RUNNING: Technique, Posture And Tips

RUNNING: Technique, Posture And Tips

RUNNING: TECHNIQUE, A highly complex set of features that string together to create poetic and pure form that will make us all resemble Olympic marathon runners, right? It doesn t need to be so complex, and we have to be realistic about who we are as athletes, and what our needs are. For most of us, we won t achieve pure running form that combines power and grace. This doesn t mean we cannot improve. an important realization is that improving your running form and economy goes well beyond going to a lab and having a detailed running gait analysis, complete with lasers, electrodes and slow motion. In fact, I have seen many people injure themselves due to wellmeaning experts make refinements to foot plant or arm carriage, in pursuit of pure biomechanics. The good news is that you can likely save your money and focus on some more fundamentals to help you running. MISSION Improved running form equates to improved economy. There is a large component of triathlon performance that includes preventing slowing down. We want to create effective running, that can be maintained over extended periods, following swimming and running. This means that we want to also create form that easily less prone to collapse, or massive erosion, as we start to truly fatigue. Economy. This is the important word for the majority of athletes racing triathlons.!2

FORM DECLINE When hitting the run leg, it is worth understanding what happens when fatigue and form-degradation occurs. Some of the limiters and effects include: The inability to maintain proper posture (stand tall) Loss of the supporting musculoskeletal support from the supporting muscles, leading to massive increase in cost, and decrease in economy. Muscle spasms/cramps from over-used muscles in the run (often originating from the bike effort) We want to keep the prime movers contributing the majority of the work, to maximize locomotion, and also need to maintain great posture and body position to ensure that the prime movers work deliver best speed possible with our resources. IMPROVING YOUR RUNNING Let s first provide some examples and areas that require focus IF any athlete is to create both improved form/technique, as well as the ability to maintain that form throughout a run leg of a triathlon race. 1. FITNESS Pretty simply, but true. With a platform of fitness, and continued improving fitness, you cannot create and maintain proper run form. You are moving your bodyweight, with both legs off the ground (we hope!) at the same time, hence an element of flight. You need fitness. 2. MUSCULOSKELETAL INTEGRITY This is where fitness and functional strength meet. We need to develop great resilience to maintain posture and form when fatigue creeps in, and this is best achieved with both smart and consistent running training!3

(specific), as well as a complete and ongoing strength and conditioning program (less specific). 3. MUSCULOSKELETAL FUNCTION Removing key limiters in mobility that can completely hinder the ability to improve form. A great example is a recent athlete I coached. He had adductors (think inner-thigh) SO tight, that he was unable to create even a few steps of proper running form. It would not matter how much he trained, how good his strength program was, or how many video assessments he had, his body would not allow him to get into improved form. The muscle limiters prevented improvements. It was no wonder there was repeated injuries. Removing this obstacle improved speed, economy and enjoyment! 4. A SENSE OF PACING So critical for all athletes. Our running occurs following swimming and biking, so the pacing is less about pacing in the run portion, and much more related to proper pacing in the entire race. Added to this is a sense of management throughout the training session and race, based on resources and events that occur in the moment. This is a skill, and something to be trained. 5. AWARENESS / FOCUS / TRAINING You must understand and see what you are actually doing, and understand the basic fundamentals and cues that help establish improvements. In addition, specific training, such as hill-running, speed, and steep grade walking on the treadmill all contribute to maximizing the benefits of the building blocks. Ibn other words, specific training helps enhance biomechanics and form.!4

IMPROVING YOUR FORM With all this in mind, there are a few key building blocks to good running form. These include: STANDING TALL / GOOD POSTURE Without good posture, you cannot be economical and retain proper form. It is the first thing to focus on, as all other positive factors blossom from this. You should have a long spine, strong pillar/core, surrounded with supple shoulders. Cues: Stand TALL / Stand Proud Long spine Running in a harness FORWARD BODY POSITION We want to ensure we maintain that tall position, but get our center of balance forward. In other words, we gain natural forward momentum by tipping our weight forward, leading us to fall forward. This is a subtle shift in body position, but important, as most tend to lean back when running, leading with the hips. This leads to over-extension of the running stride, and pulling with the propulsive phase of the stride. When achieving this, there is no bend at the waist. It is simply a lean from the ankles, to get the shoulders in front of the hips. Be careful not to arch the back, and lean with the belly button. Cues: Stand on the edge of a building and tip forward, but don t fall off. Press the chest Tits in front of hips (the Meredith Kessler cue!) ARM CARRIAGE This is really important, in order to optimize economy, and allow fast leg speed. We want the arms quiet and tidy, without too much forward active swing. Any active swing occurs by pushing back, but the arms remain!5

supple and quiet. A good starting point to achieve proper arm carriage is to put your fists in the armpits, while remaining supple. Then keep the upper arm in position, and open the forearms a little to between 45 to 90 degree angle at the elbow. If you keep the shoulders supple, this is your proper carriage. Ironically, most people run with a much greater angle at the elbow, closer to 110 to 160 degrees, which slows leg speed. Athletes tend to over-swing the arms as well, leading to greater cost. Unless pumping the arms to pick up speed or drive over a hill, most triathlon running is about economy, keep them supple and quiet. Cues: Thumbs in armpits Carry a tennis ball between forearm and upper arm. Soft quiet arm swinging FINAL THOUGHTS If you can hit these three starting points, as well as maintaining strong and stable hips, then the result will be more economical running. The byproduct of these points should be an increase in foot speed. This is massively important, and while we want to retain a focus here, it can only effectively occur if we keep hips strong, and have a platform of the above three elements. Have a quick look at this video for the most salient points: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=fis-qrunyza. I hope that helps. Cheers, Matt!6