How to run correctly: technique, breathing, cadence

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A guide for those who want to run quickly and without injury.

The right running technique isn't just for professionals. Foot stance, leg and core position, breathing, and cadence affect the efficiency and safety of your runs.

How to put your feet correctly

When running, you need to land on the forefoot. In their book Run Faster, Longer and Without Injuries, Nikolai Romanov and Kurt Brungardt suggest that the reader try to take off his shoes and run from the heel: you cannot run this way for a long time, because the heel will hurt. The cushioning of modern sneakers will absorb shock, but pain isn't the only problem with this stance.

The human foot is designed in such a way as to effectively absorb shock loads. Its arch flattens during stride, and then straightens out and throws out the accumulated energy.

When you step on the forefoot, this mechanism works. But if the heel comes down first, no cushioning occurs. You just stick into the ground.

When you land on your heel, you literally hit the brakes from a biomechanical standpoint. Real runners don't slow down at every step.

Coach Rodney Wiltshire

With a correct landing, the outer edge of the foot is barely noticeably turned down, and the big toe is up. First, the ball of the foot touches the floor, immediately after that the heel drops.

You should not run only on pads, and even more so on socks: this is fraught with overexertion and injury.

The video below shows the staging of the foot of the Ethiopian stayer and marathon runner, Olympic champion Haile Gebreselassie.

When you shift your weight onto your leg, your foot is clearly under the center of gravity, not in front of it. Your body at this moment resembles the letter S. The knee of the supporting leg is located above the toe and directed forward, the foot is under the pelvis.

After you kick off the ground, the shin is lifted to parallel with the floor and the knee is brought forward. And the cycle repeats itself. Below is a snippet of a Sage Running lesson from marathon runner and running coach Sage Kanadei.

Exercise "Running Pose"

This exercise is from the book by Romanov and Brungardt. With it, you will be able to feel the correct posture when landing even before entering the track.

Take off your shoes, stand up straight and transfer your weight to the forefoot, keeping your heel on. Bend your right knee and lift your leg so that the right shin is at the level of the left knee, and the legs resemble a number 4. Raise your left hand for counterweight.

In the picture below, the desired position is on the right, on the left - the same posture while running.

Hold the running pose for 10-20 seconds, then repeat on the other leg. Perform three sets for each leg. If you are outdoors, you can jog between sets to get a feel for how your body assumes this pose as you run.

How to find the correct body position

How to hold your neck

The neck should be level with the back. Do not lower or lift your head. All of this affects your posture and spoils your position. You can look at the horizon or, if you are afraid of stumbling, at a stretch of road 20-30 meters ahead. The main thing is to lower your eyes, not your head.

How to hold your shoulders

They should be straightened so that the chest is maximally open. Do not slouch or push your shoulders forward, even if this is your usual posture. This spoils the alignment of the body, makes it bend.

It is also important not to raise your shoulders. This overstrains the muscles, prevents the arms from moving freely, and increases energy expenditure. If your shoulders rise against the background of fatigue, straighten them and shake off your hands.

How to work with your hands

The arms are bent at the elbows at right angles. The forearms are relaxed and move close to the body. The elbows go clearly back. If you spread them, it will increase the body swing from side to side, take away strength and reduce the efficiency of the run.

The hand is collected in a free fist, the thumb looks up: if it is located like this, you will not be able to spread your elbows to the sides.

How to hold the body and pelvis

The body is positioned straight with a slight forward inclination. You don't have to bend over or lean back too much. Otherwise, you will slow down at every step.

Bring the pelvis forward and upward, tighten the buttocks. This will make it easier for you to lift your knees and run.

How to breathe correctly

Breathing correctly will help avoid colic and discomfort while running. It should be:

• Diaphragmatic … This means that when you inhale, your belly is inflated, and when you exhale, it deflates. This breathing will force the diaphragm to work and provide you with enough oxygen.
• Rhythmic … Rhythmic breathing in a 2: 1 format (two steps - inhale, one - exhale) helps to reduce the fatigue of the muscles responsible for breathing, and therefore the energy costs of running. In addition, breathing in this format allows you to stay longer in the inspiratory phase, when the body is as stable as possible. If you feel uncomfortable breathing in this format, try 5: 2 or 4: 1.
• Simultaneously nasal and oral … The nose warms the air, and the hairs clear it of dust. But while running, breathing through the nose may not be enough, so you need to connect your mouth. If you run in winter, press the tip of your tongue to the palate. Cold air will have to bend around this obstacle, and it will have time to warm up a little.

Exercise "Diaphragmatic breathing"

Lie on your back or sit up straight with your shoulders extended and lowered. Place your palm on your stomach to control its movements. Take a deep breath, as if you need to fill your belly with air: it should rise under your palm. Then exhale while drawing in your stomach.

Do this exercise 15–20 times to get used to it, and then practice any time you think about it: at work, in transport, while walking. Ideally, you should breathe like this all the time.

How to find the correct cadence

Cadence, or cadence, is important not only for your running speed, but also for joint health. Optimal cadence reduces stress on your knees and hips and improves your running performance.

It is generally accepted that the ideal cadence is 180 steps per minute, which is the cadence of most professional runners. However, it can vary depending on the structure of a particular person.

First, count your steps per minute. If the cadence is less than 180, gradually increase your cadence. To begin with, by 5%. Run like this until you get used to it, then add another 5%, and so on.

To make it easier to count cadence, download the metronome app, set it to, for example, 160 beats per minute and adjust to the beats as you run.

You can also listen to music with a certain bpm (beats per minute) and run to the beat.