The key to winning a marathon: Swing your hands like this to run faster!

"Ah, running is just about running, who can't do that?" Most people would have this thought when talking about running! But a professional running coach in Japan said that if you want to make running easier and less strenuous, or even improve your marathon performance, mastering the correct running posture is crucial! The secret to success is to increase the flexibility of the shoulder joint to achieve correct arm swing.

Is your running form correct? 3 Key Points You Must Know

Japanese professional running coach Jin Zheyan mentioned in his book "The Science of Running Training" that although we often hear "standard posture taught by textbooks", the postures of top runners vary greatly and are very different from the textbook postures. So, is it necessary to pay attention to your running posture?

The answer is: "Good running posture is of course better." Compared with poor running posture, good running posture is more efficient. In addition to being able to produce better performance, it can also reduce unnecessary burden on the body and avoid sports injuries. Generally speaking, when a running coach checks a runner's posture, he or she will confirm the following aspects:

[Correct running posture]

Lower body: will focus on the movements of the feet, landing and kicking methods.

Upper body: Emphasis will be placed on arm swings, torso posture, etc.

Others: Then make a comprehensive evaluation of waist height, ups and downs of center of gravity, running rhythm, etc.

As for, what kind of running posture is correct? The first is to raise the waist, which helps the feet to exert force and speed up the foot changing process. In addition, the way of landing and kicking is also very important.

The second is the posture of the torso. The body should not lean too forward or backward. You can imagine it as jumping on the spot a few times and then running gently. The last step is to swing your arms backwards to increase the propulsion force while allowing your feet to naturally step forward.

The most important thing is the overall balance. Runners may wish to find a suitable posture according to their body shape, muscle strength, flexibility and running rhythm. They can also record a video or adjust their posture in front of a mirror.

There is a secret behind how you swing your arms while running! Moderately increase the flexibility of the shoulder joint and make the movement smoother

In addition to the above basic principles, the swinging of arms during running also has a certain impact on the running effect! As for the correct arm swing? Coach Jin Zheyan mentioned that arm swinging has three functions: "adjusting running rhythm", "increasing propulsion", and "helping to change speed (providing opportunities to change speed)". In a sense, arm swinging plays the role of a regulator.

As for, how to do the correct arm swing? In the book, it is mentioned that you should first maintain a standing posture, try to straighten your wrists, and swing them back and forth widely. Then slowly bend your elbows 90 degrees and swing your elbows back with force. Grasp your fingers from the little finger inward, make sure your index finger is relaxed, and lightly make a fist. When the angle of the elbow increases, the stride will naturally become wider; when the angle of the elbow decreases and is close to the body, the step frequency will naturally increase. As you run smoothly, find the elbow angle that works best for you.

To achieve proper arm swing, you must increase the flexibility of your shoulder joints. When the range of motion of the arms becomes larger, the body becomes more conducive to running, and a relaxed and comfortable running posture can be displayed. In particular, swinging your arms forcefully to the side is an improper way to swing your arms. It neither increases your propulsion nor increases your running speed. Runners who are used to swinging their arms to the side can try holding a ping-pong ball to correct this.

In addition, runners should also pay attention to whether their armpits are too tight or too loose. It is recommended to keep about a fist's worth of space between the elbows and the body. When running, keep your body relaxed and swing your arms rhythmically.