{"id":39208,"date":"2015-04-15T07:15:09","date_gmt":"2015-04-15T11:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=39208"},"modified":"2021-05-17T04:03:20","modified_gmt":"2021-05-17T08:03:20","slug":"proper-running-form-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/proper-running-form-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Improve Your Running Form: From Head to Toe Technique"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Running
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you want to feel good while running faster and longer \u2014 and who doesn\u2019t? \u2014 it\u2019s all about making the most of every movement. Whether you\u2019re prepping for a 5K or 26.2 miles<\/a>, stomping out the distance requires dedication, training and a basic understanding of mechanics. To get you off on the right foot, we\u2019ve turned to Janet Hamilton, an exercise physiologist, running coach and owner of Running Strong<\/a>, for some essential stride advice. Keep in mind: \u201cThere\u2019s no one right way to run,\u201d she explains. \u201cEven for each individual, gait pattern will evolve as running skills do.\u201d But hitting your perfect stride could eventually mean shaving seconds \u2014 or even minutes \u2014 off your race time<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Building strength, getting flexible and gradually increasing distance and speed will all improve fitness level and help you hit your ideal race pace without injury. \u201cIt\u2019s best to avoid over-thinking your form,\u201d says Hamilton. This could throw your natural reflexes out of whack, which actually makes you less <\/em>efficient.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Hate Running? 25 Ways to Learn to Love it<\/a><\/p>\n

Next time you pound the pavement, casually take notice of your body position and channel these tips from Hamilton once you\u2019ve found your groove. By the time you\u2019re cruising toward the finish line, you\u2019ll be breathing easy<\/a> and standing strong.<\/p>\n

Proper Running Form, Head to Toe<\/h3>\n

1. Look Ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n

Scan your surroundings. If you\u2019re on the trails it may be better to look closer in front of you so you don\u2019t trip on rocks or branches. But on the open road, you want to look farther ahead and watch out for traffic or other people. \u201cJust keep your head up, as if you were walking in an interesting location and want to take in all the sights,\u201d says Hamilton. \u201cYour head weighs approximately seven to nine pounds so if you have it forward and down, it\u2019s going to pull your torso forward and down.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Relax Your Shrug<\/strong><\/p>\n

When it comes to the waist up, let your upper body move freely with your hips. If you feel your shoulders<\/a> tense up toward your ears, try to relax them again so your body is loose and all in sync. Roll them back<\/a> and shake it out quick.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Keep Swinging<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cArms are not driving this bus \u2014 the glutes are \u2014 so let them respond naturally,\u201d says Hamilton. If you\u2019re getting speedy on your feet, you can pump your arms to help propel you forward, but if you\u2019re looking at a long distance, just casually swing them back and forth. Keep your hands and fingers relaxed too (no tight fists), and aim for a 90- to 100-degree bend at the elbows.<\/p>\n

While swaying your arms back and forth, your hands should create an invisible arch-type shape out front, meaning they move side-to-side just slightly. Also, they shouldn\u2019t cross your vertical midline \u2014 if they do, it may signal an asymmetrical issue or a problem in your hips or legs.<\/p>\n

4. Cut to the Core<\/strong><\/p>\n

While there\u2019s no specific placement for your core, a strong midsection is necessary for \u201crunning tall\u201d and giving you the stability and force you need to propel forward. To test your power, Hamilton suggests the single leg sit-to-stand test. Sit in a chair, hold one leg off the ground and without using the arm rests, and stand using just the other leg. Then sit back down with that same leg. (And repeat on the other side.) If you can\u2019t get up or sit down without falling off balance, it\u2019s time to do more core exercises, like these<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Hate Crunches? 6 Better Core Exercises for Beginners<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Get Glutes in Gear<\/strong><\/p>\n

Again, this area isn\u2019t about position, but rather strength and ability to fire when you need them most. (Hills, we\u2019re looking at you!) \u201cGlutes are the one area of the body that I push my athletes to work on building up,\u201d says Hamilton. \u201cMany running injuries, including IT band syndrome and plantar fasciitis come from weakness here.\u201d If you\u2019re having problems or just know you need to firm up your rear, work more squats, bridges and clam shells into your regular workout routine. Or try this glute workout<\/a> to help build strength.<\/p>\n

