RUNNING FORM and how to avoid knee pain, pose running and more running tipsProper running form is crucial in order to enjoy all the running health benefits.
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So many people--like myself when I first began running some 35 years ago--believe that running is just running and there is no specific running style that's better than any other.
Of course that's not true. When people run they make all kinds of mistakes. They might have running styles that unnecessarily burns energy because of poor form. Proper running form is also crucial in order to prevent common running injuries like chronic knee pain that often discourages people and make them give up on running. It's a shame because the problems they encounter could most likely easily have been avoided. First of all, people should ease themselves into running if they are new to the activity. This is especially true if there is excess weight to be lost. It can't be stressed enough. Walk first and then as fitness increases and a person loses weight, running can slowly begin. It's much easier to maintain proper running form if running is approached with common sense and as a long term activity and not something you just rush into full steam ahead. OVER-STRIDING I see this all the time. Runners who have these long, long strides that even look inefficient. Usually a long stride is what results when the knees are lifted too high. This kind of running is not really efficient, especially if longer distance training or racing is in the future plans. I remember when I first started running with a club that was made up of mostly very experienced marathoners. One of them had the nickname "stumbles" because he kept his knees so low and his strides so short that he was always tripping over something on the pathway. Yet even back in the late 1970's when the running boom had not yet started he was running 2:45 marathons with his energy-saving stride. BRAKING ACTION I really believe that runners should practice running downhill. There is nothing that impacts the quads more then having a huge braking action that so many runners have while running downhill. Often this is caused by over-striding as well. You almost have to work on creating a cycling-type action with your legs and prevent your feet from impacting the ground as forcefully as so many people do. It seems to make a big difference if you have a higher leg turn-over and let your feet skim across the ground as much as possible rather than impact it with a loud,slapping braking action. It take practice and that's why I believe downhill training is as important as uphill training. POSE RUNNING I have a link below for pose running and I really wish I had known more about this running form many years ago. It is the exact opposite to over-striding and whether one is a sprinter or distance runner, Pose running seems to be the optimum energy-saving running style that would really be worth while looking into.
Running Form Back To Triathlon Run Training Page
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