Do you run efficiently? Improve your running efficiency with these four steps

It's the time of year where many of us are in the early stages of a running program or thinking about it. As we look way down the calendar to our chosen events, our goals can seem a long way away. 

Sometimes early in the program it can be hard to keep focussed or motivated with our running training, but this is the ideal time to focus on what really matters when it comes to your running training. And that is, running with good form, and improving our running technique & efficiency, hence Run Well.

As always running training is about becoming a stronger & better runner, which given time will result in you becoming a faster runner. Hence the key here is in practising good technique, and thus developing good, strong motor (movement) patterns as we run. Train well, get stronger, improve your efficiency and faster will come.

Here are a few key pointers to get you started; 

1. Tall posture, strong trunk.

Running tall, chest up with a strong trunk allows you to keep your hips on top of & in front of your feet, to access your glutes/hips for power. Look out in front, not down to the ground. 

2. Shorter stride length , more steps

Reducing your stride length will also keep your hips over your feet, reducing the tendency to reach out in front with your foot ( over-striding). This also help you to land through your mid-foot for energy recoil, More steps, means reducing the load with each step, 

3. Pick up you feet!

This is called 'Knee Drive'; so pick your feet up off the ground at the end of your stride to get your knee coming through high & forward in position for your next step. This focal point will also help prevent you from reaching forward with your stride and over-striding.

4. Push from hips.  

Your glutes come from (the back of) your hips, and are the strongest muscle in your body. These are the runner's powerhouse that will allow you to run well, and fast. The combination of the above factors will allow you to push your body forward as you stride, thus increasing your stride length behind you during knee drive, and not reaching out in front.

posted Monday December 5th
by Run Well