Did you run right? Efficient running tips

Are you a long-distance runner who never cares about running method?

When watching television broadcasts of track and field competitions such as the Olympics, you will often see the announcer constantly rewinding the image to explain the running posture of short-distance athletes. That's because in short-distance competitions, the winner must be determined within a few hundredths of a second. Sprinters need to sprint at the fastest speed in a short period of time, around ten seconds, so an efficient running method is very important for them.

In comparison, we rarely see slow-motion analysis of a marathon runner's running technique. Rather than focusing on the quality of a running method, people tend to pay more attention to a marathon runner's hard training, strong mentality, or clever tactics. Even if the running method is a bit ugly, at most it will be regarded as the runner's personal characteristic. Therefore, in the past, fewer people would discuss the running methods of marathon runners.

But short distances are just as much running as long distances. Short distance running requires a running method that creates the fastest speed, while long distance running requires an efficient running method without unnecessary movements in order to maintain the same speed for a long time. Many citizen runners don’t care about running methods. It is difficult for citizen runners without a coach by their side to objectively evaluate their own running methods. The most I can do is compare the running distances each month.

Center of Gravity and Dantian

As mentioned earlier, the ideal running method that long-distance runners pursue is an efficient running method. When discussing running methods, you often hear "your wrist should be swinging like this", "your feet should be stepping like this", etc. Most of the discussions focus on the movements of the hands and feet. But before we talk about moving our arms and legs, we have to think about how we move our bodies over long periods of time. This is the purpose of pursuing efficiency.

When you think about moving your body, the principles of physics naturally come to mind. To move things easily on Earth, you must understand your center of gravity and use it effectively. I was amazed when I saw women in Africa carrying water jars on their heads. They just cleverly used the center of gravity.

The human body, like everything else, lives on Earth under the influence of gravity. The human body is an "object" with weight, so there must be a center of weight somewhere in the body - the center of gravity. The human body is different from general three-dimensional objects. We have hands, feet, a head, and a complex shape. Although it is difficult to determine the location of the center of gravity, it is generally said that when you stand with your feet straight or walk forward with two feet, the center of gravity of the body is located below the navel. This part is called "Dantian" in Oriental medicine.

When running, most of the center of gravity is on the "dantian". The efficient way to run is to move your center of gravity forward skillfully. If the center of gravity shakes up and down, or swings left and right, it will weaken the forward vector.

When I was a runner, Toshihiko Seko's running method was my ideal goal. Push the center of gravity below the navel forward with force, without any swinging of the body up or down or left or right. The reason why he could switch speeds like lightning and make the final sprint was because he ran efficiently and moved his body easily. I retained enough energy until the end of the game.

What is the running method?

The running method means "movement". Body movements range from small movements like wiggling your fingers to dynamic movements like jumping with your whole body. Typing on the keyboard is a small movement, while running is a dynamic movement.

Animals, including humans, evolved little by little over a long period of time. Our bodies evolved into the shape best suited for survival. Humans walk on two feet, and our free hands allow us to learn how to use tools.

Humans can perform subtle movements, and from this point of view, humans are the most evolved animals with a complex structure. The way people run is actually to use clever balance to drive complex movements.

The running posture of the athletes is really beautiful. It is not simply the beauty of the flesh, but the ultimate functional beauty that is displayed when a complex body is driven efficiently. Citizen runners should not just imitate the superficial movements of the athletes. The important thing is to find a posture that suits them. This way you should be able to learn beautiful running techniques naturally.

Conditions for a good running method

What conditions are involved in running beautifully like an athlete? First of all, regarding the action when stepping on the ground, the key point is whether the center of gravity of your body weight is stable. Bending over and hunching over are signs that your weight is not stable. If you don't want to end up like this, the trick is to pay attention to stepping directly under your body.

Then don't forget to push your center of gravity straight forward after stepping on the ground. This is also one of the conditions for a good running posture. If the shoulders shake too much and the force is dispersed to the left and right, the body will not be able to move forward. Coordination of the upper and lower body movements is also very important. If you don't use your back to swing your arms, the power generated by the upper body will not be able to be smoothly transmitted to the lower body through the pelvis, and your running method will naturally not be smooth.

In addition, you should also be careful not to let your upper body become stiff, that is, don't run too hard. Don't use extra strength and remind yourself to run at an easy pace.

Like this, when running, there is no extra movement except moving forward, which is the key to good running. Many unnecessary movements come from imbalance in the use of the body. If you can drive your body skillfully, you can immediately reduce a lot of unnecessary movements.

How to run so that you feel heavy in the second half of the race

Anyone who has run a full marathon must have experienced their steps suddenly becoming heavy after 30 kilometers. In the second half of a marathon, it is easy to become exhausted and slightly dehydrated. Fatigue substances - lactic acid - will accumulate in the muscles, so your steps will naturally become heavy. Blood sugar should also become very low at this time.

Under such circumstances, it is often difficult to concentrate, and the running method that you have been concentrating on maintaining since the beginning of the race will easily become distorted. In addition to various physical fatigue, the abnormal running method will also make the steps become heavy. For example, if your waist sinks due to fatigue, the burden on your thigh muscles will increase.

 ↓步伐變沉重，就試圖用力揮動雙臂。 ↓肩膀用力，上半身和下半身的協調會不一致。 ↓腳會變得愈來愈沉重。陷入以上的惡性循環。這種惡性循環特別容易發生在全馬的後半段。

Practice and develop good running form

So, how do you train yourself to have a good running method? Of course, the perfect running method cannot be learned in a day or two. Even if you concentrate and run seriously in the competition, you may not be able to do it. We need to recall the basics of running methods one by one in our minds and implement them repeatedly in daily practice. Normally in heavy training, it is difficult to focus on the running method. I suggest you practice it while jogging.

It may feel difficult at first, but don't be discouraged. If you can focus on your running method during practice, sometimes your body will feel lighter. That is the feeling of moving forward with a good running method. If you are running on the street, you can also check your running posture through the window, or if you are running with a friend, ask them to help you confirm. A good running method is actually a method that makes running easy. Once you learn it, you will never forget it.

Think back to the first time you learned to ride a bicycle. The moment of overcoming fear and riding a bicycle brings incomparable touch to the young heart. Similarly, once you learn a sense of balance, it will never disappear. There are surprising similarities between running and cycling.

This article is from Yuanliu Publishing's "Starting from Walking, a Complete Guide to Running a Marathon in Less Than 4 Minutes"