So you’ve decided that you’d like to run more. Which is great! Until everyone starts saying “I used to run, but I was always injured’, ‘no-one can run forever’, ‘running is bad for your knees’….. The list goes on and on and on. But it doesn’t have to be like this. Especially if you follow these technique tips from the very beginning.
#1: Head
- Tuck the chin in and imagine someone is lifting you up by your pony tail.
- Imagine you are running with glasses and trying to peer over the top of the rims at the horizon.
- Don’t let your head fall forward of your shoulders.
#2: Shoulders
- Lengthen the back of the neck by pulling the shoulder blades back and down and pushing the chest up.
#3: Arms
- Keep your hands away from the centre-line of your body.
- Your knuckles should brush past your hip.
- Your arms should move parallel to the direction you are running in.
#4: Pelvis
These points are assessed when you’re standing still, but affect your running.
- When standing still, place a finger on each hip bone. They should be level. Now lift one leg off the floor. The hip bones should remain level. If one hip drops, you need to work on your single leg stability.
- Stand side on to a mirror. If you have a pronounced arch in your lower back, you need to work on hip flexor flexibility and core strength.
#5: Knees
- Stand on both feet, and then lift one off the floor. Check that the knee of the grounded leg doesn’t rotate inwards. If it does rotate, you need to work on glute strength & single-leg stability.
#6: Feet
- Have your feet checked by a podiatrist or running shoe specialist. This way, you can make sure that you have the most appropriate shoes for your arch type.
- Try to land softly in the middle of your foot, rather than landing on your heel with every stride.
