“Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.”
– Michael Jordan
There isn’t one right way to run, everyone’s body is different. Professional distance runners and sprinters all have a somewhat unique running style. Most people gravitate to a form that is comfortable for them. That being said, there are fundamentals to running, and following them can improve performance and reduce the risk of injury.
This is a list that you can experiment with and see what works for you. Be patient and try to improve your form gradually. Focus on only one tip per run. Also, keep in mind that you might already have good running form and you don’t need to make major changes.
- Stand tall. Keep good posture with a slight forward lean.
- Keep your core stable, you don’t want to be twisting.
- Your ears should be over your shoulders and you should be looking at the ground 20 feet ahead. Don’t hunch over or hang your head.
- Don’t over-stride. Your foot should touch the ground underneath your body. If your foot is ahead of your body you will land on your heel, which is hitting the breaks.
- Don’t drag your feet. Runners have a tendency to do this, especially when they’re tired. Get those feet off the ground.
- Run in a smooth manner. You don’t want to be bouncing high or pounding into the ground, that is essentially hitting the breaks.
- Optimize your cadence (steps per minute). This can help reduce the impact of each stride and improve overall running efficiency. Most people’s cadence is lower than the generally recommended number of 180 steps per minute. Running watches automatically track cadence.
- Keep your shoulders, arms, and hands relaxed.
- Swing your arms faster when you’re running uphill, get your upper body more involved.
- Experiment with the angle of your arms. Optimally they will be at 90 degrees but that can vary depending on height, arm length, or speed.
- Breathe in a steady and deliberate way. Breathe deeply, but not rapidly. A good time to try this is on a speedwork run, that’s when breathing is most important. Do it before you’re out of breath. Don’t listen to music because it can be distracting and you want to be able to hear your breathing.
