Fast Running spoke with the Profeet Sports Lab manager Dan Cracknell, who has a degree in Injury Rehabilitation and Profeet Technician Marthe Solberg, who has a Sports Science degree with Biomechanics. They seemed like sensible people to ask.

“Cadence is a simple way to adjust running form as it is the easiest gait parameter to assess and adapt,” was Dan’s opening gambit.

“Cadence itself, isn’t bad or good but the effects it has on other parameters more closely linked to injury or performance make it worth looking at, such as braking force, ground contact time and vertical displacement/force.”

This isn’t just a free improvement though, Marthe warns, as “in modifying cadence, the body needs to adapt to those demands often requiring greater mobility and strength to maintain form. Upping cadence by as little as 5 steps per minute will result in dramatically increased workload initially, so you will need to modify your overall training load.”

So what should you be running? Is there a correct cadence you can tell us right now?

“It’s not that simple,” is Dan’s response. “As speed, leg length, braking force, terrain and race distance might all have an effect on your cadence and the optimal cadence for the occasion.” Which isn’t really surprising given how different all runners can be.

So it’s not just 180 on the nose?

“Cadence increases with speed and is related to stride length – As it increases with pace, you shouldn’t aim for the same cadence at varied paces. 180 steps per minute is only an average.” A 2005 study found that it was also dependent on leg length and total height which differs individually.

So should we be looking at our cadence? Can it help us improve? “It could help if you’re getting injured as cadence is linked to contact time,” says Marthe. “The longer your foot is in contact with the ground the more strain the surrounding tissues will experience in workload. Hence upping the cadence and lowering contact time could be beneficial to prevent injury.”

Depending on what you’re preparing for, it might be worth investigating and there are plenty of ways to do this, as many GPS watches will tell you what your cadence average is for any given run.

If you’re trotting along the road then expect something different when you’re off on a fell run, but even just being aware of the figures can help.  

The 180 steps per minute that is bandied around comes from Dr. Jack Daniels looking into elite runners and coming up with an average. But is the fact they are running 180 steps per minute the real reason they’re elite runners?

Commonality doesn’t always equal causation. If we had a competition to find the best baker in the world and the top ten were all over six foot tall it doesn’t mean their height is why they make good cakes. It could be a factor, the same as cadence could be a factor in elite running, but it’s likely that it’s one of a number of reasons and might not be the same for everyone.

How can you improve efficiency?

At Profeet Sports Lab there is a 3D Motion Lab that looks at a range of parameters to assess your running efficiency and I have been tested there on several occasions, taking advice on board and working with my physio to try and improve overall efficiency over time (and post a knee operation).

Cadence wasn’t something we looked at changing, as a 24hr runner it’s often around 175-180 at my race pace for the flat stuff, but it varies differently when on the mountains, trails, rocks and snow that make up a lot of ultra running playgrounds.

Dan and Marthe both stressed that cadence is just one factor that could affect efficiency and injury risk. The pair pointed out to one example from a study led by Bryan Heiderscheit in 2011, that indicated that an increased cadence could lower injury risk.

There’s no simple answer to this question, however. You can’t just give the magic number a go and test, but it is something worth investigating. Use your GPS watch or time yourself for a minute around a track or on a treadmill to give an idea and try some experimenting.

When starting as an ultra runner I measured a one-mile section, wore a HR strap and tested just what effort it was taking to cover that mile at a set speed, trying to change things like stride length and cadence to see the benefits. It wasn’t the most scientific of experiments, but now I run for Great Britain so that could well be a contributing reason?

If you do want to try an increase your cadence it has been recommended to use a metronome (you can get one on your phone or watch these days, you don’t have to steal one from a piano teacher) or listening to music that beats at the same rate, such as “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin. What a tune.

Ultimately you need to find out what works for you, do some experimenting and maybe talk to a few experts.

The post Cadence – is 180 the magic number? appeared first on Fast Running.

For anyone who has seen how I run, it may seem a little odd to for me to be talking about the ‘perfect’ running form.

With anteverted hips, an anterior tilted pelvis and knock-knees I’ve been told: “your legs were put on backwards,” but thankfully as a physiotherapist and international runner I know that doesn’t mean I have ‘bad’ running form.

Many articles that offer advice to improve running form say; hold the head up high, engage the glutes and swing the arms. These are all valid cues to improve form, however, in the process of thinking whilst running, style can become more rigid and people lose their fluidity of movement.

I understand that these generalisations around simple cues that target the mass audience can address some common biomechanical issues. However, runners can be a neurotic bunch and whilst you can improve our running form, to strive for perfection, in my opinion, is an impossible task.

