At UltraRunCoach.com, we have been working on software to analyze running gait for clients.

These are the key items for proper running form:

1. Posture:
   • Head: Keep your head up, looking forward, not down at your feet. Your chin should be level, and your ears should be aligned with your shoulders.
   • Shoulders: Relax your shoulders and keep them low, not hunched up towards your ears.
   • Torso: Maintain a slight forward lean from the ankles, not the waist. This helps engage your core and maintain balance.
2. Arms:
   • Arm Swing: Keep your arms bent at about a 90-degree angle. Swing them forward and backward, not across your body.
   • Hands: Keep your hands relaxed, not clenched. Imagine holding a potato chip between your thumb and forefinger without breaking it.
3. Legs and Feet:
   • Stride: Aim for a short, quick stride rather than long, bounding steps. Your foot should land under your body, not far in front of it.
   • Foot Strike: Aim for a midfoot strike rather than a heel strike to reduce impact forces. Your foot should land softly and quietly slightly before or under your center of mass.
   • Cadence: Aim for a cadence of about 170-180 steps per minute. This can help reduce the risk of overstriding.
4. Core Engagement:
   • Engage your core muscles to help stabilize your body and maintain good posture throughout your run.
5. Breathing:
   • Breathe deeply and rhythmically. Match your breathing with your steps, such as inhaling for three steps and exhaling for two. See breathing patterns.
     • Nose breathing for the best benefit
       • Air Filtration and Humidification
       • Improved Oxygen Uptake
       • Better Rhythm and Control
       • Reduced Hyperventilation
       • Increased CO2 Tolerance
       • Stress Reduction
       • Temperature Regulation
6. Relaxation:
   • Stay relaxed throughout your run. Tension in your muscles can lead to inefficiency and injury. Focus on relaxing your face, neck, shoulders, and hands.
7. Warm-Up and Cool-Down:
   • Always warm up before running with dynamic stretches or a light jog. Cool down after running with static stretches to maintain flexibility and reduce muscle soreness. Just walking after your run is the least you can do.
8. Strength Training:
   • Incorporate strength training exercises into your routine to build the muscles that support running, particularly your core, hips, and legs. Squats, lunges, calf raises, planks, push-ups, and Pull-ups are all simple exercises to build a strong core that will improve running form.
     • Kettlebell swings (One of the single best workouts for runners)
       • Strengthening the Posterior Chain: Kettlebell swings primarily target the muscles of the posterior chain, including the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. These muscles are crucial for running, as they help propel the body forward and maintain proper running form.
       • Improving Hip Hinge Mechanics: The hip hinge movement in kettlebell swings helps runners develop better hip mobility and strength. Efficient hip extension is essential for powerful and efficient strides.
9. Listen to Your Body:
   • Pay attention to any signs of pain or discomfort. If something feels off, addressing it before it leads to a more serious injury is important. Pain is a signal that something in your form could potentially be wrong, or needs to change.

Focusing on these key items can help ensure that your running form is efficient and reduces the risk of injury.

Video Submission Guidelines

• View
  • Side View: Position the camera in the runner’s center to capture a full side view about 5-10 feet away.
  • Rear View: Place the camera directly behind the runner, center of the runner.
  • Front View (Optional): A front view can be useful for analyzing arm swing, centered on the runner.
• Clothing
  • Tuck shirt into pants so hips are visible from behind
• Camera
  • A tripod or chair beside a treadmill is best. If you can’t access a treadmill, get a friend to film you running from different angles.
• Video Settings
  • Set high-quality video with a high frame rate (120 FPS) if your phone supports it.
• Distance
  • Proper distance – 6 or 7 feet away to get the entire body.
• Duration
  • 20-30 seconds in each position.
• Lighting
  • Bright lighting (Improves slow-motion video capture)
• Pace
  • Try to vary your speed in each position.
    • It would be helpful if you could provide me with the pace at which you were running. I.E. 8:30 a mile, etc.
• Pain
  • Do you have any pain while running?
    • Let me know if you suffer from pain in specific areas while running.