Tips for runners to improve running form

Adjusting your eyesight, hand movements and not jumping too high will help runners improve their running form to optimize training and competition efficiency and reduce the risk of injury.

Look

Don't stare at your feet. Your eyes should be focused on the ground about 3 to 6 meters in front of you. This is not only the correct running form, but also a safer way to run because you can see what is right in front of you, and avoid falling.

Does your head jut forward when you run? This puts a lot of stress on your neck and shoulder muscles, which can lead to strain. So, keep your head so that your ears are in the middle of your shoulders.

Imagine yourself as a puppet on a string as you run, with your entire body kept straight and long.

Keep your hands at your waist

Try to keep your hands at waist level, where they can lightly touch your hips. Your arms should be bent at a 90-degree angle. Some runners tend to raise their arms to chest level, especially when they’re tired.

You can actually feel more tired holding your arms that way and you will start to feel tension in your shoulders and neck. But if you sprint, your arms will naturally move your hands further back and up.

Sample running form of a female runner. Photo: Knighton Runs — Sample running form of a female runner. Photo: *Knighton Runs*

Relax your hands

When running, keep your arms and hands as relaxed as possible. Avoid clenching your hands into fists. If you clench your hands, the tension will travel up your arms to your shoulders and neck.

Ideally, hold your hands comfortably: Pretend you're holding an egg in each hand that you don't want to break.

Check posture

Keep your posture straight, with your head up, back straight and shoulders level. Keep your shoulders below your ears and maintain a neutral pelvis. Make sure you don’t lean forward or backward at the waist, which some runners tend to do when they get tired.

Check your running form from time to time. When you get tired at the end of a run, you tend to slouch, which can lead to neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. When you feel yourself slumping, push your chest out.

Maintaining proper form at the end of your run is important to combat fatigue and finish strong.

Relax your shoulders

Your shoulders should be relaxed and square, facing forward, not hunched. Reaching your shoulders too far forward tends to strain your chest and restrict your breathing. You will breathe much easier if your shoulders are relaxed.

Check to see if your shoulders are hunched up toward your ears. If they are, squeeze your shoulder blades together against your back, as if they were elevator doors that you need to close. Hold them there and relax your shoulders.

Pay attention to the position of your shoulders regularly to make sure they are relaxed. If you find yourself shrugging again, repeat the shoulder blade squeeze.

Double-handed

Avoid swinging your arms from side to side. If your arms are crossed over your chest, you are more likely to slump, affecting your breathing. Inefficient or shallow breathing can cause fatigue or cramps in your abdomen.

When tired or stressed, runners’ arms start to move up toward their shoulders, shortening the distance between their upper arms and forearms. If you notice this happening, drop your arms to your sides and shake them out. Return them to a 90-degree angle with your shoulders back and relaxed.

Rotate the arm from the shoulder

Your arm should swing back and forth from the shoulder joint, not the elbow joint. Think of your arm as a pendulum, swinging from your shoulder. Bring your elbow back and then let it swing back toward you.

Your hand almost grazes your hip as your arm swings forward.

Your arms should swing out to the sides. If they cross over your chest, they will start to move up toward your shoulders and you will find yourself hunching over. Slouching can make it difficult to breathe. Keep your arms at your sides, parallel to each other.

Imagine a vertical line dividing your body in half and your arms should not extend beyond that line.

Don't jump high

When you bounce up and down while running, called vertical oscillation, your head and body move up and down too much, which wastes a lot of energy. The more you lift yourself off the ground, the greater the shock you have to absorb when you land, and the faster your legs will tire.

To minimize bounce and conserve energy, run lightly and land softly on your feet. Try to keep your stride low to the ground and focus on a quick stride rate. Take short, light steps as if you were stepping on hot coals.

Some experts say a cadence of 90, with the foot making contact with the ground 90 times per minute, is the rotational speed seen in the most efficient runners. Shortening your stride will increase your cadence.

Only make any changes to your cadence and stride for short periods of time. They will feel unnatural at first and you don’t want to overdo it. As they become more natural, you’ll be able to do them over longer runs. Some sports watches allow you to track them so you can see what your current cadence is and experiment with adjustments.

How to fix bad running form

If analysis shows you have problems with your running form, you should take steps to correct your technique to avoid strain or injury.

If the angle is greater at the ankle than at the hip, it may be a sign of weakness or tightness in the calf muscles. Specific exercises that target this area, such as calf stretches or tibialis anterior strengthening, may help.

If the angle is greater at the hip than at the ankle, it may be a sign of poor hip extension. Exercises such as hip flexor stretches or hip strengthening can help correct your running form.

If you are still experiencing pain that may be related to your running form, it is time to seek advice from a doctor or physical therapist. They can assess the pain, check for possible injuries, and suggest any changes or exercises that may help.

Hong Duy (according to VeryWell Fit )

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