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Running Smart: Improving Your Running Technique

By Vanessa Agosta

[Fitness]

What is the proper form for running? Vanessa Agosta gives you the basics of optimal technique.

Avid runners everywhere are acutely aware of the ease with which one can get injured while running. From shin splints to Achilles tendonitis, the majority of running injuries are caused by poor running technique. Logic follows that you should aim to perfect your running technique to prevent such injuries. However, it’s not that clear cut. Running well is more of an art than a science.

Art vs. Science

Physical therapists and podiatrists can talk until they are blue in the face about correct running form, but only a tiny percentage of people would be able to achieve textbook perfect form in a gait analysis. To make matters more complicated, not all experts agree on what constitutes perfect form. Some experts believe striking with the heel first is the most natural, while others (namely Russian running coach Nicholas Romanov) maintain that this is a complete no-no and recommend landing on the forefoot.

Don’t Seek Perfection, Seek Optimization

Rather than striving for perfection, a more realistic aim would be to achieve your optimal running form, the one that works best for you, given your physique, experience, fitness level and running style. Your best technique should help you get the most out of running: increased comfort, improved performance and minimized risk of injury. In spite of the controversy over perfect form, there are certainly some guidelines you can follow to achieve top running form.

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