The Elements of Form For Improved Performance

Most of us (especially runners who have experienced injury) spend at least some amount of time working on form.

Now there is a generally held belief about running form that over time and experience running we simply gravitate to our most natural posture, stride length and turnover; and I believe that this is true. But it is also true that our “natural” form may not be conducive to improving performance.

According to Pete Pfitzinger, Olympic Marathoner and running coach, “If we run over many years in our 'natural' form, our bodies will tend to follow the path of least resistance. Long time runners may become so efficient that fewer muscle fibers are recruited through workout after workout "– actually reducing the use of those fibers and ultimately making them a bit weaker over time. Pfitzinger says that "Many runners can improve their running economy (the oxygen cost at a given pace) by as much as 4% simply by working on improving form." 

The most common form problems include leaning forward from the waist, holding the shoulders up, or holding the arms tensely or out to the side, holding the head forward from the center of gravity, and failure to use the glutes when running.

The Elements of Good Form

Now, there’s no perfect form that one should aspire to, however there are a few basic elements of good form as follows:

1.     Landing over your center of gravity (stride length)

2.     A light, rapid cadence (stride rate)

3.     Minimal lateral rotation

4.     A relaxed body position

The Fixes

Stride Length
Problems with stride length are very common. If your feet are landing significantly in front of your center of gravity, you may be tempting fate. This particular form problem increases the already strong impact running has on your bones and joints – an invitation for injury.

Improvements to stride length are best corrected by running (surprise) barefoot. The idea here is to “memorize” what a midfoot strike feels like. Take off your shoes in a grassy area free of debris. First, jog in place. You will naturally land on the ball of your foot. Feel this midfoot strike. Then, staying with that midfoot strike, continue jogging in place and then lean forward and run, slowly accelerating your pace for about 50 yards. Don’t go so fast that you lose that midfoot strike. Repeating these 50 yard strides are an excellent way to “teach” midfoot strike and make you conscious of what you are supposed to be feeling when you do your track work and long runs.

Stride Rate
Many runners focus on increasing the length of their stride – a long stride is supposed to be a good thing, right? However, a longer stride is really a function of getting fitter. Instead of focusing on long strides, focus on “fast feet.” The idea here is to establish a cadence in which your right foot falls more than 90 times a minute at your normal running pace.

This sounds complex, I know. My physical therapist used to stand next to the treadmill while I ran and clap his hands together to train me into the proper cadence. Brutal! But I can still call upon that cadence when I feel myself falling into old patterns. They actually sell training metronomes that you can attach to your waist that count off proper cadence for you. But if all this gadgetry seems too much, hit the track and experiment with some sizzling tracks on your iPod that match that 90+ cadence. Again, the beat will help you “memorize” the proper rate of foot fall.

Lateral Rotation
Arm position is critically important here. Many runners will hold their arms out, or across their bodies as they run – and this tendency increases as fatigue increases – causing lateral movement. Proper arm position is relaxed from the shoulders, with arms held at a 90-degree angle. “Pump” length should be relatively short and not cross over the body, but move straight ahead. Proper arm action helps propel the body forward, maintain proper balance, and decrease lateral movement of the body.

Surprisingly, proper use of the glutes is also helpful in improving lateral rotation. Engaging your glutes as you push forward instead of letting your quads and hamstrings do all the work will help stabilize your forward motion and will tend to straighten your leg behind your body as you move forward, (emphasis on forward rather than lateral motion).

Relaxed Body Position
OK – now that you’re focusing on your arms, your stride and your cadence, you need to relax. J No, seriously, there is a bit of science to this. During your run, do a “mindfulness check” starting from your head to your toes. Check in with yourself and ask, “Is my jaw relaxed, my neck, my shoulders? Are my hands clenched or gently cupped? Are my ankles tense, toes clenching?” Check in with your body every few minutes with this tension check and be conscious of letting go- wherever you are carrying it. It’s a terrific injury prevention (and performance improvement) trick.

More?

Running drills that engage typically under-utilized muscle fibers at least a couple of times a month will help you improve your form and improve overall fitness. Here’s a fun video on training drills that help improve form. 

Also, take a look at this exceptional analysis of  Lauren Fleshman’s form  in an article by Michael Yessis (author of Explosive Running).

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