Rearfoot vs Frontfoot Strike
The other day I ran into a data report on the differences between ‘Rearfoot Strike’ and ‘Frontfoot Strike’ with pitchers.
As beautiful as the graphs may look, they allow the subjective elements from Personal Motor Preferences to slip through.
What is the real cause of ‘Rearfoot Strike’ and ‘Frontfoot Strike’ with pitchers?
It’s just the difference in Natural Personal Motor Preferences between individuals!
Anterior Muscle Chain Dominant Athletes will have:
* Higher activation of ankle flexors
* Dorsiflexion of the ankle joint
* Landing more towards the heel
* In front of the COG
* The support leg is more bent
* Pelvis tilted more back
* Upper body more flexed
* Unwinding the foot rather in pronation
Posterior Muscle Chain Dominant Athletes will have:
* Higher activation of the ankle extensors
* Plantar flexion of the ankle joint
* Landing more towards the heel
* At the COG
* The support leg is straighter
* Shoulders and upper body more upright
* Little unwinding of the foot
So it has nothing to do with good or wrong, it all has to do with the Laws of Individual Motor Preferences, which have been so woven into their personality and motor skills from the outset, in such a way that coaches and trainers have no choice but to join them.