5 SIMPLE WAYS TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR RUNNING.

Poor form can negatively impact your performance. It requires much more energy as your body is not moving as efficiently as it should be. Just like if the wheels are out of alignment on your car, something is going to wear out. Maybe your knees, hips or a pulled hamstring! Bad form increases stress on the joints.

MOVE YOUR FEET QUICKER

Running with a quick cadence, about 180 steps per minute actually prevents injuries. Making short, quick strides will help improve efficiency and protects against injuries from over striding. The further your feet get from your base of support, the more likely you are to roll an ankle.

Getting to a faster cadence isn’t something you do all at once. Don’t jump from 140-180. Instead, try to incrementally increase your cadence over the next four to six weeks.

AVOID HEEL-STRIKING

How the foot falls on the ground is one of the most important elements of good technique. Many runners are heel-strikers. This puts a lot more stress on your body. Ideally, you should aim to land near the middle. The way your foot contacts the ground should not be impactful at all, it should be a very fluid motion. Barefoot running forces people to strengthen their feet and land on the middle part or the forefoot.

SLIGHTLY LEAN FORWARD.

Use gravity to your advantage. This will also lessen the impact forces that travel upwards through the body when you are vertically aligned.

SHOULDERS BACK.

Many of us have shoulders rolled forward from sitting at a desk and working at the computer. Pinch the shoulder blades together and let your shoulders sit back; otherwise you can put too much stress on your back, knees and core.

EYES AHEAD.

Your body subconsciously aligns itself with where you fix your focus. This is why when riding a bike, you will automatically start to drift in the direction you are looking. If you look ahead, rather than a few feet in front of you on the ground, your body will adjust itself for forward momentum! Fix your gaze on where you want to go. Don’t limit yourself.

Running form is an often overlooked part of training. Keep your alignment in check and you will go further faster!