Fellow Running Wild Staffer Eric Larson chimes in with this helpful tip to improve your Run Form:
Let’s talk about running posture. When we run we want to stand tall and have nice, straight posture. Many runners tend to bend from their hips as they grow tired leading them to place their weight in front of their body. Bending at the hips causes you to fully extend your leg and heel strike. Don’t bend from the hips, but practice bending from the ankles.
Here are some simple tips to practice improving your posture…
First “set” your posture by simply raising your hands as high as you can above your head, and then let your arms drop to our side. This straightens up your back, rolls your shoulders back, and opens up your chest. When you open your chest, you can breathe better.
Set your posture
Try this during a run
Now that your posture is “set” you need to bend not from the hips but from the ankles. Think of it like you’re going to do a belly flop into a pool and you’re falling forward. Your reaction is to catch yourself, and you catch yourself underneath your body with your leg bent ready to absorb shock.
Practice these little tricks a couple times each time you go out for a run. Working to improve your posture takes time and a little practice. With improved posture you will get more oxygen, feel less sore and run more efficiently.
Try it today!
Join us for our twice monthly Form Clinics to learn tips like this and more.
