less-painful, more enjoyable, part of their lives. By reducing the strain
that leads to injury, the four steps, described below, work together to keep
you on the road, helping you to run longer, faster, and more comfortably
than ever before.
WHAT IS NATURAL RUNNING TECHNIQUE?
THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF NATURAL RUNNING
POSTURE:
Proper posture is the critical first step to an improved and more natural
running form. It sets the platform for more efficient movement: by keeping
your upper body aligned, steady and relaxed, energy is conserved and
refocused to where you need it in the lower half.
How to Find it
Stand with knees slightly bent.Stand with knees slightly bent.2)
Reach your arms toward the sky, elongating your body.Reach yourarms toward the sky, elongating your body.
3)
Bring your arms down while keeping everything else in place.Bringyour arms down while keeping everything else in place.
As you run, keep your head up and gaze forward.As you run, keepyour head up and gaze forward. Your arms should swing easily from the
shoulders with elbows at about 90 degrees.
Landing on the midfoot, rather than the ankle, not only reduces impact on
the knee (most common cause of pain and injury) but also works with the
other principles to encourage forward momentum and efficient running. A
forward reaching (over-striding) step lands on the heel, acting as a brake
and resisting forward movement, actually slowing you down. Landing on the
midfoot (neither heel nor ball) helps to avoid this braking strain and
injury caused by impact.
How to Find it
1) 
March in place with each step landing flat directly under your
hipMarch in place with each step landing flat directly under your hip – this
is where your foot should strike for each step.
2) 
During your run, avoid reaching your foot forward for each
stride.During your run, avoid reaching your foot forward for each stride.
3) 
Focus on keeping your steps beneath you.Focus on keeping your steps
beneath you.
4) 
As you run, keep your head up and gaze forward.For some runners -
particularly those with a long history of heel-striking – the midfoot strike
can be the most difficult element to master. A shoe designed specifically
for midfoot striking, with a neutral foot position like
NB Minimus, will naturally encourage and ease this transition for many
people seeking improved form.
CADENCE:
For many people transitioning to natural running technique, aiming for a
cadence of 180 steps per minute is the element that requires the most work.
A higher cadence works with the other principles to conserve energy by
reducing the temptation to over-stride. Maintaining this tempo encourages
you to run lighter, resulting in a more efficient form that helps to prevent
injury.
How to Find it
1) 
Count your right foot strikes for 30 seconds, then multiply by
4.Count your right foot strikes for 30 seconds, then multiply by 4.
2) 
Try using this tempo track to set your pace on your next run.Try
using this
tempo track to set your pace on your next run.
LEAN:
Rather than over-striding or reaching with the feet, Natural running
utilizes a forward lean to propel the body forward. When you lean, gravity
causes your body to fall and your foot instinctively steps in the direction
of your movement. By reacting to gravity rather than pushing off from the
toes, there is less muscle strain in the legs and more automatic forward
momentum.
How to Find it
1) 
Stand up straight.Stand up straight.
2) 
Slowly lean forward at the ankles, keeping the waist still.Slowly
lean forward at the ankles, keeping the waist still.
3) 
At a certain angle your foot will react by stepping forward – this
is the most efficient lean for good form.At a certain angle your foot will
react by stepping forward – this is the most efficient lean for good form.
MAKING THE TRANSITION TO NATURAL RUNNING TECHNIQUE
How do you change your form after years of ingrained habits?
What does it feel like?
How long will it take?
What impact will it have on your performance?
The key to changing any technique is the ability to view and analyse your
personal form and gait. There are a number of golf swing analysis tools
online that help greatly with this; at Lifestruck use SwingReader
to do all of our analysis. Once you have baselined your starting technique, it is simply a process of
adopting and incorporating the principles described above into your
technique. The transition to Good Form or Natural running, should be done
gradually, allowing at least 8 weeks to make significant changes to running
form. We advocate video analysis of your technique on a 2 weekly basis, to
allow the athlete with a visual indication of progress and the opportunity
to evaluate the principles that have been adopted and those that require
focus in the weeks ahead. Cadence and the Midfoot strike are generally the
more difficult principles to entrench.
ONLINE REFERENCE
http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2010/01/oliver_ames_cro.html
Follow Wayne on Twitter: @wayne_harpur
