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Still Got Wrong Running Form? Here Are 7 Correct Forms
Posted:
May 13, 2019
To make run fast, firstly you have to perfected the run forms. To do so, there are various body parts positions to be perfected -not only feet. Here are 7 body positions you have to pay attention to.
Head
You may not thing about your head position while running, whilst it is vital in getting the most amount of oxygen in as possible.
What to avoid: Tucking your head down.
This will restrict the flow of oxygen, and undo the rest of the good points in your posture.
How to achieve the correct form:
Your head should be elevated and always looking ahead about 20-30 metres up the path.
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Shoulders
We spend so much time hunched over at our desks and on our phones. While in running, it’s crucial to open up your shoulders.
As the run goes on, it is common to get tight and tense in your shoulder area, almost like you're shrugging. This will cost your body valuable energy, so it's important to stay relaxed.
How to achieve the correct form:
Try to pull your shoulders back, almost like you’re squeezing a pencil between your shoulder blades. Shake out your arms and focus on loosening up, especially as you get fatigued.
Concentrate on deep belly breathing, this also relaxes the shoulders
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Arms
The way you move your arms can help you move faster or slow you down. Your arms should be at a 90-degree angle. Your palms or fists should move from chin to hip. That’s going to help you propel your body forward. Keep your elbows close to your sides.
What to avoid: Pointing your elbows outwards.
If you do this, it means your arms are crossing your body, which actually slows you down.
How to achieve the correct form:
Try pointing your thumbs to the ceiling to keep your arms in line. You can also image an invisible line that runs down the center of your body – don’t let your hands cross over that line.
Keep in mind that it’s the arms swing that moves your legs, NOT the other way round. Good arms swing is vital to good running form
Hands
This sounds like such a minor thing in the bigger running picture, but don’t forget to keep your hands relaxed. The more you squeeze your hands, the more energy that you're getting rid of through your hands –but you want all that energy to go into your actual running.
How to achieve the correct form:
Try to think about pretending you have a potato chip between your index finger or your middle finger and your thumb so that your hands are really relaxed: You don’t want to squash that potato chip
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Torso
In most forms of fitness, your core –which includes your back– is really where all your power comes from and it’s also your centre of gravity while running. So that’s an area your want to make sure you’re always training.
A strong core while running will prevent you from leaning too far forward, backwards, or from moving side to side too much.
How to achieve the correct form:
We’re always trying to teach people to aim for a long, tall spine, so that you’re not crunched down. Try to imagine that you’re being pulled by a string from the top of your head. Try to do core exercise such as plank – it will help to develop a strong core.
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Legs/ Stride
When running, sprinters need to lift their knees high to achieve maximum leg power. On the other hand, distance runners don't need such an exaggerated knee lift, because it's simply too hard to sustain for any length of time.
Instead, efficient endurance running requires just a slight knee lift, a quick leg turnover, and a short stride.
How to achieve the correct form:
When running with the proper stride length, your feet should land directly underneath your body. As your foot strikes the ground, your knee should be slightly flexed so that it can bend naturally on impact. If your lower leg (below the knee) extends out in front of your body, your stride is too long. Your speed and acceleration comes from the push as your feet leaves the ground, behind your body.
Ankles/ Feet
To run well, you need to push off the ground with maximum force. With each step, your foot should hit the ground lightly, then quickly roll forward.
Keep your ankle flexed as your foot rolls forward to create more force for push-off. As you roll onto your toes, try to spring off the ground. You should feel your calf muscles propelling you forward on each step.
How to achieve the correct form:
Your feet should not slap loudly as they hit the ground. Good running is springy and quiet. Next time you run, try and run as quietly as possible. Listen to your feet when you next run.
Efficient runners are very quiet. Are you noisy or quiet?
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