Tips and Techniques for Proper Running Form

Running is a popular and powerful way to get exercise—no fancy equipment, no teams to gather for a game. Easy as lacing up your shoes and taking off, right?

However, your form greatly impacts the effectiveness of your run. If you’re lazy or slouchy as you go, you may experience discomfort or outright pain. To bring that workout to the next level, learn some tips and techniques for proper running form.

Engage Your Core

On days when you’re not running, do some exercises to strengthen your core—those muscles help you stand straight and avoid slouching.

As you run, keep your core engaged and focus on your posture. When your spine is in alignment, you can run without discomfort, and you won’t feel pain the next day.

Build a Strong Foundation

What’s a proper running form without the right pair of shoes? If you’ve ever had to run while wearing improper shoes like loafers or sandals, you know it’s not productive and can even lead to injury.

Choose a pair of shoes with proper arch support and some buoyancy in the soles. Tyler’s selection of On Cloud running shoes features cutting-edge construction and the cushioning your feet need to keep going.

Watch Your Stride

While running, you may find yourself trying to lengthen your stride with every step to go faster. However, overstriding can put undue strain on your muscles and impact your overall form.

Pay attention to the alignment of your legs as your feet strike the ground. You should center your knee over your ankle; if you see your ankle ahead of your knee, you’re striding too far.

Relax Those Shoulders

Tension in the neck, shoulders, and upper back is a leading cause of chronic pain, whether you exercise regularly or not. Pay attention to how much tension you’re holding up there. Squeezed shoulders can also impact the movement of your arms as you run.

Before you take off, relax your shoulders completely. Stand as tall as you can, and feel the motion of your arms swinging freely from the shoulders. It’ll take some getting used to, but it will improve your form and overall comfort.

Breathe in Rhythm

While the intensity of your breathing increases with the intensity of your workout, pay attention to the rhythm. Smooth, even breaths encourage you to maintain proper form and composure during longer runs, such as a marathon.

Your breath should be in time with the movement of your body. As you run, you’ll feel your body get into a groove; allow your breath to stay in sync.

With these tips and techniques for proper running form, your daily workout will improve, and you may even feel strength in muscles you never knew existed. Lace up your On Cloud shoes, maintain proper posture, and enjoy your daily exercise.