Improving running techniques, such as avoiding heel strike, landing with the foot in line with the body, improving posture and strengthening pelvic muscles, can increase efficiency and reduce the risk of injury. Gradual changes are recommended, and running at the correct speed is important for joint health.
Everyone has a unique running style, but there are several things a person can do to improve their running techniques. An example is changing the way the foot hits the ground. So-called heel strike runners are less efficient and more likely to sustain an injury than midfoot runners. Other tips include landing with your foot in line with or slightly behind your body’s center of gravity, strengthening the muscles that provide pelvic stability, and running at the correct speed.
Improving running techniques is not only important for efficiency and achieving a faster time; It can also help reduce the chance of injury. It is often said that an efficient runner glides on the surface, while an inefficient runner seems to struggle much more for the same movement. Still, it’s important for a runner to make changes to his style gradually rather than suddenly. Once the body is accustomed to a certain form of running, injuries are more likely to occur if the style suddenly changes.
An important part of improving running techniques is avoiding heel strike. When the foot comes down, many inefficient runners land with it in front of the body and impact through the heel. This makes the front leg resist the movement of the body and increases the impact through the ankle, knee and hip. Instead, an efficient runner should land with the foot in line with the body and place the impact through the midfoot.
Posture is often ignored by runners, but improving it can greatly affect the efficiency of running techniques. The pelvis is an essential part of the body’s kinetic chain, allowing the force of the feet striking the ground to travel through the body to the back. If the muscles surrounding the pelvis are weak, some of this strength is lost. Improving the strength of the abdominal and gluteal muscles is essential for good pelvic stability.
Another important part of improving running techniques is speed. Many people who enjoy running to keep fit jog at speeds of less than 6 mph (9.66 km/h). Although this feels like a good workout, it’s actually much less efficient than just walking briskly. It’s also much harder on the joints, which absorb more shock when running than when walking. For this reason, slow runners may be better off walking fast.
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