In Absolute Speed, where should contact with the ground occur relative to the center of mass?

• A. As far from the center of mass as possible
• B. Directly under the center of mass
• C. As close to the center of mass as possible
• D. Ahead of the center of mass by several inches

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that ground contact should happen as close as possible to the vertical projection of your center of mass. When the foot lands near directly under the center of mass, the ground reaction force lines up with your body’s forward momentum, so most of the force you generate goes into speeding you forward rather than slowing you down. If the foot lands ahead of the center of mass, you create a braking effect that hinders acceleration. Landing too far from the center of mass can also disrupt balance and waste energy. So the best practice is to strike as close to the center of mass as possible, ideally directly under it.