Running is effectively balancing on one leg after the other, over and over again, through the entirety of the run. Balance is therefore an essential skill all runners need to master. Perform the runner’s toe touch drill (demonstrated in the video below) throughout the day for a few seconds at a time to improve your running-specific balance. Train smart! … [Read more...]
Video: Balance Drills
It's best to perform these single leg balance drills barefoot. Firmly ground one foot. Think about spreading the toes and planting the little toe, bit toe and heel as three points of a tripod. This will help you distribute weight equally over your forefoot and rearfoot as you establish a solid contact point. Lift your opposite leg off the ground with a high knee so that … [Read more...]
Core Control and Postural Stability for Economical Running
In previous articles on running form, I focused on the role the hip abductors—gluteus medius and gluteus minimus—play as lateral stabilizers (article 1 | article 2). In this article, I shift the focus to the other glutes—namely, the gluteus maximus. The glute max, along with the hamstrings, act as primary hip extensors. And each step you take while running involves extension … [Read more...]
Maximizing Body Position for Economical Running
In previous articles on running form, I discussed a common issue runners encounter—namely, lateral hip drop due to weak or inactive hip abductors (article 1 | article 2). In this article, I focus on the basic body position for effective running. A common piece of advice given to runners is to “run tall.” To grasp what this looks like, imagine a straight line draw from your … [Read more...]
Throw Out Your Desk Chair
Throw out your desk chair? Well, completely ditching it may be a bit extreme. But it might be time to give it up at least on a part-time basis. Here’s why. Chairs are making our lives miserable and sitting too much is literally killing us. If sitting were considered a sport, we would be overtraining big time. Most would consider training for eight hours or more per day five … [Read more...]
Using Video Analysis to Examine Running Gait
The Case of a Runner with Hip Drop In a previous article on this topic, I discussed the important role that the hip abductors play in stabilizing a runner through the gait cycle. The hip abductors—gluteus medius and gluteus minimus—are often weak compared to the hip adductors in runners, which leads to a dropping of the hip opposite the planted leg. If left uncorrected, this … [Read more...]
Overcoming Dropped Hips for Better Running Form
Are you a runner that has dealt with your share of iliotibial (IT) band or knee problems? Are you a new or veteran runner who would like to avoid those problems? Evidence suggests that many of these problems can be overcome by addressing a key weakness that numerous runners exhibit: weak hips.* Running is an activity that takes place primarily in the sagittal plane—meaning … [Read more...]
Video: Leg Swings
This video demonstrates three types of leg swings that runners and triathletes can incorporate into their dynamic warmup and warmdown. Leg swings are designed to warmup muscles and increase mobility around the hip joint prior to activity. There are three movement patterns for these leg swings. The first two are based on the spiral-diagonal movement patterns that arise from … [Read more...]
Drills for Proper Running Form
Triathletes widely recognize the importance of good form in the pursuit of increased efficiency and faster times in the water. Yet that same dedication to technique and form often takes a backseat in the discipline of running. Although running is not a technique-dependent sport to the same extent as swimming, dedicated attention to form in your run training holds substantial … [Read more...]
Swimming Drills Library: Catch-up Drill
Have you ever noticed how the faster boats are the longer boats (think a rowing team’s racing shell versus a fisherman’s rowboat)? The same physics that apply to building a fast racing boat apply to the human body moving through the water. The catch-up drill will help you focus on maintaining a long body in the water. To do the drill, maintain your non-stroking arm … [Read more...]
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