Running Form For Beginners

Running form for beginners is a natural body movement. 

Running For Beginners

When you run your body should feel free and comfortable. Try to feel the flow with your body, putting one foot in front of the other and letting the momentum of your body following through . Let your hips rotate as your body moves forward followed by a running step. A lot of times you run tense because of the stress you had in your day or even not running for enjoyment!  Forget that and just run with your head straight ahead and conquer the world.

Correcting your running posture could change your whole feeling of running!

Watch the kids in the park...

When we were children we were not burdened with so much stress and we ran effortlessly, almost like sailing through waves.

Where can you find the best running form?

From young children!
Go to a park and watch 5 and 6 year old children run. They have the perfect running form. Children have the perfect posture and lean like a straight ramp, while running effortlessly. To increase their speed they lean at the ankles, flowing through every step and seeming never to get tired.

When you have the correct running form, you last longer.

When I run I feel completely centered with myself and more alive than sometimes doing all the other things in my life.

Think of running effortlessly...

I like to think of myself as an animal charging through the African landscape, like a cheetah, lynx, or lion. Think of a cat or dog how it runs effortlessly. A horse is another example of running free without any restraints or stresses. Sometimes the thought of a person in good running form will help correct your posture.

When you're not feeling comfortable running...

If you are not feeling comfortable running or have injuries it may be because you have actually unlearned
"running"! Stress and changes to your body  as you age, can actually affect your running posture and work against you. Gravity can work against improper posture producing stress in your muscles and ligaments. You can easily change this!


Always pay attention to how you feel...


If you feel like walking, it's probably because you are running too fast or it could be your running form.

• slow down...
•  What is uncomfortable? 
•  Relax your body, start from your neck on down to your spine and down all the way through to your legs to your toes, if you feel tense shake it out.
• Straighten your form - shoulders back, think of the light shining through you, land on your mid foot.
• Breathe easy and get your pace back to where it was.
• OR just run the rest of your run slow concentration on the sites and check in for good form.

When you have excellent running posture gravity will work with you.

Run as though a light was shinning from the sky...

Through the top your head and down aligning your body to the ground. If you are bent over too much the light will not get through, but if you run correctly this new position will take the impact off your joints and muscles and add more comfort to your running. A good example of how your body should look, would be to straighten your whole body and lean without bending your torso up against the wall.

Landing on Your Feet

When you think of running and landing on your feet, you are probably thinking that you are landing on the most comfortable part of your foot. Yet most of us land on the part of our foot that is unforgiving for running which could eventually cause injury. Landing on your heels and toes can cause injuries to your ankles, feet, shins, back and hips.

Try a little bit of barefoot running!

When you run in barefoot you absolutely won't land on your heels, you won't land on you toes; you only land gently on the pads of your foot (the mid point of your foot).

Go out today and practice running around your house barefoot in the grass. Feel how gently you land on your feet and how you place your foot on the ground.

The next time you run in running shoes try to be conscious of how you are landing on your feet.

There now I bet you're feeling better!
Run feeling relaxed and your body will be running for joy!
Related Articles:
Why do we need running shoes?


Have a good run today!

Following Through to the End

Following through on the weekends are important!
Keep active and don't get swayed in another direction...
Like the couch!
Just go out and run! Run 1 day on the weekend!
Give yourself time today to think about following through to the end.
What is running going to look like in 6 weeks?
Just think and imagine yourself at that point!
Now...
Follow through to the end!

If it's alright...Let me again say what NIKE says best, "Just do it"
Have a great Weekend!
Watch the Video


 
Related Posts:
Running For Beginners

Training For Running Faster

What is it About Running and Challenging Yourself?

The first thing that always comes to mind after you've gotten your running down and doing it for awhile...(about 3 months)

Your thinking, hmmm...
I want to be faster.
I want to train to get faster...

Maybe you've gone in your first 5K race just to see if you could finish!
Now you want to do another 5K except run it faster!
It now comes down to that very competitive feeling inside you.
You want more...
You want to challenge yourself!

YOU're feeling good about things, but you're not sure where to go from there.

Maybe this time,  you want to run a 5K in under 30 minutes!

