My legs are short in proportion to my really short body. How does leg lenght affect running, if at all?
Speed is a function of Stride length times stride frequency. So there are two ways we can increase speed. Flexibility will increase stride length and strength training will increase bone density and has been shown to allow for better bone growth. Thus you may add an inch or so with some strength training. More on this later. Stride frequency is a function of how fast you move your legs. This occurs through the muscle fiber types (slow twitch and fast twitch) and the nervous system highway. We cannot alter muscle fiber types but we can train these muscles to act more like a specific type of muscle. We also can increase the efficency of the nervous highway with consistent training. Genetics and evolution have played a role in your general height and weight. But with proper training we can certainly alter some the variables.
