Upper body during run...

zia_cyclist - 2010-07-03 8:53 PM Elbows in toward your sides; arms bent at the elbows 90º or less; hands relaxed; arms should move forward and not across your center line.  That's how I run.  Try this drill to relax your upper body - turn your palms up toward the sky.  I do this and it helps to relax my shoulders and lats.

What you described about your hips sounds good.  I like to think about leading my run with my hips. 

laurie2829 - 2010-07-03 5:34 PM I tried a different technique while running last night.  For the longest time I have been running with my pelvis pushed back a bit...butt sticking out just a bit and my legs just turned over without much power..if that makes sense.  Last night I tilted my pelvis just a little forward and the best way I can describe it is my hips opened and I was able to push off a bit and have more forward momentum that way.  It also made me stand up a little taller and made breathing much easier for me.  Not sure if that's right, but it seemed to work??  I noticed that my shoulders get tight...kind of like they are up to my ears, but of course they aren't.  I keep them tense and I run like I have invisible lat syndrome!  My elbows stick out and my hands almost touch.  Should my elbows be more to my side???  
I also just got done with a brick and do believe I need to invent freakin ice underwear!!!  I'm just sayin...
Laurie   

JorgeM - 2010-07-06 7:52 AM

What's interesting about running bio-mechanics is that there is no one way to run. I see people suggesting stride in this way, run with this shoes or keep your arms at certain degrees but the reality is that if you look at the way the best elite runners you will notice many show unorthodox ways to running yet they excel because is the best way for each of them to run.

There is a study in which they asked some of the best running coaches in the world to analyse the gait of some of the best elite runners but they only showed the lower body so they couldn't tell who was the runner. They mixed elite and not elite runners. The result; all responses were different, what some coaches deemed as good 'form' was criticized as bad from others and many criticized the style of some of the best runner while seemingly appreciate some of those non-elite.

This means that in terms of giving advice and attempting providing a sound opinion regarding their 'form' by just looking at a runners stride/gait/position, without other information, testing and tools (i.e. economy, motion capture, etc.) it is very difficult to provide advice that might help a particular runner. What works for some, like "I run in this way and it helps me" might in fact produce a negative result for someone else.

The point is, keep on running, be mindful of what changes you do that seem to enhance your running and eventually you'll find what works best for you.

JorgeM - 2010-07-06 6:52 AM [
What's interesting about running bio-mechanics is that there is no one way to run. I see people suggesting stride in this way, run with this shoes or keep your arms at certain degrees but the reality is that if you look at the way the best elite runners you will notice many show unorthodox ways to running yet they excel because is the best way for each of them to run.