Is there a way to improve your running form? After all, you’ve been running since you were very young and your form has served you well until now. Yes, it is not only possible but also important if you’re going to run often or in competition. It helps reduce the potential for injury, improves efficiency, and increases speed. If you want to boost health benefits, you need to improve your gait. That lets you run further and at higher intensities. You may not have learned to run properly first started to run, or you’ve picked up a lot of bad habits along the way.
Check the position of your hands and how much tension there is.
Tension travels throughout your body and affects other parts. Keep your hands relaxed and avoid clenching your fist when you run. Your hands should also be at waist level and brush the hips lightly as you run. Avoid punching when you run. It often happens as people get tired. Instead of keeping their arms to their sides, they cross them over the front of the body, as though they’re punching. Swing them freely and higher than you might if you were jogging.
Breathe deeply and use the proper breathing technique to help you run.
Focusing on breath control is crucial if you want to run successfully. Running slowly or jogging lets you focus on inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. The more you pick up speed, the more difficult that is to do unless you focus on doing it correctly. Belly breathing helps improve your breathing technique and enables deep nasal breaths. It uses the diaphragm.
Your posture plays a role in your success.
Keep your head up and eyes looking forward. Your posture should be erect with your back straight and your shoulders level. You can lean forward slightly when running. Don’t lean too far forward or backward from the waist. Try to touch your head to the clouds as you run. It’s vital to do a check near the end of the run when you’re almost out of steam. That’s when people tend to slump, which leads to pain. Pull your shoulders back if you feel that happening. Keeping your shoulders back and not rounded helps you breathe deeper. Don’t shrug your shoulders either.
- Start slowly running shorter distances but focusing primarily on form and breathing. After a few weeks, increase your distance slightly. You can always increase it more later when your running form is correct.
- Don’t lift your feet too far off the ground. It makes you bounce and burn more energy. Take lighter steps and focus on a quicker stride turnover. Use shorter, faster strides to save energy.
- Land on the front of your foot to push yourself forward. Lift your thighs until they’re parallel to the ground. Don’t rotate your torso or bring your hands across your chest.
- Vary your speed when you run to burn more calories and get fit faster. Alternate between top intensity and recovery. It turns the run into a HIIT—high intensity interval training workout.
For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness