By Ashlee Lawson Green, Co-founder, CEO and RRCA-certified Running Coach

This episode of #AskCoachAsh is all about Running Form. As I’ve said on every episode before, most things in this running game depend on a number of variables that change from person to person. Running form is no different.

The good news is, whether you’re a beginner or a veteran, there will always be small tweaks you can make to your flavor or running to enhance your performance as a runner. And that’s what we’re going to talk about today!

Breathing

Again, as with most things in running, there is no proven consensus or right way to breathe. Some common techniques are:

3:3 - breathe in for 3 steps, breathe out for 3 steps.

3:2 - breathe in for 3 steps, breathe out for 2 steps.

2:3 - breathe in for 2 steps breathe out for 3 steps.

If you ever find yourself getting worked up, take deep breaths in through the nose and mouth, visibly filling your belly and lungs. Then release slowly allowing your muscles to relax on the exhale.

It may even help to visualize clean air entering upon inhaling and toxins exiting your body with every exhale.

Arm Swing + Hands

Your arms are a key component of both running form and efficiency. Swinging your arms/elbows forward, not side to side helps propel you forward.

When running, your elbows should rest at 90 degrees, with your arms relaxed and shoulders acting as hinges. On the swing, arms should meet your “pockets”.

What I see the most (and am guilty of myself!) is arms coming across the body. This creates so many inefficiencies, especially because it causes the hips to rotate. Which, as you can imagine you don’t want to happen when you’re trying to move forward.

Hands should be loosely cupped. Like you’re holding a potato chip!

Do: Swing those arms quickly.

Don’t: Hunch your shoulders, cross your body.

Stride, Cadence + Footstrike

Stride - For today I’ll define as the full process your legs move through to take a step.

Cadence - Running cadence is often defined as the total number of steps you take per minute. Typically, faster runners are taking about 180 steps per minute while slower runners tend to fall closer to the 160 steps per minute.

Foot Strike - The term “foot strike” refers to how you land on your foot each time you take a step.

According to Runner’s World, “A quicker cadence generally leads a runner to hit mid-foot compared to runners with longer strides. This longer stride causes runners to extend their legs out in front of their body and as you can imagine striking with their heels, and it takes longer to get to that power/propulsion from the mid-foot. This can slow you down and lead to injuries.”

When you hear people say “open up that stride” what they likely probably ACTUALLY mean is either, shorten the stride to correct for proper foot strike (so you're not shuffling).

Do: Pick up those knees, take shorter strides.

Don’t: Shuffle, jam your foot into the ground.

Bringing it all together: Overall Posture from Top to Bottom

Head slightly tilted with eyes looking at the ground 10-15 feet in front of you
Mouth slightly open and relaxed. Take that tongue off the roof of your mouth!
Elbows at a 90-degree angle, arms relaxed, meeting pocket and back past ribcage. The arm should hinge at the shoulder so your hips/torso don’t rotate.
Shoulders are relaxed and not hunched.
Hands are relaxed and gently cupped.
Torso is bent slightly forward at the waist. Taking advantage of gravity.
Knees driving straightforward.
Foot strike at either heel or mid-foot, pushing off with calf.

As you head out on your next few runs, leave the music at home and spend some time self-assessing. Ask yourself things like:

Are your shoulders jarring side to side?
Are you hunched?
Are your hands flopping?
Are you holding your arms/hands too high?
Is there too much bouncing?
How’s your knee lift?

Check out this episode’s Awesome Viewer Questions:

I was taught to run on my toes as a sprinter. When running distance, should that still be the case?

Running distance, I would suggest foot striking at heel or mid-foot, allowing for the most efficient stride over longer distances.

What’s the best way to run up steep hills?

Literally, it’s the same. What makes it feel difficult is that you find yourself compensating for how tough the hill is and you end up hunched over, shuffling and running on your toes. All the things you want to avoid.

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About #AskCoachAsh

There’s always something new to learn about running. Whether you’re a beginner with no idea where to start or an old pro looking to make tweaks and improvements, running is something you can never stop learning about. We know the information out there can be overwhelming, so we’re here to help! We want to make it as digestible and relatable to our experience as Black women, but also true and informational. Join us for these recurring Live chats on our RUNGRL Instagram page. Follow us so you won’t miss a thing!

About Coach Ash

Hi! I’m Ashlee. Before we jump in, I think it’s important you all get to know a little about me, the co-founder and CEO of RUNGRL. I’m an RRCA Certified Running Coach (I subscribe to the “do as I say, not as I do” method, lol). I started running about 8 or so years ago. Since then, I’ve run a handful of 10Ks and 10-milers, 15 half marathons, and 2 world major marathons. Running and the community it creates is very dear to me, and I’m thankful to have the opportunity to share miles with amazing people.

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