"Is there a program that shows you how to run faster?"

 There is I promise, but let me go over a few things first...

As long as you've gotten 3 months of good consistent running behind you...

• You are probably at the stage where running has become a part of you.
• You are probably starting to love running and training for a race is exactly what you need!
•  Maybe you're chumming with other runners and they are talking about racing too!
• Seek a race that you want to run and register.
• Before you start training for running faster, you need to think about your long term goal.

What is your long term goal? 

• Having a clear plan of what distance to race.
• When you plan on doing the actual race.
• How many days per week do you have available to train?
• How much time are you giving yourself before the race?
• Are you feeling healthy and pain free? To prevent any injury down the road.

 It's best that you give yourself time to train so that you can feel confident that the race will go as you planned. 6 to12 weeks is the best time frame to look at, so that you can focus not on just finishing the race, but doing it faster too.The time frame enables you increase your endurance and speed so that you'll perform just they way you want to.

Training for running faster makes more sense when your first race progress is a 5K race distance. You'll again be much better prepared for all the challenges that you will meet.  Start at a 5K distance for now and then the next race think about the 10K and so on...

How are you feeling? Do you feel any pain running in the knees, shins or ankles. You should get them looked at just to make sure that you don't need any special needs - like orthotics. 

Related Articles:
3 Week 5K Training Plan
The Next 3 Week Learn to Run Program
Your 12 Week 10K Training Program
Check back at the blog for the latest news for beginner runners.
Gilly
Sign up for free email updates on running tips and motivation!

Running Program Questions

Your Running Program Questions

  The Best Running Tips

Q: I noticed that running is one of those sports that really does require some balance. Once I get into the rhythm of running it is a piece of cake. But, I find sometimes when I'm starting out that my balance can be off. What is this and how can I fix it?

A: Sometimes it has to do with the need to strengthen you abdominal and back muscles, this helps to keep your body upright. Check to see if you are following a good posture when you run.
A good rule of thumb is to stay upright and try to land on the front part of your foot rather than the heels. Heel planting will cause injury and prevent you from experiencing the natural flex the foot has for rebounding you forward. You will actually tire earlier, and this could prevent you from successfully furthering yourself in the program.

Gentle stretches are important so that you can restore your range of motion and comfortably relax your muscles. Remember to do stretches before and after your run.

Q: I have a problem with my knee clicking after my run. What is this?

A: If it is clicking, it could be caused by the muscle moving the joint. When we run, are muscles can get tight and if we don't stretch properly we can have the muscles pulling the joint out of it's alignment. This would cause clicking. Be sure to do gentle stretches so that you loosen up the muscles and hence make you more flexible. If you feel this while running stop and do some light stretches that don't pull or put force on the joints.

Q: My head feels like it is going to explode when I run, how do I stop this?!

A: This is a good question, because a lot of people when they first start to run have this problem. It means you are doing too much. In other words you are going too fast, too soon. Slow your pace down so that you feel comfortable. Even if the pace is just a step up from walking fast, you are still running. You will improve in the program better if you stick to 'slow'. I know it's hard to do that! You have never run like this before...This is not like running across the street to catch the bus, it is about running and feeling comfortable...Then after feeling the benefits of your run. Once you slow down, your run/walk program will feel good during and after.

Q: How many breaths am I suppose to take per step?

A: I like this question. I'm just going to say for right now, it doesn't matter! You are just learning to get this thing down. All you want to concentrate on is doing a run/walk that is comfortable for you. Once you do get further on into the program you will maybe want to look at how many breaths/step. For now go and have fun and stop your mind from thinking so much! Enjoy your run, because running is not about worrying!

These were great common questions, there are many more I will bring to you later. The answers I hope will not only help the person who asked them, but others who have the same questions.

