How to run right

Improving your running technique can help you run faster, more efficiently, and with less stress on your body. Follow these tips and tricks to perfect your running technique or just how to start running:

 

  • Look forward

Your eyes should be looking at the ground about 10 to 20 feet in front of you. Do not look at your feet. Not only is it the right way to go, but it’s also safer because you see what’s going on.

  • Land halfway

Do not be a toe runner or a heel jumper. If you land on your toes, your calves will get tired very quickly and you will feel pain. Landing on your heels means that you take too of a big step and it slows you down, which wastes energy and can mostly cause knee injuries. Try to land in the middle of your foot, and then roll the stride to your toes.

  • Keep your arms at your hips

Try to keep your arms at your hips, a little at the top of your belt. Your arms should have a 90-degree angle. Some beginners tend to keep their arms up to their chest, especially when they feel tired. Ironically, you will be more tired of keeping your arms up there and you will feel tension in your shoulders and neck.

  • Relax your hands

When running, keep your arms and hands as relaxed as possible. You can close your hands a little as if you are holding an egg without breaking it. Do not engage your wrists, as this will cause stiffness in the arms.

  • Watch out for your posture

Keep your posture upright and erect. Your head should be high, your back straight, your shoulders levelled. Keep your shoulders under your toes and maintain a neutral posture. Make sure you do not lean forwards or backwards, which some runners tend to do with a little fatigue. Check your posture here and there. When you are tired towards the end of your run, it is very common to lean a little, which can lead to neck, shoulder and lower back pain. Bringing your chest up will neutralize this posture.

  • Relax your shoulders

Your shoulders should be relaxed and square, not bent. Rounding the shoulders forward tends to stiffen the chest and restrict breathing.

  • Move your arms to the shoulders

Your arms should move from the front to the back from the shoulder joint, not the arm.

  • Do not bounce

Try to keep your stride low on the ground and concentrate on fast strides. Too many up and down movements tends to waste unnecessary energy and brings lower back tensions. Make short, small steps, as if you run on embers. The higher you ride your legs off the ground, the greater the impact you will absorb to the ground and the faster your legs will become exhausted.

  • Keep your arms to one side

Avoid swinging arms to the sides. If your arms tend to cross your chest, you will be inclined to fall, which means that you will not breathe effectively. Imagine a line dividing your body in half, your hands should not cross it.

 

 

This post is also available in: Français (French)