Running Rachel

Running Mom Blog | Christian Mom Blog | Fitness Mom Blogger | Kansas City Mom Blogger and Runner| Balancing Faith, Family, Fitness, Food and Fun

Running Tips: Proper Form Legs & Feet

Welcome back to another week of Tuesday Tips with Running Rachel (Running Edition).  If you are new to my Tuesday Tips Running Edition, welcome!  Check out the links below to see what you missed!

Running Tips

1. Proper Form While Running

2. Head and Shoulders (look ahead at about 10-20 feet ahead of you; check your posture; relax your shoulders; rotate arms from the shoulders)

3. Arms and Hands (keep your arms and hands relaxed; keep your hands at a 90* angle; try to keep your hands at pocket/waist/hip level; rotate your arms from the shoulders; keep arms at your side)

Moving right on down the body… this week, I will be focusing on your LEGS  (with a bit of hips  mixed in) and FEET.  I will share with you their proper position while running!
running form

Legs:

Use them! Simple enough, right?
Move them! Need more info? Okay.
 
If you remember from last week, I mentioned that God made our bodies perfectly… and when we use our body as it was made… it performs very well.
When you have proper ARM (upper body) running form… your lower body (LEGS) will follow suit.
Keep your stride low and focus on quick turnover.  This helps to avoid bouncing and lower body fatigue – which ultimately wastes energy and could cause injury.
Lower body running form varies for each distance running.
If you are running a short race or a sprint – your legs would be elongated and your stride would be longer with a quicker turnover.
A distance runner would have a shorter stride, shorter knee lift, and a quick turnover.

Ankles:

I struggle with this one… and I find that it is often overlooked.

Make sure you flex your ankles – or kick (push off from the ground) – as your foot is rotating forward.  This not only helps prevent injury (instead of just pounding hard on your feet with each strike) but in doing so it propels you forward.

Feet:

If your stride length (discussed above with legs) is correct your feet should be landing directly underneath your body.
Try to land mid foot and then gently roll to your toes (with a kick/flick of your ankle like mentioned above).
Landing mid foot: meaning don’t run on your toes or hit your heel with each step.   When you land on your toes, you calves tighten and cramp.
You also could get shin pain (like shin splints).  No fun!
When you land on your heels, it means that you have over stride and your body is naturally braking (or trying to slow you down).  This wastes energy and could also cause injury.
Again, proper form makes for easier running.  Poor form = injury and working harder than you should.
Stay tuned next week for tips on proper running form: Breathing!!

Remember: Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. ~ Jim Ryan

Make healthy living and active lifestyle a HABIT for you and your family!  You will continue to see success and the results you seek.

Have a blessed week!

Disclaimer: I am not a fitness professional. The opinions on my blog are written and based solely from my personal experience and what works for me.)

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