What is correct running form? And, more importantly, why does it matter?
Because practicing proper form eliminates bad habits. Bad habits when jogging can lead to injuries. Utilizing correct form will assist you to jog faster and further.
Keep the correct running form concepts in the back of your mind. They should be present while jogging. Ask yourself, is your form good or poor? Make adjustments where necessary.
Injuries will take you out of the jogging game. And, recovery can be a real pain in the neck. You don't want injuries to prevent you from enjoying your fitness routine.
So it's important to maintain correct running form.
Get Your Head On Straight
Keep your head up and your eyes should scan what’s coming ahead. Don’t look down because that negatively affects your overall posture.
You also want to be alert and appear alert to passersby or fellow joggers. Keeping your head up with your eyes continually scanning in front of you will allow you to maintain good posture.
Relax Your Shoulders
Your shoulders should be low and relaxed. Don’t let them climb upwards which can sometimes be tough if you’re fatigued.
Shake out your shoulders to release the tightness.
Arm Swing
As with your shoulders, relax your arms. They should swing along with your stride. Don’t make fists. Pretend to hold a feather between your thumb and index finger. You don’t need to squeeze the feather.
Don’t swing your arms across your body. You’ll waste energy.
If anything feels tight, shake it out and keep moving.
Torso – Run Tall
Your torso will naturally come into alignment when you keep your head up and shoulders back. You want to run tall and be comfortably straight. If you begin to slouch take in a deep breath so that you will straighten easily.
Hips Keep You Centered
Your hips are the center of everything. They’re also critical to your form. Your hips will be properly aligned if you’ve got your head and back set up correctly. If your form is off with your torso you’ll affect your hips and throw everything out of whack.
Keep your hips level.
Legs And Stride
Don’t exaggerate your knee lift. You simply lift your knees slightly, push the legs forward and keep a short stride. You want an easy movement without wasting energy.
Your feet should land right under your body. Don’t let your stride get out in front of your body. Naturally, your knees should be slightly flexed when you land. A straight knee will only cause injury.
To Slap Or Not Slap?
As you land, don’t let your foot slap the ground. It should have a soft landing between your heel and mid-foot and roll forward.
As you roll onto your toes, spring off the ground. Your calf muscles will push you forward on each step.
If you're feet are slapping the ground, then you're probably tired and need a break. Slapping only creates problems for your joints and muscles. Give them a rest and call it a day.