A Listicle About Running Form

Like my previous blog post, this one was originally written for a client who decided to discontinue his blog before I had a chance to submit it to him, so now I’m sharing it here instead. It’s all about running form, and I was excited to be able to cite my friend Randy Accetta in it. When I lived in Tucson, I ran with The Workout Group, which Randy leads as part of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners and Run Tucson, and through his teaching, I was able to complete the Tucson Half Marathon, which I consider one of the top accomplishments in my life.

My finisher certificate for the 2002 Tucson Half Marathon (Athlinks)

You’ll notice this blog post contains a numbered list. This makes it fall into the writing genre called a listicle. What is a listicle, you ask? As Arika Okrent explained in The University of Chicago Magazine, the word “listicle” is a blend of the words “list” and “article,” and that describes the genre succinctly. If you’d like a bit more detail about the features of a listicle, I suggest you check out the listicle within Okrent’s. It contains such insights as “It has comforting structure,” and “Lists make it look easier.” And lest you think a listicle is a genre not worthy of thoughtful consideration, you might check out the article “In Defense of the Listicle” in the New York Times. Wired has also published a defense of the listicle, as has the Texas A&M University Writing Center.

That said, here’s my listicle about running form. Let me know what you think!

8 Ways to Achieve Your Ideal Running Form

Endurance races are a popular form of exercise, and you may be wondering how to ensure your best performance in them. Adequate preparation through diet, strength training, and cardiovascular fitness certainly plays a role, but so does your running form during the race. Do you know how to maintain your body’s ideal running form? Read on for some tips.

First, it’s important to note that there’s no single ideal running form. Each person’s body is different, which means we all move differently. What works for one person might not be ideal for someone else. That’s ok. We can embrace our differences while striving to follow some general guidelines.

1. Use a shoulder-width stance

 A shoulder-width stance is best for running. One board-certified orthopedic and sports physical therapist with a doctorate in physical therapy, Yukiko Matsuzaki, who was interviewed for an article in Women’s Health noted that the legs should be in alignment with the hips. Since the hips are directly below the shoulders, this translates to a shoulder-width stance. She explained it’s particularly important not to let the knees turn inward into a knock-kneed position, as this can cause injuries.

2. Take short steps

 The director of coaching for the Road Runners Club of America, Dr. Randy Accetta, shared with Today.com that shorter steps are better than longer ones. This helps keep your body weight directly on top of your feet. An article that was medically reviewed by certified personal trainer Daniel Bubnis on the Healthline website agreed with the short steps advice and suggested that shorter, faster strides can help conserve energy.

3. Aim for a midsole or forefoot foot strike

 While both Matsuzaki and Accetta agreed that sometimes too much attention is paid to how the foot hits the ground, Matsuzaki in particular stressed that pounding your heels into the ground isn’t the best approach. This is because it can lead to injuries. As the Healthline article noted, striking the ground with your heel can also slow you down as compared to hitting the ground midsole. And, when sprinting, a forefoot strike will help give you a strong push off, resulting in more speed.

4. Keep your arms bent at a 90-degree angle

Both Accetta and the Healthline article agreed that keeping your arms bent at a 90-degree angle is an ideal to strive for. Accetta emphasized not holding your arms too high and said you should try to keep your arms at about the height of the top of your shorts. The Healthline article suggested keeping your arms at this 90-degree angle while you swing them forward and back so that your hands reach about your chin on the upswing and near your low back on the backswing.

5. Center your arms with the midline of your body

Another tip about arms is to keep them centered with the midline of your body. In the Women’s Health article, Annick Lamar, certified running coach and training and education lead for the New York Road Runners, explained that not doing so can create torque in the body, which can reduce efficiency. Both Accetta and the Healthline article agreed that crossing your arms in front of your body is a bad idea. The Healthline article explained this is because it can cause your torso to twist too much. It also noted that if you run on a treadmill, you shouldn’t hold on to the handles unless you think you might fall.

6. Relax your hands

It’s important to keep your hands relaxed when running. Lamar, Accetta, and the Healthline article all mention this. Lamar mentioned they key word “gently” in relation to how we should hold our hands when running, while the Healthline article used the word “loose” to help us understand how to hold our hands. Thinking of these words can serve as reminders as we run.

7. Maintain an erect posture

An erect posture, perhaps with a slight forward lean, is best. Matsuzaki stressed the importance of staying tall while running rather than using a bent position. You should keep your chest and head high and avoid slouching or shrugging your shoulders, as noted by the Healthline article.

8. Don’t forget to breathe

Accetta noted it’s important to breathe deeply while running. Don’t worry about whether you breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. What matters is getting plenty of air. He suggested that if you’re going at the right pace to breathe correctly, you should be able to sing a song. Any faster, and you’ll start panting too hard to be able to sing. The Healthline article noted one effective breathing strategy is to breathe in rhythm with your footfalls to help you relax and to promote efficient energy use.