Lunge technique - landing with the heel

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by catman, Jan 18, 2014.

  1. catman

    catman Regular Member

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    I've been looking at some videos on footwork and they say when lunging land on your heels and roll forward.

    Isn't landing on the heel bad for the body? I read the foot is designed in such a way that the forefoot should be the first to hit the ground so it can absorb most of the shock. If the heel hits the ground then the shock is transferred up the leg to the knees and hips.

    If anyone can shed light on this, it would be much appreciated.
     
  2. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    forefoot landing is more for running, when the foot lands during running, the leg is around perpendicular to the ground. (at least for runners with the "proper" technique) so landing on forefoot make sense. the arch of the feet is what is buffering the shock.

    bad runners lands on the heel.

    however, for lunge, the leg is around 45 degree from the ground, and the sponginess of the forefoot/arch isn't that useful at that angle.
     
  3. sautom88

    sautom88 Regular Member

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    Moreover, that's where expensive shoes are worth their prices. They are much more supportive and somehow minimizes the movements and shocks transferred to yr ankles.;)
     
  4. catman

    catman Regular Member

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    This question came to mind when I came across barefoot running videos on youtube. They were claiming running shoes were causing foot problems.
     
  5. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    as kwun says, just simple biomechanics defines the difference in how you land on your feet on a lunge vs after a jump smash for eg.

    lunge: land on heel first. if you try landing on your forefoot, you'll likely twist your ankle, so don't!

    jump smash: land on forefoot first. if you try landing on your heels, you'll transfer shock to your knees and spine
     
  6. catman

    catman Regular Member

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    Is there another movement that can be used other than the lunge to replace the lunge. I am trying to avoid landing on my heel.

    But as kwun said - landing on an angle will reduce the force that is being placed on the heel.
     
  7. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    i think you might have misunderstood me.

    i should have elaborated on my last sentence:

    however, for lunge, the leg is around 45 degree from the ground, and the sponginess of the forefoot/arch isn't that useful at that angle. therefore, landing on the heel is the only possible way. the key is to land on the heel and roll the rest of the feet (forefoot) forward. this provides some small buffering due to the biomechanics of the feet.

     
  8. catman

    catman Regular Member

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    I understood what you were saying. I'm just trying to see if there is a way to avoid the heel strike all together in trying to reach the shuttle.
     
  9. pBmMalaysia

    pBmMalaysia Regular Member

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    There is a way! But it comes in as a joke only so not practical, that is to throw yourself around that area to lift the shuttle LOL. Joke aside, there is only one way of lunging - heel first then bent knee slightly. From there, your forefoot would then be automatically flat on the floor. This footwork also applies to blocking a side smash. Only use your forefoot to move to the net area when you are near such as taping or receiving low service. :)
     
  10. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Yes. Land how you want with your lunge foot and take an extra step forward with the other foot. It would not be efficient movement for a game but you do see it sometimes done.
     
  11. captaincook

    captaincook Regular Member

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    If you don't use your foot as stated by Kwun... then you will land on your belly. We call that diving, not lunging. It is used by professional players too....lol.

    But seriously, if you lunge and land on your forefoot, you may hurt your ankle. If you lunge and land with 90 degree and on forefoot, you pay the price with your knee.

    Not sure why you are avoiding the heel..... maybe a good pair of shoes with better cushioning at the heel?
     
  12. 0ozafo0

    0ozafo0 Regular Member

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    I used to lunge with forefoot, and that's a bad idea.
    If you don't break your ankle while doing that, you end up with some pretty terrible knee pain and shin splints. This is caused by improper loading on the leg muscles, namely your quadriceps. Your quads will build up tightness from the loading and put a immense amount of pressure on the ligimants surrounding your knee (patella to be specific).

    Associated problems can be tearing of the ACL, LCL, and tendonitis of all sorts in your knee.

    Source: roommate's a physiotherapist
     
  13. catman

    catman Regular Member

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    Thanks everyone - I understand the Lunge - requires heel to touch down first knee back.
    I was thinking perhaps there is another move that could accomplish the same result without lunging. Cheung suggestion above sounds interesting. Again, I'm only a recreational player - so I'd rather save my body than have the most efficient movement.
     
  14. SmashAndDash

    SmashAndDash Regular Member

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    ^
    If you really want to avoid lunging, then yes, just take an extra step with your non racket leg after landing on the racket leg, as Cheung suggested. Basically this would be like if you were jogging, and then decided to stop using two steps: racket leg, then nonracket leg. Or I suppose, you could land hhowever you like if you're not going to bother with lunging.

    IMO, I don't think you'll hurt yourself playing recreationally with lunges unless
    1. You take very deep lunges
    2. You land very hard (either you are heavy, or you don't have the muscle control to land softly)

    If you decide to always land without lunging, you're basically restricting yourself from being able to reach the really low shots (you'll always be upright, because you don't lunge). If you try to catch low shots, you'll end up reaching by bending your back (injury risk!) instead of getting low with a lunge. Really, even on the recreational level, this sport requires lots of stop-and-go acceleration/negative acceleration, and those forces will impact somewhere on the body—you can't avoid it.
     
  15. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Just out of curiosity, what kind of shoes are you wearing to play with, such that you don't want to land on your heel?
     
  16. catman

    catman Regular Member

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    I end up lunging because I'm late getting to the shuttle - mostly on drops at the net. But I don't land softly, I didn't even realize you can land softly on a lunge. I am about 20lbs over weight. I need to investigate lunging technique if I'm supposed to land it softly. Thanks.
     
  17. catman

    catman Regular Member

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    I play badminton using Mizuno Wave - I believe these are Volleyball shoes - I find they have more cushioning than Badminton shoes and last longer. As I mentioned before the barefoot runners were saying - heel is not meant be used to make contact with the ground first - so I was trying to use the feet the way it's designed to be used (I'm not sure - not a doctor)
     
  18. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    My kids tend to land hard with the leading foot and with the foot turned inwards. I am working on correcting these. Trying to work in the concept of after the placement of the lunge, the knee and muscles act like a spring to absorb the force.
     
  19. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    catman, if you've seen fencing, you'll understand how a lunge is performed. Go watch it on YouTube if you haven't.
     
  20. SmashAndDash

    SmashAndDash Regular Member

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    I'll have to look up the appropriate articles/studies, but landing on the midfoot/forefoot is only "better" in the context of running. A natural/healthy walking gait has the heel-to-toe roll we want to do in lunges. That heel-toe roll does absorb shock. (I'll be back with articles/studies, if you want)

    The "proper" running gait and walking gait are very different, because the forces involved are different. The forces in lunging in badminton are also different from running. When you run, you land and the push to propel yourself forward. In badminton, you lunge to stop movement, and the recovery movement is separate
     

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