Want Better Runs? Learn How to Improve Your Running Form

Running just seems like one of those things you've always known how to do. The reality is, running with proper form is a skill, and the bad habits or muscular imbalances you might have picked up over the years can start causing problems over time.

Good running form is created by learning a few cues and practicing with easy runs until you get the hang of it. Adding some strength training to help your body learn to hold proper patterns is also worthwhile to prevent common aches and pains runners face. Here's how to improve running form without turning your runs into a biomechanics exam.

What Is Good Running Form?

Good running form means your body moves forward with as little wasted motion and unnecessary impact as possible. The basics are that your posture should be tall with a slight forward lean and your feet landing close to underneath your hips. Your arms should swing front to back with quick light steps.

Aside from that, there's no single best running form that everyone should copy. Elite marathoners have wildly different strides, for example. The best running form is whatever lets you keep up the basics for your entire run.

Your running gait is a cycle that starts with one foot hitting the ground and ends when that same foot hits the ground again. How you perform that cycle and the habits you've gained along the way can add up over thousands of steps, whether good or bad.

Who Should Work on Their Running Form

Working on your form from the beginning is really the best scenario so you can build good habits from the start rather than trying to overcome bad ones later, which is much harder. If you have already been running, it's definitely still worth retraining since doing so has been shown to cut injury rates by over half over the course of a year with only two weeks of practice.

Another huge sign to retrain your gait is if you keep getting the same injuries, like runner's knee, shin splits, IT band pain, every time you try to add miles. Another clue is if you're having trouble increasing your pace even when your fitness is improving. Proper running technique cuts down on wasted energy so you can get faster.

Running Form Tips

When working on your running form, try only changing one thing at a time so you can focus on it without getting confused or overwhelmed.

Run Tall and Lean From Your Ankles

Imagine a string pulling the top of your head toward the sky, then tip your whole body forward just slightly, from the ankles rather than folding at the waist. Leaning forward a bit helps keep the load off of your kneecaps and onto your hips, which are built for that job. So long as you don't overdo the lean because you don't want to be all hunched up either.

Land Under Your Hips

One of the more common form flaws is overstriding, where your foot stretches way out in front of you and lands heel first with a straight knee. You don't want that. Land with your foot closer underneath you to reduce braking forces and pounding that your knees have to absorb. The cue is "land under yourself," which may feel odd when you first try it, but you'll get the hang of it with practice.

Bump Your Cadence by 5 to 10 Percent

Cadence is your steps per minute, and increasing it a little is one of the most reliable ways to reduce impact on your shins, knees, and hips without changing your pace. Count your steps for 30 seconds on an easy run, double it, then try to go 5 to 10% higher. Using a metronome app or a playlist at your target tempo can help you stay on track.

Don't Panic About Foot Strike

People argue about heel versus midfoot versus forefoot landings like it's a religion. Switching to a forefoot landing does lower impact more than only increasing cadence, but it also makes it harder for your calves and Achilles. If you already have issues with those, then switching may not be in your best interest. Just try to get your foot landing under you a bit more and your foot strike will likely sort itself out.

Swing Your Arms Front to Back

Bend your elbows around 90 degrees and swing from the shoulder with your hands passing near your hips. Don't let your arms cross over your chest because then you'll twist your torso and your core will have to work to overcome that movement (costing you energy and time). Keep your hands loose instead of tense or balled up.

Common Running Form Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Most form problems show up in the same few spots, and most have a simple fix:

• Overstriding: Feet landing out in front with heel first. Fix this by increasing your cadence a bit and landing under yourself more.
• Hip drop: When one side of your pelvis sags every time the other foot is in the air, and your knee caves inward with it. Every extra degree of pelvic drop raised the odds of being an injured runner by about 80%, so fix it with hip strength work (below).
• Bouncing: Lots of vertical motion that isn't moving you forward. Cueing yourself to run softer and bounce less decreases the peak forces going through your legs.
• Staring at your feet: Your head is heavy and drags your whole posture down. Instead, look 20 to 30 feet ahead of you.

Exercises That Fix Terrible Running Form

All the cues in the world won't save you if you don't have the strength to keep them up. You need strong hips and calves as a runner, and heavy strength training plus plyometrics (jump training) are how you'll get them. Both improve running economy, which means you'll burn less energy at the same pace, plus they help you keep proper form near the end of a long run.

Specifically working on your hip abductors can also reduce pelvic drop and knee collapse. If you already have shin issues, strength training on its own won't be enough to rewrite your mechanics most likely though, so you'll need to combine it with the cues we went over above.

Twice a week, bust out your exercise mat and do a short circuit of single-leg Romanian deadlifts, split squats, calf raises (done slow and heavy), glute bridges, and side planks. You can do these with dumbbells or while wearing a weighted vest.

Where and How to Practice

You should only work on your form on your easy run days. Recovery runs are ideal for this because you aren't as taxed mentally so you can count steps and check your posture. During your interval sessions and tempo runs, pay attention to where your form falls apart under speed so you know what you need to work on next.

Using a treadmill will give you an advantage because you can work on your cadence a little more easily. A curved manual treadmill like the Strive™ Curved Treadmill Has a belt that only moves when you are moving. If you're overstriding the belt will lag and you'll feel it. This will help you get used to landing under your hips a little more because you'll notice how much faster you can get that way. Here's how to pick a manual treadmill and why the Strive™ is our favorite.

Regardless of what you're working on, give it 3 to 4 weeks before deciding if it's working or not. Gait changes don't slow you down once you get used to them, so even if you feel awkward now, it'll work itself out in the long run.

Takeaway

If you've been making the same form mistakes for a long time, you're likely going to have some injuries to show for it. Retraining your gait can drastically cut back on your injury rate and it won't make you slower once you get used to the changes. Try working on just one thing at a time and giving it around a month to see the change give you positive returns.

FAQs

What are common mistakes in running form and how do you correct them?

Overstriding, hip drop, excessive bouncing, and a tense, crossing arm swing are the big four. Correct overstriding and bouncing by increasing cadence 5 to 10% and landing with your foot under your hips. Fix hip drop with hip abductor and single-leg strength work two or three times a week. Relax the arms by swinging front to back with loose hands and dropped shoulders.

Are there specific exercises to fix terrible running form?

Yes. Single-leg Romanian deadlifts, split squats, banded lateral walks, side planks, glute bridges, and heavy calf raises build the hip and calf strength that supports good mechanics. Add running drills like A-skips, high knees, and short strides before or after easy runs. Heavier strength training and plyometrics also improve running economy, so you run more efficiently at the same pace.

What are the key elements of proper running form for different distances?

The basics stay the same across distances, with tall posture, feet under your hips, a front-to-back arm swing, and a quick cadence. Sprinting adds a more aggressive forward lean, powerful knee drive, and forefoot landings. Easy and long-distance running favors a relaxed, mostly upright posture, a midfoot or light heel landing, and a steady cadence you can hold for hours. The longer the race, the more relaxation matters.

How can I improve my running mechanics to run faster and more efficiently?

Raise your cadence slightly, cut the vertical bounce, and keep your foot landing close to your body so you stop braking on every step. Then add two weekly strength sessions with heavy lower body lifts and some plyometrics, which improve running economy within a couple of months. Strides at the end of easy runs train your body to hold good form at speed.