This is part two of the Correct Running Form article, the first article focused on the importance of having correct running form with your upper body, this article will focus on the lower half of your body. Again, it is important to have correct running form to help you prevent injury and to get the most out of your running workout. You want to make sure that you do not cheat yourself in any way.
We have already hit on the form for your head, shoulders, torso, and arms. Now we will focus on your hips, legs, and feet.
We will begin by talking about the hips, have you ever heard the little song, “It’s all in the hips, it’s all in the hips.” Well…it is. Your hips are a key component to a good running posture. The hips are your center of gravity; your hips make sure that your body is properly balanced so you can prevent injury. Your torso and your hips work together as a unit, if your torso is straight your hips will be upright, if your torso is bent forward then your hips will be tilted forward. You want to make sure that your hips are not tilted forward but are in an upright position. If your hips are tilted forward you can put unwanted stress on your lower back.
Now lets talk about the part of the body that actually propels you forward…your legs. Lets face it, you could not run if you had no legs. There is a difference between sprinting and endurance running. If you are sprinting, you will want to lift your knees up higher for maximum power, but we are focusing on endurance running. With endurance it is not necessary to bring your knees up as high as would if you were sprinting, you simply could not keep that pace for a long endurance run. You do not want a long stride, nor do you want a very short stride, but you want to make sure that you feel comfortable in your stride. It is better to be on the shorter side of stride, than the longer side. You will save energy and will protect your knees better.
Last but not least, you will need proper running form in your feet/ankles. You do not want to run flat footed, and you want to make sure that you do not pound your feet on the ground. You want to land right in between your heel and your arch, then roll forward to the ball of your feet. You want to make sure that you you land lightly on your feet and that your ankle is flexed as you roll forward and push off. You definitely want a spring in your step. Make sure that you get a good running shoe that fits your foot properly; this can make all the difference.
So now that you know the proper running form for your whole body, go out and start running with the assurance that you are getting the most out of your running workout.
It all starts with your head, if your head is correct it is easier for your body to fall into position. So make sure you are not looking down. I blame treadmills for the bad habit of looking down, because when people run on a treadmill they always tend to look down at the clock, their distance, or maybe they are looking to see how many calories they have burned. For whatever reason it is, it is teaching bad habits. There are even certain treadmills that have TV’s installed that help people get in the bad habit of looking down. We need to look ahead, face forward, look to the horizon. When you keep your eyes ahead it will align your head with your spine, and you will help your body to last longer during the workout.
