Proper Running Form
Developing Proper Running Form:
Trying to lose weight by going running is common practice. It’s a cheap and accessible form of exercise. There are plenty of after-work runners of all abilities, fitness training in London’s parks. They’ve taken the initiative, stepping towards a fitness lifestyle, which is great – but my major concern is witnessing various horrible running techniques, so I thought to offer a few tips:
Running on Balls of Feet:
The most obvious mistake is running on the balls of your feet. From behind, it’s apparent that the runner’s heels never touch the ground. Apart from overworking the calves unnecessarily, through a short range of movement, this running style is biomechanically inefficient, i.e. you cannot achieve a decent speed.
Running ‘Bounce’:
Another example of poor running form is ‘bouncing’. If you watch the top of a runner’s head, you’ll see what I mean. Energy is lost in this up-and-down movement, which can lead to the runner striking the ground too hard with each step.
Running Slowly:
Finally, the most common mistake is running too slowly. This practise combines all the drawbacks about running (a dull, repetitive, high-impact practice) with none of the benefits (a huge spike in cardiovascular ability, calorie burning, working the legs). In addition, this isn’t an effective speed for weight loss.
Poor technique makes running feel harder than it should be, by wasting energy – and also gives running an injury-prone reputation it doesn’t deserve. I go running with a few of my outdoor personal training clients, across the park in the early mornings. We work side-by-side to develop their proper running form, so that my clients get the best results possible for the effort they’re putting in.
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Running on the balls of your feet can’t be considered bad form, especially from an evolutionary perspective! It takes a while to get used to but it’s the most natural way of running and is how hunter-gatherers covered such vast distances.
Heel-toe running is the best way to obtain a running injury
Thanks for your comment, Josh. I don’t feel qualified to address running style from an evolutionary angle! However, my intention in this blog, was to address not the practice of landing on the balls of your feet, but of actually staying up on the balls of your feet for one’s entire run. I don’t feel that this practice is good for either the calves or the achilles tendon.
And I’m not a fan of aggressive heel-toe landing either, Josh. Check out this video on Merrell’s website about mid-foot running style. It’s under the title ‘Good Form’. (Please note: I have no commercial connection with Merrell, nor endorse their products).
Jason
I have tried taking up running a couple of times and always end up with shinsplints, despite warming up, stretching warming down, stretching again etc. I def need new trainers but, when I used to do martial arts, I would be running for hours in the gym or outside barefoot, never had any problems.
Now I am a few stone heavier, so that could be the cause. But I am blaming my shoes more than anything. Before I go out and do all the wet floor tests and buy some fancy shoes, I am wondering if I might be better just wearing thin plimsolls. I need to sort my technique too (I think I overstride and get heelstrike). But I am not sure.
I agree in part with Josh, we are designed to run and evade predators/catch food. So surely it must be the shoe?
Hi Sean,
I’ve founded our company on the basis that you can achieve fitness without machines and fancy equipment. A simple pair of plimsolls may be all you need. One of my female clients has turned up to train in a pair of Prada ballet pumps!
It’s not what you’re wearing on your feet – it’s about how you’re choosing to exercise. If you’re trying to exercise to lose weight, ask yourself why you’ve chosen running – a high impact exercise that increases stress on the legs.
I suggest you could avoid shinsplints (and an expensive set of running trainers) by adding bodyweight exercises to your fitness routine.