Are You Making These Mistakes On Your Run?
Greatist has released a list of things that you may be doing wrong which could be hindering your running success, and it is pretty extensive. 14 different mistakes are listed and we won’t dig through them all (feel free to yourself, of course). Instead we will point to five notes that caught our attention:
Your Eyes
When you run, where are your eyes? A good posture is helpful and you want to make sure you’re not straining your neck. But if you are staring down at where your feet are heading, then both of these are probably not happening. Keep that chin up and you should definitely feel better by the end. For trail runners this can be a challenge as you need to keep your eyes focused on obstacles on the ground.
Your Feet
You may be over-striding, which means you are taking large steps. Longer strides can strain legs and stress knees. If you’re able to keep track, take about 85 strides every minute. At Cardio High we work on taking short strides, and we focus on increasing foot speed prior to increasing stride length.
Your Arms
You may not think about your mid-section when you run. If your arms are crossing your body or flailing about, this can be an indication your trunk isn’t stable and your balance is off. Keep your arms close to your sides and your torso still.
Your Knees
According to the article, “Ideally the knees should always be at less than a 45-degree angle.” If you are lifting them any higher, then that means your are using your quads too much when your glutes and hips should be doing all the work. Though if you use a shuffle running style at the start of your run, you use much more calf muscle.
Your Lungs
You are possibly breathing wrong. We know, if you’re still alive then you have to be doing something right. But there are more efficient ways to do it. According to one study, runners upped their breathing efficiency by breathing in, taking two steps, then breathing out, and repeating over and over. This technique is called “coupled breathing,” and it may help your body during runs.