Running Form Tips
5 Strategies to improve your running form
with intraining podiatrist, Coaching Director, Level 3 Coach Steve Manning
A common question we are asked is, “How do I improve my running form?”
Running technique is frequently blamed for slowing up too much, running injuries, finding running ‘hard’, or not being able to get faster. There are many advocates of a particular way of running. However, one way of running is not suitable for every runner. In fact, it can be difficult to identify how technique influences injury risk and running economy. Even the influence of impact forces on injury risk is often raised but poorly linked.
What you really need to know is, your function or the way you run must follow your structure. That is, your innate flexibility and strength will determine your optimum running technique (form) at every speed. This concept is the same no matter if you feel you are fast or slow. World records and Olympic medals have been won by runners with very different techniques. Aside from talent, and traiing, the major difference between an Olympic marathon winner and others in the field, is their ability to hold their form.
It can be a challenge to change your running form with sometimes unknown results, that does not mean that it is not worth trying. For some runners, changing running form can be the reason for their inefficiency, lack of speed, or repeated injuries. For others, it is a way to get that extra small improvement when they have hit a performance plateau. Ultimately, form training sessions are used to help you gain a better sense of how you are moving when running.
Working on improving your technique should be a small part of a weekly routine. It can be beneficial to have a three-week phase twice a year where you work on technique. Our intraining Running Form Workshops have a particular focus on teaching you how to sense the way you move and what works best for your skeletal structure.
Why should you change running technique?
Efficiency:
Running technique should change depending on your speed and target distance. If you use a long-distance running shuffle technique while trying to sprint or run fast over hills then you will increase your injury risk by losing mechanical advantage at the joints. At the same time, a powerful bouncy gait may be very inefficient for longer distances.
Frequent Recurring Injuries.
If you have had a series of injuries or an injury that is not resolving then you need to identify whether the technique could be the cause. Treatment may relieve the symptoms. But if you are aggravating the tissue every time you come back to running then it may never resolve.
Compensatory Gait
Some injuries may cause muscle atrophy leading to limping and a change in muscle function. This compensatory running style can lead to overuse and a secondary injury. That is why it is important to have a thorough rehab program after the injury to build back both strength and recruitment of muscles.
5 Strategies to change your running form.
Changing your running form is a process. Before jumping into doing the actual drills or sessions, create a plan that incorporates these 5 strategies:
Strategy #1:
Understand your Biomechanics
Remember, your form is going to be different to your running buddy’s. When making changes to your running form, you want to understand the mechanics of the change you are trying to achieve.
If you change the position of one joint then it will have repercussions all the way through the kinetic chain. It can sometimes be better to work on gaining coordination and control before trying to make a major change to technique. This is done using a series of simple drills with increasing difficulty. Here’s a checklist you can use to get started. If you answer yes to two or more, it is worth checking in with one of our running podiatrists to review your biomechanics to help you understand reasons for these movement and postural features.:
- Do your feet make much noise when you run?
- Look in the mirrow…Do you have a ‘sway’ back?
- Do you have stiff joints or are hypermobile?
- Do your arms move across your body when you run?
Strategy #2
Adaptation: Let your body adapt
Changing your form, shifts the forces from your running to different tendons, joints and bones. Your body has to adapt to these changes in load and you want to allow time for this to happen. For example, if you want to move to more of a forefoot striking technique then you will need to build up the strength of your tendons and connective tissue. As you shift where the forces are being absorbed your bones will begin to remodel and may be more susceptible to stress and stress fractures.
Allowing time with these changes reduces the risk of injury and increases your strength as a runner. When your add form work into your training, adjust the training your do for the first few weeks to not have as hard sessions or reduce your mileage.
Strategy #3
Patience: Change will happen over time.
Learning new skills is always more difficult and seems very slow in the beginning. Allow time. You will feel un-cordinated. Give yourself 6 to 8 weeks of regular, short sessions of formwork to develop enough strength to run with a new running style. Try not to push it too soon as you will likely break down. Once you include the regular repetition of the drills and exercises, you will notice a difference in your running. You should feel smoother, as if you can run more strongly and of course, improve your times.
Strategy #4
Overuse: Don’t over do it
With any new exercise, you attempt it is possible to have too much of a good thing. 10 minutes of exercises two or three times a week can be enough to start you on a running form revolution. If you decide to do 30 minutes of drills every day then it will not last. Refer back to the adapation your body has to make with the new loading and movement patterns.
Strategy #5
Focus: Take one step at a time.
Keep the form sessions simple. It is hard enough to make one change. Fixing too many things will dilute your focus and reduce your chance of success. For example, if you think you have a running fault then try to work on fixing that problem rather than trying to change everything at once. Break down the form change you want into steps, and focus on one or two of those at a time.
Create an action plan for yourself – make a list of the different aspects of your running form you would like to work on, then add one to your training program days as your focus.
Changing your running technique can be a huge challenge but has the potential to pay off in a big way. Of critical importance is knowing what you may be doing wrong before you try and fix it. It may not be the form fault that you thought was wrong. If you are unsure of your biomechanics, then a first step would be to get one of our running podiatrists to check your joint ranges of motion, and review the way you run. You can book into the intraining Running Podiatry Clinic HERE or come along to one of our Running Form Workshops.
Running Form Workshop
Visual feedback is an excellent way to improve your running form. At our group workshops, we like to give you feedback in real time on the running drills and teach you how to recognise more specific movement patterns.
Our practical running form workshops will :
- take you through the different drills and exercises to use to improve your running form.
- give you the cues to learn how to sense when and how to adjust your form
- teach you skills on developing your ideal footstrike, cadence and running posture
If you are interested in this come along to our next workshop click the link below and we’ll put you on the waiting list.