# Unconventional and poor running style -- ever hear of "dishing?" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2021, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011 "2021-06-10T22:46:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/1 "2021-06-10T22:46:33Z")
I was reading a mystery story, written by a Brit, in which a suspect was recognized by his very bad style of running, which they called “dishing.” I didn’t really understand the fairly brief description, but it sounded like the feet were going sideways part of the time instead of forward and back. I can’t picture it except for running like a Jerry Lewis boy character, which doesn’t seem likely in context. I tried to find a video showing it, but was unsuccessful. So that’s what I really want, to see it in a video. But a clear description or definition would also be excellent. I tried looking it up in dictionaries but couldn’t find anything much, unless it was connected to the idea of making something dish-shaped, so the runner’s feet were, in effect, trying to make dish-shaped holes in the pavement. I still can’t picture it. Considering the source I assume it’s British runner’s jargon, which is a fairly niche usage to find it’s way into a dictionary. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/2 "2021-06-10T23:19:14Z")
The only description I’ve found in a few monitors of search is here [Running Technique to Help Avoid Shin Splints](https://www.runandbecome.com/running-training-advice/running-technique-help-avoid-shin-splints) which suggests that “dishing” means pushing off with your toes, which is apparently bad. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/3 "2021-06-10T23:21:26Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > “dishing” means pushing off with your toes, which is apparently bad I came across that too, but it’s specifically about running _on sand_ as an exercise. It appears to be referring to imprints left in the sand. As a Brit and a some time runner I can tell you I’ve never heard the term. But I was never a serious runner. Probably time to summon @running_coach . ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/4 "2021-06-10T23:40:01Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > The only description I’ve found in a few monitors of search is here [Running Technique to Help Avoid Shin Splints](https://www.runandbecome.com/running-training-advice/running-technique-help-avoid-shin-splints) which suggests that “dishing” means pushing off with your toes, which is apparently bad. You can’t run without pushing off your toes. Heel-striking is not the problem. It’s heel striking _ahead of your center of gravity_ i.e. over-striding, which greatly increases impact forces and acts as a brake. [The majority of elite marathon runners heel strike.](https://sportsscientists.com/2008/04/running-technique-the-footstrike/?doing_wp_cron=1623367844.0589261054992675781250) (as of 2008) > Before giving their main finding away, take a moment to guess what they would have found…If you are anything like me, and have read the substantial amount on the internet and in books about how it’s “better” (there’s that word again) to land on your forefoot, then of course, **your expectation might be that they found:** > > - The **majority of runners land on the forefoot** > - Those that DO NOT land on the forefoot are the runners who finish towards the back of the field > > Well, if that’s what you thought, **you’d be completely incorrect** …! Because the finding is the following: > > - The **vast majority (75%) of the elite runners land on the heel** > - About 1 in four (24%) runners landed on the mid-foot > - Only 4 out of 283 runners landed on the forefoot As far as the knock-knee running, [that’s an imbalance between the hip adductors and abductors.](https://www.irunsafe.com/blog/hip-strength-and-knock-knees) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/5 "2021-06-11T00:28:33Z")
And then there’s [THIS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_0Ta_DIWuU): ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/6 "2021-06-11T06:06:53Z")
And I immediately thought of this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/a483E1qQz0c/maxresdefault.jpg "The Way Howard Runs Season 8") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a483E1qQz0c) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/7 "2021-06-11T06:16:04Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > And then there’s [THIS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_0Ta_DIWuU): > [@alovem](#): > > And I immediately thought of this: Mere amateurs. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/eCLp7zodUiI/hqdefault.jpg "Ministry of Silly Walks") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCLp7zodUiI) ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/8 "2021-06-11T23:58:06Z")
When I first saw the Ministry of Silly Walks, I thought it was absurdist/surrealist comedy. Years later, talking to an English public servant, he explained to me that it was actually satirical. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2021, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/9 "2021-06-13T16:21:00Z")
Oh yes, it was a hidden subculture for years. And now there’s this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pmKtC8_4_wM/hqdefault.jpg "Miranda - Galloping") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmKtC8_4_wM) ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/10 "2021-06-13T18:01:56Z")
To be excruciatingly pedantic, what Miranda is trying to mimic is the canter, not the gallop. The canter is a three beat gait and what she’s doing is trying to indicate a three beat gait while only having two feet. The gallop is a four beat gait and the way a two legger would mimic that would be, basically, running. Also, one of those guys is skipping! ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2021, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unconventional-and-poor-running-style-ever-hear-of-dishing/944011/11 "2021-06-13T23:01:44Z")
I would guess it’s kicking your heels out a bit instead of keeping your foot parallel to the line you’re running. I was always told it could lead to shin splints. Never heard the term “dishing” before, though.