Three Tips for Better Running Form!
This is the first installment in The Run Experience series for Competitor.com! Look for more in the following weeks!
You might love running, or (ahem), at times you might hate it, but either way chances are you want to run faster and with better form. This video will help you love running a little more, hate it a bit less, and run faster and with better form than ever before. Keep these three tips in mind the next time you head out the door for a run.
1. Focus On Posture
Admit it. Your parents were right. Sitting up at the dinner table is not only good manners, but it paves the way for some serious butt kicking, PR shattering, and grin-inducing running. When you run with correct posture, you are running tall with your body feeling aligned and balanced. You feel light and quick, and it helps all other parts of your run fall into place. Posture starts with the hips. Imagine a rope is tied around your hips and is pulling you along the road.
2. Keep Cadence In Mind
You don’t have to be a good dancer (trust us!) to find a basic rhythm to follow with your feet. On your next run, count how many times your right foot hits the ground in 60 seconds. If it is under 90, think about shortening your stride just a little to increase your cadence.
3. Forget About Foot Strike
These days, we seem to judge a runner’s moral fiber based on how his or her foot meets the ground. Are you a heel striker (tsk tsk!), or do you land on your midfoot? It doesn’t really matter! Don’t think about foot strike at all. Instead, focus on your posture, running tall and leading with the hips. Keep a consistent cadence of 90 steps per minute or more and your foot strike will naturally feel light and quick and as your feet land right underneath you.
These are the big three things to keep in mind when heading out for a run. Think about your posture and cadence—don’t think about foot strike—and you’ll be faster and with great form in no time.