It's -17C outside (w/o wind chill), and I couldn't be happier that my 2h cycling workout is done from this morning. Writing to you from sweatpants today.

You’ve probably heard the claim: "A forefoot strike reduces impact forces compared to a heel strike." It sounds simple. It’s also misleading. Skimmable highlights below.

Here’s what actually happens when you land while running:

1️⃣ There’s an initial ground contact force—that first spike when your foot touches down.
2️⃣ Your whole body continues moving over the foot until mid-stance.
3️⃣ Peak ground reaction forces occur at mid-stance, no matter how you land, and they are insignificantly different no matter how you decide to strike the ground in running.

That last part is the kicker—peak forces are the same across all foot strike types. The study I’ve linked below proves it.

👉 TLDR: Forefoot striking doesn’t magically eliminate impact—it just changes how forces are distributed. I've written about that previously but let me know if you need further clarification.

If you want to reduce your injury risk, obsessing over where your foot lands won’t get you far. Instead, focus on how your body absorbs and handles load over time.

📖 Read the study HERE. THIS one is also good.

This section is for my current go-to glute med exercises... because a weak glute med is one of the most common things associated with running injuries.

Last time, I promised I’d share my favourite glute med exercises. Here’s what I’ve been experimenting with:

• ​Clamshell isometric – I've written extensively (like here) about tendinopathies and so my morning routine currently contains clamshell isometrics in different degrees of hip extension. If my glute med tendon is sore after a run, I include a few extra sets of these afterwards and the pain goes away.
• ​Bosch hip lock – this is a "pelvic drop" exercise of sorts, popularized by Frans Bosch, and VITAL-ized by myself and Nick with added resistance band to make the shortening contraction harder. This is one of the exercises you can find on Hip Foundations.
• ​Single leg romanian deadlifts – This is said to be one of the OG's of glute med strength and the graph below agrees. TBH I don't feel it in the glute med when I do it but that doesn't mean it's not being worked.

Here's a list of even more glute med exercises and how they rank from lowest activation (good for early stages of rehab) and highest activation (when you're ready to progress & overload).

Let me know what you think or what you've been using

ICYMI: We're opening up our 3rd ever The Conditioning Workshop to Calgary for September long this year. You won't want to miss it. We already have a few sign ups even though it's 8 months away.

Reply back if you have any questions — I reply 100% of the time.

Yours in physiology,

Carla