I want to share 2 basic form/technique tips that I talked about this week in practice. Runners tend to tense up their shoulders a lot while running whcih can be the cause of many form/technique maladies. I have 2 basic tips to share to help you loosen your tension in your upper body.
Tip 1: pretend you are holding a potato chip between your thumb and forefinger and you do not want to crack it. This tip forces you to keep your hands loose and not in a fist. Usually we hold our fist so tight we tense our shoulders. Not good!
Tip 2: Pretend you are putting your hands in your pants pocket each arm swing. This forces you to lower your arms so you are not holding them so high and tensing up your shoulders. Your elbows generally should be at a 90 degree angle as you swing your arms forward and back.
Try these 2 tips on your next run and I promise you will feel a difference in your run. You will feel smoother and much more relaxed. It is important to check in with your form/technique many times during your run to remind yourself to hold your potato chips and put your hands in your pockets!
Don’t be surprised if I one day show up at training with a bag of potato chips for you to run with!
Enjoy your run!
Moving Soles Running Club 