Good Form? Think Tall

Running form - The basics

Whether you are a regular running enthusiast, or are just starting out we all know that running is a great form of exercise.

You don't need an expensive gym membership, or even any equipment. Just you and your favourite running shoes will suffice!

One thing you may want to consider however, is your running form which is all about how you run. Keeping good running form can increase your stats and also decrease your chance of injury.

The first and quite easy point to remember is to ‘run tall’. This alone will usually fix up to 90% of any form issues you might currently have.

You begin by ensuring that your head is balanced over your shoulders, your shoulders are balanced over your hips and your hips are balanced over your legs. And you want to take special care that you avoid slouching your shoulders and insured that both your abs and glutes are tucked in.

Running tall isn't about running stiff however, it is about maintaining a relaxed and well balanced position, you may find it useful to have a look at your position in a mirror, or asking a friend to take a look. You could even have a look in a shop window or bus stop as your out on your run!

In more detail...

Arms/ Shoulders

When you think about running you may automatically assume it is a lower body exercise, but your upper body actually controls the tension in your body whilst you run and your arm swing drives your body forward.

Your hands should not be in a clenched fist, but relaxed fingers lightly touching your palms. If it helps you can imagine carrying a potato crisp in each hand without it breaking.

Hips/ Torso

Your hips are your centre of gravity which means that it’s pretty vital you position them right. Keep your chin up and with your back straight and your abs sucked in, your hips should naturally fall into place. If you feel like you are starting to slouch take a in a deep breath to realign yourself, and as you exhale back out, make sure you maintain that upright position.

Legs

The position and movement of your legs will depend on whether you are sprinting or distance running. Sprinters will lift their knees higher in order to achieve more power, but for the benefit of distance running you do not have to exaggerate this movement as much. Distance running is more about fluid movement in order to achieve better endurance.

As your foot hits the ground you should keep your knee slightly flexed to enable it to bend naturally on impact.

Feet

Push off the ground with the maximum power, but ensure that when your feet touch the ground they do so lightly - landing between your heel and mid-foot and rolling forward. As you roll over your toes try to spring back off the ground in a fluid motion. This is the point where you should feel your calf muscles engage which propels you forward.

So that’s the basics to maintaining good running form, and ensuring you don't cause yourself any avoidable injuries.