If you watch any race, whether it be a road race, cross country or track you see that everybody runs differently. Some famous examples include Kenyan marathon runner Priscah Jeptoo and her knock-knees and Haile Gebrselassie with his over-pronating feet.

Also making the list is Paula Radcliffe and her nodding head and the countless Ethiopian female athletes, including Tirunesh Dibaba, with anterior tilted pelvis positions and increased curvature in the lower back. Maybe imperfections in running form are not the end of the world!

Every runner is different

I can’t stress that enough, every runner is different. You can have world champions with less than perfect styles and you can have four-hour marathon runners with seemingly beautiful looking biomechanics.

There are many factors that come into the equation and it would be too extensive to write about in one article. However, it is vital for any runner to be aware of their own weaknesses and imbalances with the main aim to minimise injury risk.

If you can work alongside a physiotherapist, sports therapist or massage therapist you can identify root problems for your individual style. This can be invaluable to help prevent injury, instead of relying on Dr Google.

For example, sometimes a muscle is tight because it is actually in a lengthened position, so if you get it massaged, stretched or you spend hours rolling it on a foam roller you may end up exacerbating the problem.

The gluteal muscles can present like this, and although they seem tight they can actually already be in a lengthened state and not require further stretching. So, if you read an article on foam rolling the glutes, you can in some cases be reducing your own hip control and be swinging an already existing imbalance back towards the more dominant hip flexors.

While self-treatment is a vital tool in maintaining an injury free training schedule, I want to emphasise that there is no “one size fits all” approach to running form and injury prevention.

Injury free or injured

If you are not injured one of the best techniques for improving running form is actually adding strides. For example, adding 4 x 80 metres or 6 x 8 second hill sprints to the end of some of your runs.

These short, high-intensity additions can also work the whole body in a very functional way that can directly benefit your running performance. If you tag them on to the end of your run when you are tired it can also help translate to better form when you are fatigued at the end of a race.

Drills are also a great way to gradually integrate better movement patterns and adding a few into your routine will, over time, help improve running form without having to think about individual components. In a previous article, I outlined a few basic drills all runners should do.

RELATED: What are the benefits of strides?

If you are struggling with an injury and have been told you need to work on your style – this does not mean you need to make a complete overhaul. Working on one weakness can influence the whole chain.

So you don’t need to run thinking about everything – how you are striking your foot, how wide your running stance is, is your pelvis level or if your head is held high.

To determine any specific weakness(es) you should seek professional advice first. Then as pain diminishes and you have been given the okay you can add drills, strides or hill sprints into your rehab to help the transition back to pain-free running and make running form improvements.

However, if you are set on self-diagnosis, you can try standing on one leg in front of a mirror and look at how each leg looks and feels simply balancing.

Add a knee bend and see how that affects you? Is it easier or harder on one leg? Does your knee spin inwards on the injured side? If so this is a good place to start but it does not replace seeking professional advice.

Your knee may have collapsed inwards all of your life so I believe the primary goal should be pain-free running and getting strong enough to control this collapse that could be causing pain. Trying to implement completely new movement patterns can be alien to how your body is used to moving and if “corrected” it can cause disruption elsewhere in the chain because your body has always moved like this.

The big picture

In the end, everyone can improve elements of their own specific running style. However, if many top athletes had worried about how their running form ‘looked’ they would never have stepped out of the door – never mind winning world or Olympic medals.

And while some would say that an athlete’s biomechanical imperfections should be corrected, it could also be argued that correcting Paula Radcliffe’s nod may have had a knock-on effect elsewhere. Who knows whether she may have lost some efficiency as this idiosyncrasy was part of how she moved.

Running form is undoubtedly important but you need to consider your individual style and be strong in the areas applicable to you.

If you can identify these, ideally with the help of a professional, I don’t believe it matters what it looks like when you run. As long as you are strong and injury free that is the most important thing rather than trying to match the photos in a textbook – that most of us are unlikely to ever replicate.

About the Author
Sarah Tunstall is a Chartered Physiotherapist and British international runner.

The post The ‘perfect’ running form appeared first on Fast Running.

Focusing on strengthing your hip and glute muscles will not only lead to stability improvements but also helps with flexibility. All of this will help with injury prevention because strong muscles absorb more of the force that occurs when you strike the ground, resulting in less damage to bones, joints, and ligaments.

The below routine won’t take any longer than 20 minutes, and to gain the full benefits perform it two to three times per week.

1. Bridges

How to do: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
– Lift your hips until your knees form a straight line with your upper body.
– Lower back down for one rep.

How many: 10 reps on each side, 3 times.

Advanced: Perform this move on one leg. Stretch out one leg and hold it several inches off the floor and lift your hips with the other leg. Switch legs and repeat.