A tip on a good stretch and strengthening for the abdomen and back:

• stand with legs shoulder length apart
• extend arms out in front and bending at the elbows
• drop your arms as if you were to rock a baby
• hands are about 6 inches apart
• now start rocking the baby slowly to the left with your shoulder raised slightly
• rock your baby all the way so that your elbow points to the ceiling
• repeat on the other side holding the rocking form
• this is to a count of 1
• do 6-12 repetitions

Sign up

Participaction Canada Commercial

 Investing Time in Physical Activity

Our children and our own physical activity levels have dropped in Canada at surprising amounts in the last decade. Participaction Canada wants people to get inspired, get moving and plan to fit activities in our day to keep us active! 
We should be active at least 3 hours a week!

If you want to find out more about Participaction Canada you can find it here.

 
(video)Participaction Canada Commercial             

This is a great commercial showing what the life 

of our children could become if our children are not physically active!

Related Articles:
When You Don't Want To Go For A Run
Squares On The Mirror Will Help to Schedule

Why do most new runners quit?

If you've quit running, take action now and go for a walk...

Always picture what you want yourself to look like in 6 months...  

So when you feel like quitting and running gets hard, you'll have that one picture in your mind. 

You won't want to quit!

  
Why do most new runners quit?
Most new runners quit because it starts to become hard. Because it they've stopped following their scheduled runs, because the haven't seen any improvements yet.

The new runner starts to get good by cutting through uncomfortable moments of running and once they've passed this point, magical moments start to happen! Running becomes something they never knew it would be...You start to see their own success! You'll begin seeing...

• 
  
• the weight come off
• yourself run longer and feeling better
• increased muscle tone and feeling better with more energy

If you stuck with running a little longer you would be able to experience that just around the corner is this magical feeling.

So if you are one of the ones that are having a hard time getting into running, take a deep...deep...deep breath and let it out slowly...........................................Put that picture in your head of what you will look like.

Remember why you are doing this ...

When running feels good, it's wonderful - you've passed that threshold!

6 weeks...

 That's all it is to get you started again...
know running is a great habit is something to hang on to!

After six weeks you'll  be running for 20 to 30 minutes. 
Comfortably...
There will be some hard days when you want to challenge yourself more, but nothing compared to the beginning.

If you're having problems with goals...

•  Follow this link -One clear Running Goal and Plan

Get yourself started...
Go for a walk for a half hour and then run, but don't run fast; just run so that you are still able to sing a song or chant a verse.
While your doing this find a line of trees, some poles, driveways etc and run until you get past at least 2 of them.
The next day, walk that same path and do it again.

Picture yourself this summer just running in the sun.......................... comfortably.

Sign up

Related Articles: When You Don't Want to Go For a Run

Running For Beginners

 Are you having a hard time getting out there and running again?

You are amongst a whole host of new runners that are having the same problem as you. You are not alone!

 It's hard sometimes to feel motivated!
Understand that all you have to do is have a little faith in yourself and remember what you wanted in the first place. 

Remember...

You wanted to learn to run and be in good shape by spring and maybe take off a few pounds.

Remember?

Running for beginners is really, really, exciting because of the pictures in your mind of what you will look like... staying on the running program. 

How exciting is that?

This is where you have your own key to get your plan going!

Think of yourself and where you want to be in 1 month and make a plan to get it done. 
It's hard sometimes to get off the lip of all those New Years Resolutions...A great many of them fail.
Today is a new day and all you have to do for t-o-d-a-y is...

WRITE - I am walking today on my path to running!

Put this in a little notebook and put it beside your bed.

Find that trail or map in your area that you love to walk! 
Go with a friend or family member!
When you do this, you are promising yourself only one thing for today. 
Just walking on that path, because you know soon enough that running is on the horizon. 
Forget the New Years Resolutions and remember that today is just another day just like any other day, except...Today you are going to walk on your path. It's a tiny change, but tiny changes can be bigger than you think!

This is your path and it will make you 

believe in yourself!

This article may help: One Clear Running Goal and Plan

                                 Keep Running Through The Winter 

                   Jogging For Beginners

 Think of your best trail that you like to walk...And go for a walk now!

Sign Up and receivie a free 5K Program

Don't Give Up!

I was asked to put up this video again...If your feeling as though you want to give up...Don't!

We all need a little pick up sometimes... 

Here is a very neat program that makes learning to run easy! 

Try Jago Holmes Learn to Run Program
You might also enjoy: Jogging for Beginners