By the healthiergang writer , personal trainer with a degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences.
How to Run Correctly?
Are you wondering how you run correctly? You are in the right place. Running correctly is essential for the prevention of injuries and to fully enjoy the race.
Almost all amateur runners, at some point in their "career", ask themselves if it is not the case to change or improve their running technique; with the aim of preventing injuries (or overcoming one) and maybe even improving times.
At this point they will start looking for videos of professional athletes, trying to snatch their technical and stylistic secrets, soon realizing that, if those have made running their profession, it is also due to a clearly superior attitude and genetics.
Once this is done, the search moves to the forums, looking for the user with the definitive advice; but here we will enter a tangle of often questionable personal opinions, which will only confuse the unfortunate runner even more.
- So how to run correctly?
- What is the secret of the perfect run?
- Which technique is best for going fast and minimizing injuries?
- How can I do to learn it and make it mine?
First of all, before answering, we must specify that the running technique is determined by three fundamental elements:
- Foot support
- Position and participation of the upper body
- Step length and frequency
These three variables added together result in our running technique, a technique which, as we will see, is unique and specific for each of us; but let's analyze them one by one.
1. Foot Support
The first fundamental rule if you want to know how to run correctly is not to forget the importance of foot support. Each of us has a different structure of the foot and a support that is unique, to which the sensitivity of the sole must be added; we can have a neutral, overpronated or hypersupinated stance, and be more or less sensitive in the stance.
The support greatly influences the choice of the shoe with which we will run, nowadays there are shoes for every type of support and sensitivity, which are also able to compensate for slight defects of the foot. While for particular conditions (severe overweight, or intense hyper pronation or supination) it is always better to contact an orthopedist or a podiatrist who will be able to advise you on specific orthotics.
With the support topic filed away, we need to see how we approach the pace during the run, some of us in fact tend to focus the run on the forefoot and the sole. While others have a habit of rolling their entire foot, from heel to toe.
Whatever natural running fans say, not all of us are designed to run in the same way; so if on the positive side it is true that pushing on the forefoot allows us to stay less time on the ground and to get more thrust, it is equally true that if we are overweight (or in any case we weigh more than 75/80 kg) or we have a rhythm of mild running (above 4: 30m / km), this technique allows us to better manage movement and prevent injuries, paradoxically.
2. Trunk And Arms
One of the most common mistakes of runners is to focus only on running, without considering the fact that the trunk, arms and shoulders are an active and fundamental part of the mechanics of the movement, not a useless weight to take for a walk.
We should therefore carve out at least one session a week for a workout in the gym, training during which we should focus on strengthening the core, lumbar and back, to make sure that these muscles support us during the race making the movements more fluid and the more efficient technique.
Swimming is also a great supplement.
Theoretically, while running, we should position the upper part of the torso and the shoulders slightly forward with respect to the pelvis, in such a way as to project the movement forward, thus also reducing the flight time; the shoulders and arms should also be relaxed enough to accommodate the swing of the hips and pelvis, with an elbow angle slightly less than 45 *.
3. The Pass
The third fundamental variable is the pitch, which in turn is characterized by two variables: amplitude and frequency.
Usually the shorter the stretch to cover (100-200-400 meters), the more the amplitude of the step will be fundamental (to cover as much space as possible in the least amount of movement possible), while for longer distances (from cross-country skiing to ultra marathons ) it is more efficient to sacrifice amplitude in favor of frequency, also because taking shorter steps reduces the flight time, and by reducing the flight time, the microtraumas that result from each landing are minimized
Usually amateur and amateur runners have a step rate that is between 150 and 170 steps per minute, while professionals easily arrive above 200; this tells us that, without trying the impossible, a good amateur could and should tend to reach 180 steps per minute, working on the technique and on a homogeneous development of the muscles of the whole body.
After having clarified these fundamental concepts, we can say that there is no running technique that is effective and efficient for everyone, but that each of us, based on their physical characteristics and their degree of training, will have to apply the best technique, technique which may change if conditions (weight, speed and pace) change further, for better or for worse.
Conclusion
To conclude, with this article we have explained to you how to run correctly. If you have been running for a while, and you have no pain or problems whatsoever, trying to change your technical approach to running from one day to the next could be useless, if not harmful.
If, on the other hand, you feel the need to improve yourself and you have time to invest, start modifying your technique and pace slowly, without fear of taking the classic step back to take two steps forward.
Because the technique is not learned in a day, but it is an investment for life.
Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you are concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or making major changes to your diet.
