Running Tips

10 Key Things To Watch for During Your Running Motion That Can Dramatically Enhance Performance

They may just help you set a new personal record, prevent injuries, and leave your competition behind you.

Photo by Jonathan Chng on Unsplash

Now, I’m not a runner by nature. And I sometimes joke that you shouldn’t be running unless someone is chasing you, or you’re chasing them like I did all these years playing sports.

Since running for prolonged periods can take a toll on your body and lead to repetitive injuries when you’re not doing it correctly.

But now, after 18+ years as a personal trainer, I’ve learned some great tips that have helped me successfully train competitive marathoners, triathletes, and those who just enjoyed running for fun.

Here are 10 key tips that I’ve learned to help enhance running motion, whether you’re just starting or trying to set a personal record for an upcoming athletic event.

1. Head should remain balanced — One of the most important things I learned from Biomechanics class in college is where your head goes, your body follows. So, to help keep your running motion optimal, keep your head as steady as possible. Like using a fixed gaze with your eyes lo king forward as a way to make sure your head isn’t bouncing around, shifted forward, or tilting too much to the side of your body. A great way to check your head position is to access a treadmill that sits in front of a window or next to a mirror. If you only run outdoors, try recording yourself for a few feet or meters. Or, when you have a running partner, try recording each other and check how much your head moves.
2. Maintain good posture — Maintaining a good posture while sitting up to 8 hours a day is challenging enough, as is it is. Even more challenging to maintain good posture while running outdoors over changing terrain or checking your text messages while running sprints on a treadmill. Make sure to set your shoulders in an optimal position by relaxing them down and slightly back. Maintaining good posture helps distribute stress evenly throughout your upper body and helps maintain proper head alignment. Which is key to an efficient running motion over long periods as you…