-leg control so you don’t “reach” for the ground.
• 3 sets of 6–10 reps each side (3 seconds down).

4/ Single-leg Romanian deadlift 

• Strengthens posterior chain so your stride length comes from push-off behind you, not reaching forward.
• 3 sets of 6–10 reps each side.

5/ Pogos (ankle hops) 

• Improves elastic stiffness and quick contacts—often the missing piece in chronic over-striders.
• 3–5 sets of 15–25 seconds, easy-to-moderate effort.

Happy Running