Running Posture – How improving your posture can make you faster with less energy!
Hey guys! In today’s blog post I’m going to talk about running posture, what it is, why it matters, what good posture looks like, and how to improve your running posture.
Running posture is basically your body’s alignment from head to toe while your running. As runners we have all types of running posture, some of which are good, and some of which are not so good. I’m sure you guys have seen some crazy postures too. Some people are really hunched over when they run and some people are so stiff it doesn’t look comfortable.
Either way, most of us fall somewhere in between those two extremes with posture.
Now you may be asking yourself why something like running posture is important and does it really matter that much. I’m sure we all have someone we know that has goofy running form, but they’re REALLY fast and so it must not matter very much right? WRONG! Our running posture can make HUGE differences in our running performance in a few key areas. The first one is that good posture helps improve our running efficiency. Running more efficiently helps us run at the same speed with less energy. Improved running efficiency helps you run faster for the same effort, and in endurance sports that is what we are ALL ABOUT! Good running posture can also help reduce injury. By keeping our body in the proper alignment, we reduce the stress on bones, joints, and muscles helping to keep us running injury free! Lastly, improved running posture also helps you look like a more experienced runner! Good posture helps your running look smooth and effortless so that when you pass people in a race, you’re going to look like you have a lot left in the tank because your posture hasn’t broken down yet! I don’t know about you, but any confidence I can get in a race helps a TON!!!
Now that we’ve talked about why running posture is important, let’s talk about what good running posture looks like. There are three main cues I use for good running posture. We want to run tall, run relaxed, and run with a lean. First of all we want to run tall and keep our ears over our shoulders, shoulders over our hips, hips over knees, all the way down to our feet. It is important to have a good tall posture because it gives your lungs the ability to fully expand, as well as providing your body a solid core to push from so that you don’t waste any energy. Second, we want to run relaxed. We want to relax the shoulders and allow our arms to swing freely forward and backward by our side to help carry our momentum forward. This again helps save energy and also prevents tight sore shoulder after a run. Lastly we want to run with a lean. When running we want to lean forward just slightly at the ankles so that you feel like you about to fall forward. (Please don’t actually fall forward… that’s not a good idea). The lean is important because it shifts your center of gravity forward just slightly so that gravity actually helps pull you forward while you run, saving you energy.
Well guys, now that you know the way to good posture, its time to take a look in the mirror and see what your running posture actually looks like. Have a friend or random stranger at the gym (actually, no strangers… because stranger danger and stuff), film you running from the side and from behind while on a treadmill. Then you can look at the video and see which of the changes above you can make to improve your running posture!
If you take the videos and need help, you can always send them to the team at Tempo Training and Performance. We have a gait analysis service that evaluates your running form, explains it to you, and then provides you with 5-6 exercises and form improvements to maximize your running form! If you have any questions please reach out by putting your information in here: https://www.tempotrainingandperformance.com/ and I will get back to you within 24 hours!
Guys thanks so much for reading through how to improve your running posture! I’m excited to see how these changes start to improve your running and turn you into the running gazelles you can become!
Until next time!
Caleb