On a cold gloomy Autumn day I heard the 90’s classic by 2Unlimited ‘No limit’ playing on the radio. You know the one, the lady repetitively says ‘No, no, no, no, no, no…..there’s no limit’ and the guy shouts ‘techno, techno, techno, techno’…. and believe or not…this is where the idea for ‘Technique Tuesday’ was born! I have a lot to thank them for!
As a coach, I feel passionately that learning and practicing good running technique, isn’t just for the ‘pros’. Surely the best time to learn is at the beginning of your journey so that you are armed with all you need to know to run well for as long as possible.
I am, however, keen not to become a total running technique bore. First and foremost I want people to enjoy their running so my aim in shining a light on the importance of good technique is to encourage you to bring an awareness to the way your body is moving.
Learning good technique can be pretty overwhelming as there is a lot to remember, so I ask the runners I coach to focus on one area of their body at a time. We bring an awareness to the key areas that impact good running form and take note of how it moves when we run and the difference it makes when we practice efficient technique. The areas we focus on are;
- Posture
- Arms
- Hips
- Legs
I like to compare learning good running technique to when you first start learning to drive.
At first it feels like there are so many things to remember – check your mirrors, change gear, handbrake, steer, indicate, mind that cyclist…but with enough practise all of it soon becomes second nature.
So this is my advice to you – don’t go out trying to nail it all. When you go out for your next run, pick one of the above elements to be focus on and give it a whirl.
If you have any questions about any of the above or you are interested in a one to one ‘Running Technique Assessment’ please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Or you can join the HR Running Coach Club for more handy tips, ‘how to’ video guides and advice from me!