\"Running
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6. <\/strong>Alleviate Impact<\/strong><\/p>\n

The movement of the knee generally goes like this: It\u2019s slightly flexed on initial contact, bends a little more as weight fully transfers to that leg to absorb shock. Then it stabilizes and extends when you push off and flexes again as the weight moves off that leg and your foot swings forward. If your have an extra wide stride, this may put your knee far behind your foot and you\u2019ll benefit from picking up your cadence (see how below).<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re naturally fairly straight in alignment (meaning you\u2019re toes don\u2019t point inward or outward), but when you run, your knees tend to cave in, work on lateral hip and glute strength<\/a> or check your shoes for excessive wear. If you have a naturally straight posture but your knees bow outward when you run, your footwear<\/a> may be to blame. It could be keeping your usual pronation from taking place.<\/p>\n

This may sound like a lot, but you don\u2019t have to worry so much about the angle of your knee \u2014 its position will happen naturally, Hamilton emphasizes. Just focus on running in a comfortable position.<\/p>\n

7. <\/strong>Stay Springy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like your glutes<\/a> and core, the calves don\u2019t necessarily need to be aligned in a specific way, but they do need to be flexible. That way, they\u2019ll support your knees and ankles and according to Hamilton you\u2019ll avoid overuse injuries<\/a> that come from a tight muscle, like Achilles tendonitis, which is one of the most common problems for runners. Hamilton\u2019s favorite flexibility move: the runner\u2019s stretch with your hands against a wall. Step one foot forward into a lunge, with the front leg bent and the back leg extended straight, hands flat on the wall in front of you. Keeping your weight on the outer edge of the back foot (lift the big toe to reach the muscle more) stretch through your calf. Walk your feet closer if necessary and repeat on the other side.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Expert Tips for Proper Running Form<\/a><\/p>\n

8. Focus on Footwork<\/strong><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one movement that varies greatly from one person to the next, it\u2019s foot placement during a run. Whether you\u2019re a fore, mid or heel striker, \u201ceach initial contact position has its unique stress on the body,\u201d explains Hamilton. \u201cTherefore since your mass is the same no matter whether you\u2019re contacting heel first or forefoot first, the force will simply be redistributed to a different area of your body when you change from one gait pattern to another. You can\u2019t reduce the overall forces \u2013 but you can move them around.\u201d Hamilton doesn\u2019t promote one type of foot strike over another. \u201cChanging from one\u2019s naturally adopted gait pattern to another gait pattern has not been shown consistently to result in a reduced injury rate<\/a> \u2013 simply a change in the location <\/em>of the injury,\u201d says Hamilton. \u201cThose who changed from heel striking to midfoot may find a reduction in knee injuries but an increase in lower leg injuries like shin splints or Achilles issues, and foot injuries such as plantar fasciitis, forefoot pain and stress fractures.\u201d<\/p>\n

So while gait change might not be ideal for all runners, a universal and achievable goal is having your center of gravity directly over the foot as it strikes the ground. Cadence (or rhythm) helps with this, plus it takes pressure off the knees.<\/p>\n

To test yours, Hamilton recommends grabbing a gym buddy and hitting the treadmill. While running at your typical relaxed pace, have your partner count how many times your left or right foot hits the mill in one minute. You should reach 90 per foot or 180 for both feet. Only reaching about 70 or 75 per foot? \u201cThe slower the cadence, the more likely you are to over-stride or to have your foot hit the ground too far in front of you,\u201d Hamilton explains. This can lead to injury. A quick fix: Download jams with a slightly faster BPM (beats per minute) than your usual 156 or 160 to gradually work your way into a faster rhythm (166 to 180). \u201cThink light, quick feet,\u201d says Hamilton.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Learn proper running form and you\u2019ll improve your speed, stamina \u2014 and maybe even earn a new PR. Follow these tips to a better stride.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":39209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6],"tags":[288,144,206,110,108,145,341,349],"class_list":["post-39208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-cardio","tag-injury","tag-mobility","tag-race","tag-running","tag-stretching","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2sports-medicine"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39208\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}