Proper Running Form: 7 Tips To Get Better Running Results 2024

Runners, distance runners, in particular, are all too familiar with the benefits of good running form. When each move you make is intentional and ergonomic, you put less stress on your body, and you usually end up being a better runner for it at the end of the day. Good running posture helps you avoid injury and helps maintain your energy and focus for your entire workout. Here’s how you can improve performance, run faster, and maintain good posture on the court, on the field, or even on your treadmill at home.

How To Improve Running Form

A good running technique requires attention to detail in a few vital areas of your running posture:

• Your posture should be upright, body forward, shoulder blades drawn together, and both upper body and core are engaged
• You should be leaning forward slightly, but not with your shoulders forward enough to throw your gait off-balance
• A good arm swing should be compact, contained, in rhythm, and consistent with the motion of your legs; your left foot should lead at the same time as your right arm, and vice versa
• You should run lightly, each of your feet lands hitting the ground near the balls of your feet, imposing the lowest impact possible on the rest of the body
• With each foot land, the leg that you lead with should hit the ground with a slightly bent knee, protecting your lower leg and knee from injury

When in doubt, just use your head. If you find that your shoulders are killing you the day after a vigorous workout, improving your running form as it relates to your shoulders is one way to get ahead.

What You Should Know About Running Form

Running is one of the most effective ways to achieve safe and effective weight loss. It’s not all fun and games, though, even if you’re doing something as simple as running forward in a straight line.

Your arms, shoulders, and even head placement will all weigh heavily on the way that your running routine impacts your muscles and bones.

Most runners do their thing through pure instinct alone. However, the researchers behind many peer-reviewed studies on the subject know that this dance is a delicate game that we play with ourselves. 

Any running coach will be able to tell you that running involves a sustained, concerted burst of energy, compelling the body into motion. The relationship between the energy that our body expends and the results that we see in our performance is called running economy, or RE.

Picture your body like a bunch of puppet parts, connected by strings. Without a running coach to bring awareness to the way that everything knocks together when we move without inhibition, we overuse injuries, pounding ourselves into the ground. It’s not until much later on down the line that we start to feel unnatural consequences as a result of this abuse—more on these in a moment.

Gait analysis is the study of walking style, running style, and any other type of human locomotion in a clinical setting. There are several factors^[1] that contribute to better form while running, generally speaking, including but not limited to the following:

• Speed
• Stride length
• Stride rate
• Arm swing
• Ground contact time
• Knee extension
• Foot, shank (the part of your leg between the knee and the ankle), and thigh angle at touchdown

In the study above, the three key body mechanics related to running form ended up being:

• Pelvis vertical oscillation during ground contact normalized to height
• Minimum knee joint angle during ground contact
• Minimum horizontal pelvis velocity

These results paint a holistic picture of the body—it’s a machine, and if every part isn’t operating in perfect harmony when you run, your injury risk goes through the roof. Your athletic performance is also likely to suffer greatly, as well.

The Benefits Of Proper Running Form

The benefits of proper running form are obvious, from your head to your toes. Efficient runners will be able to attest heartily to all of the following:

• Good running form prevents running injuries
• It also conditions the muscles related to running, improving your athletic performance
• Your muscle memory will also improve, and the enhanced muscle patterning that follows will continue serving you as you progress

It doesn’t take much to improve your running form – for inspiration, you may observe other runners to pinpoint the differences between their form and your form. With these tips in mind, you should be well on your way to getting your arms, legs, shoulders, and heart all in the right place for your next session.

How Can Beginners Improve Better Running Form?

Any physical therapist will be able to tell you that proper running technique is all about posture and physical stress from the ground.^[2] The majority of the danger related to injury when running is derived from each interaction that your feet have with the ground. 

Minimizing both extrinsic and intrinsic biomechanical damage is the best way to improve in both sprinting and long-distance running. Here are a few good places to start:

• Use your arm swings to propel yourself forward—they should be bent at a 90-degree angle, your arms and hands should be loose and relaxed, and you should keep your elbows tucked in, close to your torso
• Running tall is also one thing that many new runners don’t think to focus on; a slight forward lean will help keep your entire frame in balance as you run
• Running in rhythm to music that you like is also one great way to practice the regular, controlled forward motion that proper form entails
• Maintaining a consistent speed is also one huge aspect of proper running form
• Deliberately managing your stride length while running is also very important, as is ensuring that your arms swing in tandem with each foot strike
• Try to avoid pounding the pavement—land softly whenever possible, and try to land on the balls of your feet, not in a heel strike

How can you tell if you’re implementing a bad running form? Take account of your approach. Self-optimization will usually require some trial and error, but you’ll be able to feel the difference in your lower body, your shoulder muscles, and even in your arms once you get the hang of it. 

Aside from what you’re doing while running, there are lots of other things that you can do before and after to become a more efficient runner:

• Stretching before and after your workout^[3]
• Improving your core strength and the condition of other muscles related to running
• Endurance training, long-term, improves running gait and helps you avoid overstriding
• If you’ve spent the day, head home—taking a break is sometimes the best way to keep yourself in good working order

Of course, hydration, adequate recovery, sleeping well, and good nutrition across the board will give your system all of the vital resources required to replenish itself in anticipation of your next workout. High-quality running shoes will also help you cushion each footfall, providing vital support and helping you go further every single time without injuring yourself.

You can read some of our best tips for building muscle while on a diet in our dedicated article on the subject. A healthy body is one much more capable of performing for you. Invest in yourself and feel the good form that results shine through.

Conclusion

Who would have ever thought that bad running form could be stealing from your workout? Do your future self a favor; if you can nail these good running habits down right from the get-go, you’ll only end up going further. 

Take a couple of steps forward with us – these tips for improving a bad running form identified above are all guaranteed to help you get ahead on the field.