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	Running Form

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Running form is so very important. Bad form leads to slower times, aches and pains, and injuries. Good form makes for fewer injuries and makes running more efficient, easier, with less effort, more enjoyable, and faster. Of course everyone’s body is different. Some things may work for you and others won’t. Just do the best you can with what God gave you.

When you decide to change your running form, just change one thing at a time. This makes it easier for you to just keep track of one thing and allows you to see how it impacts your body and your performance. Just changing one thing, like Cadence may fix several things.

When you want to make changes to your running form it is best to do it very early in a cycle when your mileage is low. You obviously don’t want to change anything the week before a big race or even in the last half of a training cycle. Changes are likely to produce more soreness as your body adapts to your new style. Depending on how dramatic the changes you want to implement are it could take several months to a year to achieve them.

Changing your cadence to about 90 steps per minute per foot is the first and most important change to make because other form improvements will follow naturally from that.

There are plenty of YouTube videos of elite runners. I suggest you watch some of them. The one by Grant Robison at the bottom of the page is a really good one.

Here are some suggestions:

• Take shorter strides with 90 foot strikes with each foot per minute, see Cadence. Having a fast cadence will naturally give you better foot and leg form. This is the most important element to good running form.
• Keep your head up looking 100’ or so in front of you with your chin pressed forward. This is helpful in races when you are looking to run the Tangents. If you have to look down to avoid a hazard, maintain your form. Keep your head up and chin out, and only move your eyes down.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed. Shrug or rotate them occasionally to release and relieve any tension. They should be pulled back and down, not up.
• Your chest should be held high with your back straight - stand tall. Every few minutes (or as often as you need it) reach your hands and arms above your head and stretch. This will help you get back into proper form. Using good posture through the day will also improve your running posture.
• Breathe from your abdomen using your diaphragm to make it easier and to take in more oxygen. See Breathing.
• Your arms should be near your sides (not out like wings) and bent at a 90 degree angle. They should move up and back not across your chest. Occasionally let your hands and arms dangle and swing freely to improve blood flow and help you relax them.
• This is the most important point. The middle part of your foot should strike the ground below your torso, not out in front of you. It should strike on the mid-foot or ball of your foot, not on your toes or your heel (this is like putting on the brakes). If you tilt your head down and look you should see your ankle slightly in front of your torso and just about under your knee when the middle of your foot strikes the ground. Contrast this to when you walk and your heel strikes first - your heel will appear in front of your knee and they will be much further out in front of you.
• When your foot strikes, your knee should be slightly bent to absorb the shock of impact. By looking down you can get a pretty good idea if your knee is straight or bent.
• Try to be as light on your feet as you can, making as little noise as possible. Your shoes shouldn't scuff or drag.
• Don't bounce. Your motion should be smooth and flowing forward. Any motion up and down or side to side is wasted energy.

Now evaluate your own form. What is your body doing? Are all the parts working together? What can you do to improve your form?

Practice using good form. Practice makes permanent. Occasionally, especially at the beginning, evaluate your form. Stretch your hands above your head - did your form change? Have you gotten sloppy and gone back to old habits?

Now that you have learned something about good running form and applied it to yourself, use your new knowledge to analyze runners you see on the trail. Pay close attention to their legs, arms, and torsos. Where do their feet strike the ground?

To go faster, you want to use good form as stated above and maintain the same cadence of 180 steps per minute. Don't reach your foot out further in front of you because that will make you heel strike which is harder on your body. Think of your legs as being rear wheel drive, as in a car. They push you along, not pull you along like front wheel drive. Try these suggestions:

1. Pump your arms harder, that is with a longer swing. Your legs and arms work together. As one goes faster and harder the other will be drawn along.
2. Lean forward from the ankle, not the waist, and remember to keep your back straight.
3. Lift your heels to propel you forward. You should feel your knee being pushed forward.  This is much easier to do on a track because you can feel it better.
4. Push your foot backwards like you are ice skating to propel you ahead. This will increase your stride length even more. You can practice lifting your heel and pushing back while you walk. Walking, being slower than running, makes it easier to do and it builds up these muscles and gets you into the habit. Ice skating might be a good cross training activity.

To see and feel what good running form is for your gait, take your shoes and socks off and run for a short distance on a hard surface (pick someplace free of rocks and sharp objects).  You will quickly change your stride so that you are using good form.  You will probably also notice that you shorten your stride and speed up your cadence.  All of this reduces the impact on your body and makes for a more efficient gait that is easier on your body.

A good reference is Good Form Running videos by 2004 U.S. Olympian Grant Robison.

Another good reference is Dr. Mark Cucuzzella has an excellent video on form, drills, and much more.

Copyright © 2015 Vincent Hale