Running Form Tips

by Carl Leivers

One of the biggest sources of confusion for runners is whether their form is "correct."  Improving your form will help you run longer and faster with the same effort, and can help you avoid injuries.  So what's the "correct" form?  Every runner is unique, but there's some general principles that will make sure you're getting the most out of every step.

FEET UNDER YOUR HIPS
You may have heard talk recently about running on your mid-foot or toes instead of on your heels.  This allows you to take advantage of the body's natural shock-absorbing mechanisms -- helping to reduce injuries and increase efficiency.  In my experience, though, it's difficult to tell what part of your foot is landing first and even harder to change it.  So I coach my runners to focus on where their foot is landing compared to the rest of their body.  If you're landing with your foot underneath your knee and in line with your hips (rather than out in front of them), then you're going to naturally land on your mid- or forefoot.  The easiest way to make sure that's happening is to ...

TAKE SHORTER STRIDES
Studies have shown that the most efficient runners have approximately 180 footfalls a minute -- 3 a second!  Clearly if your feet are going to be hitting the ground that frequently, you're not going to be able to have a very long, loping stride.  By shortening your stride, you'll make sure your foot is landing underneath you, and you'll also reduce wasted energy.  Remember that if you can increase your efficiency, you'll be able to run faster and longer with the same effort.  So shorten up your strides and make sure that all your energy is going toward moving you forward.  Speaking of wasted energy ...

ARMS ALONG FOR THE RIDE
Your upper-body can waste a lot of energy while running.  That's because your arms really shouldn't be doing much more than helping your body maintain its balance.  It may look dramatic to pump your arms like a sprinter, but it really isn't helping when you're running for distance.  A good rule is to make sure that your arms never swing across the mid-line of your body.  Also, keep them "hinged" at the shoulder -- meaning that they swing freely from the shoulder, rather than pump forward and backward.

Applying these simple fixes may seem awkward at first, but after a few weeks you'll be gliding along, with plenty of energy left for your finishing kick!


Carl Leivers is an experienced runner and the men's cross country and distance track coach at Emory University.
Coach Carl believes in the importance of having a progressive training plan that is personalized to one's own strengths, weaknesses, and goals.  He offers private coaching and training programs.  Find out more at runningcoachcarl.com