Sometimes what holds runners back and keeps them injured isn’t a lack of will power or motivation, but their lack of knowledge when it comes to running form and technique. In this post, i will share with you three ways you can fine tune your running form so that you can run faster, farther, and smarter.
Why is running technique important
“There was once a race car driver named Jim. Everyday, Jim would go to practice and drive his red race car around and around the track, hoping to improve his time. As he drove, Jim payed little attention to how he drove, but instead, focussed on his time and distance. Because he lacked mechanical knowledge, Jim eventually ruined his red race car and never raced again.”
Though this is a fictional story, it illustrates the importance of running technique very well. When we continually run with a less than ideal technique, our body will eventually break down and we will be injured.
However, by noticing and tweaking a few elements of our running technique, we can dramatically improve our runs.
As you run, try and pay attention to how your foot strikes the ground. Do you land on your heel? or do you land on the ball of your foot? Do you take long or short steps? Knowing the answers to these questions can provide you with some useful data to help you run faster and smarter.
1. When running, land with you feet as close to under your hip as possible.
A little disclaimer, this rule doesn’t apply to sprinting. When someone is truly sprinting, they are bringing their legs out in front of them, allowing them to run faster but at the expense of a much greater effort. For endurance exercises, however, efficiency is usually more important than speed.
A lot of times when someone begins to get faster and transition from a beginner runner to an advanced runner, they will find themselves injured frequently. One reason for this is that they change their stride from landing just below the hip to landing out in front of the hip.
To run longer and faster, take shorter steps. Landing on the ball of the foot, striking the ground as close to right in front of your hip as possible.
2. Avoid swinging your arms across your body
For a long time, I made the mistake of swinging my arms across my body. I have seen a lot of runners do this, and it is an easy mistake to make. However, of you are tweaking your running technique, this is one of the first things to look at.
Rather than swinging your arms in a V motion when you run, try this: with elbows at ninety degrees, swing your arms back and forth parallel to your body. This will reduce the amount of energy burned per minute and help you run farther with less fatigue.
Read more about running technique HERE.
3. Stand up straight while you are running
Posture is important whether you are out on the track or sitting on your couch. However, while you are running, paying extra attention to how your positioning your body can make a big difference in your performance on race day.
When you are running, imagine there is a string pulling out of your head, holding you up. Keep your shoulders relaxed, and stand up straight. This will help prevent shoulder and back pain at the end of a run.
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