Like many of you (please tell me I’m not alone) I’ve been watching a lot of tv lately. While binging a particular crime series, I noticed there were more than a few episodes that showed people out running and I found myself thinking “Wait, who runs like that?” Then of course, since I was thinking about it, I started noticing it everywhere. I’ve been silently judging movies and tv from things like how good these people look, to how no one seems to carry water, even things like the “race bibs” people wore. Obviously the writers of this show don’t understand proper running basics. 🙂
I could pick apart so many things, but I figure maybe some people are watching and getting the wrong idea about proper form. So…here we go.
There is no one size fits all proper running form, because we are all humans with different biomechanics, but you can really boil it down to three basic things: cadence, foot strike, and posture. One important note before we get started is that all of this is guidance for your easy, comfortable runs. Once you get that nailed down, the rest comes naturally and on race day well, you do what you gotta do. Also remember I’m not a doctor so please don’t do something that feels wrong and tell your actual doctor I made you do it, ok? Cool.
Cadence
Aka, steps per minute. Obviously your cadence depends on your pace, but generally speaking the guidance is a turnover rate of about 160-180 steps per minute. There’s a good post on one of my favorite blogs here on figuring this out and the benefits.
Many people think big ole long strides make you faster but it’s not really true. For one thing, who has the energy to keep up with that all the time? You also risk over extending other muscles and joints, so keep the strides shorter to minimize the impact of your feet pounding the pavement (or whatever medium you’re working with).
Foot Strike
This is the one I feel most everyone talks about. “Don’t be a heel striker” they say. Everyone knows you’re supposed to hit mid-foot right? Well…basically yes but I think people take this one a bit too literally at times. I’ve seen some amazing runners that have a slight heel strike, but the key is where the rest of their leg lands. Let’s break it down.
The picture below is showing an aggressive heel strike and the reason it’s a big ole baddie. Look at how landing on the heel sets up your knee to be way out in front of you when you land. Ouch! Hey…I wonder if this is where the myth that running is bad for your knees comes from. It’s people who are jarring their knees doing this very thing… hmm.
Anyway, while you ideally want to strike mid foot so everything lines up nice and easy on landing I think you can even see in this graphic, that landing a little on the heel is ok as long as your knee is not way out in front of you. My point is don’t kill yourself trying to levitate your heel off the ground, do what comes naturally but pay attention to your alignment. Again, I’m not a doctor so if you’re having any kind of pain, consider making adjustments or seeking professional advice.
Posture
In that same vein, posture is super important to pain free running. I’ll be the first to tell you to do as I say, not as I do here. I have a tendency toward slouching and I’m working on it.
Particularly on longer runs as our bodies begin to tire, the first thing to give is often the upper body. I mean, the head is heavy (I heard it weighs 8lbs! Jerry Maguire? ok moving on). The problem is slouching not only causes neck and back pain, but it also restricts our breathing and therefore, our running efficiency.
Think of a string going from your head all the way down your back. Look forward and out in front of you (not at your super cute shoes like I do sometimes). I find it hard to do, but when I can manage it, I really do have better runs. Also I feel you probably get this, but just in case…if you’re running trails or uncertain terrain, go ahead and look down if you need to I don’t want anyone tripping!
Other stuff
Pick up your feet. I find myself doing a bit of a shuffle when I get tired, and I have to remind myself of this constantly. Also make sure you have the right shoes for your gait. If you don’t know where to start check out my shoe advice here.
Do what feels right, as long as you’ve mastered the basics go ahead and listen to your body. If your arms swing a little higher than some and anything else feels unnatural, I say keep on.
Embrace your quirks. I almost always have to have my pinky curled in on both hands, like little partial fists. I don’t know why but it really throws me off when I don’t do it.
Breathe. Relax and go with the flow. Check out my beginner tips here for guidance on making your runs nice and easy.
Above all have fun and happy running!
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