How to become a faster runner by working on your running form:
I work with a HS athlete helping her become a better runner. One of the things we’ve worked on is her running form. Below, you’ll find what we looked at, why we looked at it, and how we can fix it. All of these are things that any runner can and should do to become a better looking runner.
Upper Body – Going “Thumbs Up”
If she can go from a “thumbs to the side” arm swing, to a “thumbs up” arm swing, we can make her more piston-like and efficient.
Arms crossing over midline of body.
Thumbs down, instead of up
As you can see in the photo to the left, the right arm is crossing over more than a ⅓ of her body. This “sidewards” motion is wasted motion and “twists” her body. The picture to the right also shows the thumbs moving away from straight up and down.
Remedy
Practice in a mirror: make sure arm swing goes from hip to cheek and stays close to the body. Also, remember to keep thumbs up during this exercise.
Next week, we will look at the lower body to see how we can maximize stride length and make her a stronger & faster runner!
To get your gait analysis done or to see what “flaws” you might have in your running gait, contact Marc or follow Marc on Facebook, and on Twitter or visit his website.
