How Well Do You Understand Your Foot Strike Pattern?

In our previous post about gait retraining, we discussed how adjusting your cadence can help improve your landing position, reduce lower extremity stress, and enhance muscle activation. Now, let’s focus on another often-overlooked element of running form: your arm swing.

For many runners, arm swing is something that happens without much thought. However, it plays a critical role in maintaining balance and stabilizing your body as you run, helping you move forward in a straight line. The way your head, neck, and shoulders align also impacts your posture and arm movement. Improving these elements can significantly boost your overall running efficiency and performance.

The Role of Arm Swing in Running Mechanics

Studies suggest that arm swing in running is largely a passive action driven by the thorax. The arm motion provides a counterbalance to the rotational and angular movement of the legs during the swing phase of running. This thoracic motion is a combination of active engagement through the external obliques in your abdomen and passive movement driven by the pelvis and lower body mechanics, creating a connected system. By adjusting your arm swing, you can effectively modify your gait to improve your overall running mechanics.

How to Tell if Your Arm Swing Needs Adjustment

To assess whether your arm swing needs work, take a moment to check yourself:

• Look down at your arms while running. Are they moving, or are you mainly rotating through your torso?
• Are your arms swinging out to the side, or are they staying relatively still?
• Check yourself in a reflection—do your arms move forward and backward across your body, or do they remain static?

Another way to assess your form is to have someone film or take a picture of you while running, allowing you to analyze your arm movement during each phase of your gait.

How Should Your Arms Swing?

Your arms should mirror the movement of your legs, swinging forward and backward. One cue I often give runners is to imagine their hands moving from their “heart to pocket” as they run. Another tip is to focus on having your elbow gently brush your side as your arm moves backward. Ideally, you should feel the motion in both your arms and shoulders as they move with each stride.

Potential Issues with Inefficient Arm Swing

Here are some problems that can arise from poor arm swing mechanics:

1. Limited Hip Extension: Poor posture and tight, rounded shoulders can limit your hip extension. If your arms stay close to your body or your posture is too rounded, you may compensate by leaning more from your hips. This could lead to inefficient core engagement, shallow breathing, and tightness in the hip flexors.
2. Increased Rotational Forces in the Lower Back: If your arm swing is inefficient, it can lead to excessive rotation in the thoracolumbar (TL) junction, causing tightness in your lower back.
3. Hip Adduction and Knee Rotation: Over-rotation through the thorax can result in your stance leg being positioned in relative internal rotation and adduction. This misalignment increases the risk of knee and lower limb injuries.
4. Decreased Running Efficiency: If your arms are not swinging properly or if you’re losing balance, you’ll waste energy and momentum, leading to reduced efficiency in your run.

Tips for Improving Arm Swing

Here are some effective ways to refine your arm swing:

1. Improve Thoracic Spine Mobility: Increasing mobility in your thoracic spine is key. Incorporate exercises like shoulder circles and reach and roll stretches to increase flexibility in this area.
2. Stretch Your Lats and Pectorals: Tightness in your latissimus dorsi or pectoral muscles can affect your arm swing. Use a foam roller to stretch these areas regularly.
3. Focus on Posture: Maintain a tall posture while running. Keep your rib cage aligned over your pelvis and focus on breathing deeply to engage your core properly.
4. Practice Arm Swing Drills: A simple but effective drill is to practice the motion of arm swinging without running. This helps you internalize the proper arm movement and feel what it should be like while running.

Final Thoughts

When making adjustments to your running form, remember to make gradual changes. I recommend focusing on one change at a time and sticking with it for three to four weeks before adding another modification. Your body will need time to adapt, and it’s normal to feel more fatigued initially, even if you’re experiencing improved efficiency and less pain.

If you have any questions about refining your arm swing or encounter difficulties with the process, feel free to reach out for assistance!

In the modern world of running, GPS watches and smartphones have become essential tools for tracking pace, distance, and performance. According to Running USA, over half of runners rely on GPS devices during their runs. However, while these devices offer valuable data, there’s a downside: they can lead to a shift away from training and racing based on feel, and instead, you may find yourself overly dependent on numbers. But what if you were to race without any tech and simply listen to your body? Here’s why running “naked,” or without data, might be the key to better performance.

The Pitfalls of Relying on Technology

While technology has transformed the way we track our runs, it can also cause us to overthink our pace. When you rely on your watch to dictate your race, you risk either going out too fast or holding back when you’re feeling great. Over-checking your pace or constantly worrying about your stats can lead to unnecessary stress, which ultimately impacts your performance. According to running coach Jenny Hadfield, the solution is simple: trust your “inner GPS.” By tuning into your body and racing by feel, you run at your optimal speed for that particular day, avoiding the pitfalls of technology-driven anxiety.

How to Tune Into Your Inner Pace

One of the best ways to gauge your effort is by listening to your breath. Coach Budd Coates, author of Running on Air, recommends paying attention to your inhale-exhale patterns. For a slow to moderate run, aim for a five-step count: inhale for three steps, exhale for two. During more intense runs, try a three-step count: inhale for two steps, exhale for one. Hadfield also uses a color-coded intensity scale to assess effort: yellow (comfortable pace), orange (manageable for short bursts), and red (too intense to talk). This simple method can help you stay in tune with your body’s signals, allowing you to adjust your pace based on how you feel, not on your watch.

For short races like 5Ks, you may maintain a hard effort throughout, but for longer distances like marathons, it’s crucial to pace yourself, especially in the early stages. Aim to run the first portion of the race comfortably, conserving energy for the later miles.

Practicing the Art of Running by Feel

To get started with running without a GPS watch, try at least one run per week where you leave the tech behind. A recovery or long run is ideal, as it encourages you to run at an easy, natural pace. Every few weeks, incorporate a workout where you practice adjusting your effort levels: warm up for 10 minutes, then alternate between three minutes of moderate running, one minute of hard running, and two minutes of easy running, repeated five times. Finish with a 10-minute cool down. This practice will help you refine your sense of pacing and effort.

If you’re preparing for race day, consider running a 5K or 10K without your GPS watch before your goal race. This will give you a chance to practice tuning into your effort level, even in the midst of race-day adrenaline.

Using Technology Without Overdoing It

If the idea of running completely without pacing data feels too unsettling, there’s a compromise. Wear a regular watch and check it occasionally—perhaps halfway through a 5K or every 8 kilometers in a marathon—so you can gauge how your effort matches your pace. Alternatively, you could rely on the race clock or follow a pace group if it feels comfortable. These methods allow you to keep track of your speed without stressing over every detail. If you prefer to wear a GPS watch, consider ignoring the data during the race and focusing on how you feel until you cross the finish line.

As Hadfield points out, the key is not to ditch the technology entirely but to use it as a tool for measurement, not as a coach dictating every step you take.

Conclusion

Running without a GPS watch can be a liberating experience, allowing you to race based on how you feel rather than relying on numbers. While technology can be a helpful tool, learning to trust your body’s cues can improve your performance and help reduce the stress of over-analyzing every detail. By focusing on breathing, effort levels, and how your body feels, you can enjoy a more intuitive and less stressful running experience.