{"id":57196,"date":"2017-03-27T07:15:31","date_gmt":"2017-03-27T11:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=57196"},"modified":"2017-04-03T19:11:15","modified_gmt":"2017-04-03T23:11:15","slug":"running-form-tips-biomechanics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/running-form-tips-biomechanics\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Score Perfect Running Form Like the Pros"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How
Photo by Ron Holden<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Blue Benadum hit hour 30 of The Speed Project<\/a>, a 340-mile relay from Los Angeles to the Las Vegas, it was time to dig deep. And that didn\u2019t mean sucking down an energy gel or turning up the beats in his ear buds (like many seasoned pros, he skips the tunes entirely). With Death Valley\u2019s rolling hills underfoot and miles of empty road ahead, the elite marathoner focused on the one thing he always comes back to: his running form<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On day two of no sleep, the head Nike+ Run Club<\/a> coach had already logged 50 miles, some of which were at a 5:30 per mile pace. Yet, looking at the photos (like the one captured above), you wouldn\u2019t know whether it was his first mile, or his last. With each step, Benadum kept his eye line level, maintained a three-degree forward lean, and struck his feet precisely below his center of mass.<\/p>\n

That precision paid off: Benadum and his team won the race in 36 hours, 20 minutes and 25 seconds, breaking the previous record by 35 minutes. (That\u2019s an average pace of 6:20 per mile for those doing the math at home.)<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The Most Popular Running Routes in All 50 States.<\/a><\/p>\n

Benadum isn\u2019t just a biomechanics nerd for the sake of his own trophy case, though. (For the record, he is <\/em>a 2:23 marathoner.) One of his most satisfying pursuits is helping athletes of all levels find their speed. Most often, that\u2019s through improved running form. \u201cFor your average person who asks, \u2018Can I get better at running<\/a>?\u2019 Almost always, the answer is yes,\u201d he says. \u201cThere are specific mechanics that the human body naturally \u2014 and is optimally \u2014 designed to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read on to find out how to nail those techniques so you can run stronger for longer.<\/p>\n

Form Focus: Why Running Biomechanics Matter<\/h3>\n

Before breaking down Benadum\u2019s form cues, it\u2019s worth noting that experts haven\u2019t always agreed on the formula for perfect running form. The Born to Run <\/em>camp shunned heel striking in favor of a whisper-soft stride<\/a>. Meanwhile, others contested that runners should simply run however feels natural \u2014 without meddling with foot strike or other so-called idiosyncrasies.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, fast-forward 10 years, and you see that USA Track and Field unanimously stands behind the concept that there are actually proper running mechanics, which you can break down and identify \u2014 whether you’re a long jumper, a hurdler, a marathoner<\/a> or a 100-meter sprinter,\u201d says Benadum. \u201cWe\u2019re talking about where the foot hits, where the foot is in relationship to the body, and how the swing phase looks.\u201d<\/p>\n

The consequences of all those seemingly tiny components could add up to a big win \u2014\u00a0or a major breakdown. Simply put: \u201cThe worse your mechanics, the less efficient of a runner you are. Add fatigue to that and it’s just a downward spiral,\u201d says Benadum. In other words, bye-bye PRs \u2014 or worse, hello injuries<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if you harness the power of good biomechanics, you\u2019ll save energy \u2014\u00a0and get to the finish faster. Here\u2019s how.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>12 Secrets from the Pros to Run a Personal Best<\/a><\/p>\n

Perfect Running Form in 4 Steps<\/h2>\n
\"How
GIFs: Jordan Shakeshaft \/ Life by Daily Burn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Posture<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s time to lean in. According to Coach Blue, runners should adopt a forward lean \u2014\u00a0from the shoulder down to the ankle \u2014 of about two to three degrees. \u201cThe more forward lean that you have, generally speaking, the more you’re utilizing gravity to your benefit.\u201d He explains: \u201cIf you look at a sprinter starting in the blocks, they’re utilizing a super-extreme forward lean. In the drive phase, they’re really just falling forward. Then, when they come up out of the drive phase, they’re still trying to maintain a good amount of forward lean.\u201d And it\u2019s intuitive: leaning into the direction you\u2019re going (without overdoing it, of course) will help propel you forward.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>50 Running Resources for Speed, Strength and Nutrition<\/a><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

2. Head Position<\/h3>\n

Next up, skip the head games. While running, take note of where your head is at \u2014 quite literally. \u201cYou don’t want to look up too high, chin up in the air, which can hyperextend your lower back<\/a>. If you do, you can\u2019t properly engage your core to bring your knees up,\u201d Benadum says. \u201cYou don’t want to look down either, because that will collapse the back. You want to have a nice level head, chin parallel with the ground, eyes looking to the horizon.\u201d This will also keep your chest open, which promotes better posture and breathing<\/a> \u2014\u00a0both essential to running success.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

3. Arm Swing<\/h3>\n

Guilty of an especially\u2026unique<\/em>\u2026arm swing? It\u2019s not just you. \u201cPeople are all over the place with this. If you look at five runners, you’re going to see five different arm swings,\u201d Benadum says. While a little variation is OK, the key is eliminating any rotation in the upper body. \u201cTo create forward momentum, you can\u2019t have any sort of twisting whatsoever in your running,\u201d he explains. That said, because there\u2019s so much movement happening from the waist down, you do <\/em>need to counter it with your upper half.<\/p>\n

To do that optimally, \u201cdrive your elbows back, keeping them bent at 90 degrees. The pendulum happens at the shoulder,\u201d Benadum says. \u201cThen I always say, buff your nails on your hip. (I kind of stole that one from Ryan Hall<\/a>.) It just ensures that you’re getting your elbow back far enough. You\u2019re passing your hip with your hand and then coming back through to the front.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 Expert Tips for Pacing Yourself on the Run<\/a><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

4. Foot Strike<\/h3>\n

This isn\u2019t so much about where <\/em>on your foot you land, but rather, where your center of mass falls. Coach Blue explains, \u201cIf you’re optimally driving force and power down into the ground, you also want to have your foot landing right below your center of mass.\u201d Over-striding or stepping your foot too far in front of you is a common mistake<\/a> \u2014 and one that will cost you. \u201cIt\u2019s like pumping the breaks,\u201d Benadum says. \u201cEssentially, when you land on the ground, there’s a waiting period where the body has to travel over the foot before you can take that foot back off the ground. That entire process is a breaking motion, and you’re actually impeding your forward momentum.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>20-Minute HIIT Treadmill Workout to Get Fit Fast<\/a><\/p>\n

As for where on the foot you land, Benadum is reluctant to prescribe a one-size-fits-all solution. But he does encourage athletes to self-assess. \u201cJump up and down, or run in place. You don’t even have to really think about it, the body just reacts.\u201d If you take a peek at what\u2019s happening at your feet, you\u2019ll notice that the foot is a natural spring, he says. \u201cWe’re more athletic when we’re on our toes.\u201d And while that isn\u2019t a mandate to become a forefoot striker overnight, it\u2019s a good reminder to think athleticism first. \u201cIt’s not about looking for that toe strike every time, it’s about making sure the foot is driving like a piston down into the ground,\u201d Benadum says. The pay-off: more efficiency, more speed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What can you and an elite marathoner have in common? Perfect running form. Here\u2019s how to get faster, stronger and less injury-prone \u2014 with each step. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":57213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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":[209,288,203,144,111,206,110,108,341,357],"class_list":["post-57196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-athlete","tag-cardio","tag-half-marathon","tag-injury","tag-marathon","tag-mobility","tag-race","tag-running","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2running"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57196","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\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57196\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}