Hills and Flats - Good Running Form

This articles reviews basic form for running flats, and adds information on how to run hills both up and down. This articles also includes links to four excellent videos.

1. Why does it matter?

Good running form will help minimize the impact of the ground by using our God-given, biomechanically perfect body. The idea is to run over the ground, not on it. Good running form, and a strong healthy body will increase efficiency by reducing wasted energy. You’ll also go faster by making good use of the potential our body-design affords. Please note that while your coach totally believes that our bodies have been designed by God to run, if you’re returning to the sport at age 47 after a long, very long layoff (see couch potato), it will take time to prepare your body for this sport. Use this information and watch the videos, and begin to prepare your body for what it was intended. In the mean time, while you are preparing your body to run smoothly,·just relax and go slower by decreasing stride-length.

2. What should good running form look like?

Posture should be erect or nearly so. Slumping forward makes gravity work against you. Head, neck and torso erect.

3. Arm swing

Aim for a ~90 degree angle at the elbow, with the hands moving from the hip pocket to mid-chest, back and forth (watch videos). In the arm swing, your hands should not cross the midline of your body. Your arm-swing has a great deal to do with performance, and power. Next time you’re out for a run and are warmed up and have established a rhythm, try pumping your arm swing faster and see what happens. Yes, you’ll go faster.

4. Noise

Listen to the sound of your shoes interacting with the ground. Is there excess sounds of shoes dragging or scuffing the ground? Can others 50 yards away hear you coming? Efficiency tends to be more quite than straining.

5. Rate of Turnover (cadence)
The optimal number of steps per minute for runners is around 180. This is approx 3 steps per second, or 30 steps every 10 seconds. Elite runners run at a stride rate of about 180 steps per minute. Any official long distance race proves this point, and shorter distances too. Count the number of steps an experienced runner touches her foot to the ground while running. This number will be close to 180 per minute, and it doesn't really matter if she runs a 5K or a marathon. In a 5K she might increase to 190 per minute to go faster, but will be closer to 180 in a marathon.

6. Relax. Shoulders, neck and your smile… get rid of the tension.

7. Breathing rhythm - let your oxygen needs dictate your breathing rhythm, however, you can purposefully breath in and out, in and out, with purpose to train yourself to breath fully. Many people say they have troubles breathing. If so, then breath big and strong and practice, and establish a rhythm.

8. Improve your core strength, flexibility and balance which allows for full range of motion and proper biomechanical/skeletal alignment. This is an important aspect of cross-training (pilates, lunges, plyometrics, yoga, swimming, cycling, resistance weights, etc).
 

VIDEO 4:50 minutes
Correct Running Biomechanics and Adding Speed
An exceptional video on replacing heel strike with forefoot running. You’ll see that our bodies naturally avoid heel striking. Also a good plug for Vibram Fivefingers.
VIDEO 6:21 minutes
Functional Strength Training: 10 Excellent Exercises
Be creative! 10 exercises that will make you a better runner.

Hill Running Form

Uphill

1. Ideal Form/Posture = Same as running on the flats. Don’t bend forward causing gravity to pull you down. As the hill steepens, you’ll use the ball of your foot, rather naturally. Stand tall.
2. Stride Length = naturally, your stride length will shorten. As the hill gis more steep, your stride length will shorten still more.
3. Stride Rate = ~180 steps per minute

Downhill
As you cross ovger the hill to the downside, don’t overstride and cause impact of your heel to ground as a braking mechanism. Overstriding, and heel-braking are bad things going downhill. Instead, increase your turnover if you want to increase speed downhill.

1. Good Posture, and lean slightly forward.
2. Stride Length = short to medium
3. Stride Rate = ~180 steps per minute·
VIDEO 3:03 minutes
Proper Form for Uphill & Downhill Running
by Dave Scott, 6-time IRONMAN World Champion
VIDEO 0:31 seconds
Example of Good Downhill Foot Plant