Chapter 2:

The Form of Running

Posture andBalance

There is a correlation between the maintenance of posture and our ability to maintain balance. Movement such as running constantly challenges our ability to align our center of gravity within our base of support. No matter where motion takes place, it must be counter balanced elsewhere. Any deviation from the optimal alignment of our bodies, and additional work (energy) is required to negate that action.

An entire textbook can be written in regard to our biomechanics. It is an overwhelming amount of science to digest and just as challenging to apply. However, it’s vital to educate ourselves with the basics in order to increase our postural awareness. Being equipped with this content on a superficial level of how our bodies should be positioned will contribute not only to our efficiency but to the preservation of our joints over time.

The key for postural and joint alignment begins with the tilt of our heads. Looking up and forward will set the tone for the entire vertebral column in one form or another. It’s important to run tall and align your head centered over the body. An adult head weighs approximately ten to twelve pounds, and the outward positioning needed to look down at the feet requires more strain and energy from the neck and back muscles for stabilization. This can begin to fatigue the cervical and back musculature, causing even more disruption to our overall posture.

The shoulders play an important role, as a common mistake is elevating, or hiking them up, toward the ears. This stores tension in the upper back (trapezius) muscles, requiring, again, more energy and unnecessary strain. Relaxing them down to their lowest level also reminds the entire arm and hands to follow suit. In regard to the shoulders, it’s important to avoid a kyphotic posture (hunching) of the upper back, as this could be reduced by slightly retracting the scapula (shoulder blades) together. The best running posture is head up, with the shoulders low and slightly retracted, if necessary.

The arms are not only utilized for momentum but play a crucial role maintaining balance. The arm swing is the reciprocal reaction of our legs. The swing of the arm during push off from the toe can propel the runner forward through momentum as well as maintain balance throughout that propulsion. It helps to maintain approximately a ninety-degree angle or less at the elbow, and to carry a loosely clenched fist. Avoid crossing the midline with each arm swing, as this can begin to tamper with the contralateral (opposite side) pelvis and hip rotation. The relationship between the arms and legs are continuously stabilized and controlled from the torso, also known as the core, which consists of the abdominals, obliques, chest, and back. It is the central link connecting the up