2. Clams

How to do: Lie on your right side and rest your head on your arm or hand.
– Bend hips to a 40-degree angle and bend your knees at 90 degrees.
– Ensure one hip is lying above the other.
– Lift your left leg upwards while keeping your feet in contact with one another.
– Bring the left leg down to the starting position.

How many: 10 reps each side, 3 times.

Advanced: Add a resistance band around your legs, just above your knees.

3. Lateral Lunge

How to do: From standing, step out to your right, bending the right knee as close to a 90-degree angle as you can, while keeping your left leg straight.
– Step back to the starting position.
– Repeat in the opposite direction, stepping out to the left and bending your left knee – this is one rep.

How many: 14 reps in total, 3 times.

Advanced: Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball close to your chest and perform the same exercise.

4. One-Legged Deadlift

How to do: Stand on your left leg.
– Keeping your back, arms, and left leg straight, tip your upper body forward while raising your right leg behind you
– Return to starting position.
– After one set, switch to the other leg and repeat.

How many: 10 reps each side, 3 times.

Advanced: Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball out straight in front of you while you perform this exercise.

5. Side Leg Raises

How to do: Lie on your right side with your legs out straight.
– Raise your left leg high, then bring back down for one rep.
– After completing one set, switch to the other side.

How many: 10 reps on each side, 3 times.

Advanced: Add a resistance band around your ankles.

The post 5 Exercises To Improve Stability appeared first on Fast Running.

Running form develops in time, and by focusing on the basics first, you’ll improve without being completely overwhelmed. When we try to focus on everything before it is time, confusion wins out and a lack of progress follows.

Perform a Head-to-Toe Inventory one or two times per run.

Understanding what your body is doing by performing an inventory, head to toe, will allow you to learn how your body is moving forward and bring awareness to your running style. Perform this inventory a few times during your run and let this simmer for several weeks.

Your head should be over your shoulders, eyes looking forward.

Neck and shoulders should be relaxed—tightness here is a huge energy suck.

Arms bent (don’t worry about the exact degree just yet) and swinging like a pendulum from your shoulder. Still confused? Stand with your feet hip width apart and arms long and start swinging them. You’ll notice they follow a natural arc from your hip to your center line. Now bend your arms and keep swinging with relaxed shoulders—this is it!

Relax your hands—you’re not getting ready for a fight! If it helps, think of something delicate in your palm (bird, chip…)

Hips should be under the shoulders. Think of natural alignment from head to toes. Watch other runners for this one and you’ll see what I mean. If they are bent or slouched forward, they are out of alignment.

Your feet should land with short, quick strides under your hips.

Next—Focus on your feet.

Once you learn how to run in alignment and with less tension with the head-to-toe inventory, the next step is to dial in your tempo, or the number of strides per minute. During the heart of your run, count the number of strides (or steps) your right foot takes in one minute.

According to Coach Jack Daniels, the general rule of thumb for efficient running is 90 strides per minute for one foot, or 180 for both, but there is variance based on leg length. The key is in knowing what your tempo is, and if you’re in the 70s to low-80s, you’re likely trying to cover too much ground with each step—a common newbie mistake.

If this is the case, practice running with shorter, quicker steps. One fun way is to run to a fast-paced song, you can also learn via gadgets like a Garmin. Like proper alignment, being aware of your tempo will have a profound effect on your energy management and efficiency down the road, but it will take time to learn.

Warm Up and Build Your Running Game Slowly.

This may not seem like a running form tip, but it certainly is, especially if you sit during the day and head out for your run post-work with your hips and hamstrings so tight you could play a tune on them. Invest at least three to five minutes in walking briskly and with purpose.

Try backwards walking to open your hips (be careful) and foam rolling if you are particularly tight in areas (hips, ITB, hamstrings). Also have a look at our article on the benefits yoga can bring to your running. A warmup is the gateway to better running form, as it prepares your body to run optimally.

Avoid trying to run ‘perfect’ initially if you still need to learn how to run or you’re fresh into the running scene. Like all sports, investing the time in building the mechanics, fitness, and stamina will allow you to run stronger more quickly than jumping ahead. In many cases, running form issues stem from a lack of foundation of miles and mechanics and can be easily resolved by a solid running training plan and following steps one and two above.

The post Tips to improve your running form appeared first on Fast Running.

We all have that competitive nature within us, and at some stage we will want to improve our running performance. Speed work, hills and long runs will all help to achieve this, but unfortunately, the area many runners tend to neglect is technique and form, which tends to lead to injury.

Watching this video and following these tips will help improve your running posture and give you the foundation to develop correct running technique. Stick with this for a few weeks and you will improve your running speed, efficiency and reduce the risk of injury.

The post Improve your running form and technique to avoid injury appeared first on Fast Running.