By Marnie Kunz

These running form tips will help you run more efficiently, improving your speed and reducing your risk of injuries. Whether you’re a beginning runner or you’ve been running for years, some running form techniques and drills can help you become a better runner. As a running coach, I often do gait analyses for clients and get asked many questions about proper running form. Therefore, I am compiling my top running form tips here and offering some drills you can do to improve your running technique.

10 Running Form Tips for Better Performance

Try these running form tips to improve your running efficiency and speed. Note that if you are experiencing running injuries or persistent problems with your form, a certified running coach can offer you a gait analysis and personalized exercises to improve your form. Check out our Runstreet Training Center for coaching or a running plan.

Here are 10 running form tips to try:

1. Practice good posture when you run.

Keep your shoulders and chest up and your core engaged. Look forward but do not strain your neck or back. Keep your shoulders back and relaxed. Don’t look at the ground or slump your shoulders.

2. Lean slightly forward.

You don’t have to push your upper body way over your legs but maintain a slight forward lean (about 10 degrees) as you run. Conversely, you also don’t need to be perfectly straight up. A light-forward lean will help you run naturally and quickly. You can lean slightly more forward than usual when you go up hills.

3. Run with your knees, ankles, and hips facing forward.

You will need to work on your form if your ankles, knees, or hips roll when you run. You may need stability running shoes for leg movements that roll outward or inwards. These shoes offer more support to reduce rolling in your ankles and knees. Go to your local running store for a running shoe fitting and gait analysis to determine the best shoes.

4. Bend your elbows at about a 90-degree angle.

Allow your arms to swing forward and back in a natural motion. Do not allow your arms to move across your chest from side to side; this wastes energy and can throw your balance off. Also, as my coach used to yell in school, “Lower your arms!” Our bodies naturally tense up when we are tired, which often causes runners to hunch over and bring their arms up too high. Think about lowering your arms and having them swing by your waist and hips. This will conserve energy and give your body good forward momentum.

5. Use short arm swings.

As with your stride, it’s better to keep things short and sweet when it comes to your arm swings. Sometimes runners are overly enthusiastic and take big forward arm swings, but this uses excess energy and can cause you to overstride. Imagine a wall a few inches in front of you and swing your arms only to that wall. If you need more momentum and are increasing your speed, you can pull your elbows back more as you swing your arms.

6. Lightly cup your hands. do not clench your fists.

Allow your hands to naturally follow your arm movements. As with your arms, your hands should not cross the midline of your body as this is too much sideways motion and can throw you off balance. When you run, your wrists and hands should generally be at the hip level.

7. Land with your feet under your center of mass.

The debate has been raging in the running community for decades about the benefits of forefoot, midfoot, or heel striking, with evidence on all sides to prove that each method works. According to a systematic review of existing studies on forefoot, midfoot, and heel striking, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that forefoot or midfoot striking is better than heel striking. And many professional runners use a heel strike, which is also most common among amateur runners. So, focus less on your exact foot strike and more on your feet landing lightly and under your center of gravity. This will reduce the impact on your joints and muscles and give you more stability as you run.

8. Take short, fast strides.

A running cadence of 170 to 185 is ideal. Try not to take giant steps or overstride, as this will use extra energy and force and can cause injuries and cause you to tire out more quickly.

9. Breathe naturally to get enough oxygen into your body.

No perfect running breathing technique works for everyone, so allow yourself to breathe unrestrictedly. If you find yourself hyperventilating, focus on taking slower, deeper breaths. Some people do well with an inhalation for 2 seconds and an exhalation for 2 seconds.

10. When in doubt, do what feels natural.

So many runners doubt their abilities but usually, our bodies know how to run efficiently. If you are overthinking, focus on keeping your upper body relaxed and picking your knees up when you run. If you’ve been running properly, you will not have a lot of injuries or aches and pains, which means you’re doing something right.

Drills to Improve Your Running Form

These drills will help improve your running form. For more exercises to become a better runner, check out our 10 Plyometric Exercises for Speed.

Midline Drill

This exercise will help you run with your feet in the right position. Find a line on a track, football field, or path and run right over the line, with each foot landing on opposite sides. If either foot crosses the line, you put too much stress on the outside of your foot and linked muscles and tendons.

Do the Drill: Run over a straight line, with each foot landing on opposite sides of the line. Run 8 X 100-meter reps.

High Knees

The high knees drill boosts the range of motion in your knees. When your knees bend more, you can run faster and more efficiently. The high knee exercise also activates your glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and calf muscles, making it an excellent warm-up before running.

Do the Drill: Run for 30 seconds with exaggerated high knees. Bring each knee to the waist level or higher and stay in one place or forward slowly, focusing on lifting your knees high. Lift your knees at your regular running pace or faster. Do two sets.

Cadence Drill

This exercise can help you improve your leg turnover speed and prevent overstriding. You do not need to measure your cadence every run, but this short drill will improve your running form for workouts and races.

Do the Drill: Measure your running cadence during a regular, relaxed pace base run. You can use a cadence counter, an app, or a running watch or count manually. If you do not have a device to measure your cadence, count how many times your right foot hits the ground in one minute and multiply by two to get your cadence. Aim for 170 to 185 for your cadence.

Try these running form tips and drills to become a stronger, faster runner. Do you need help with your running form? Check out the Runstreet Training Center for help with training plans and coaching options. Happy running to you!

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, Brooklyn resident, Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet.

10 Running Form Tips From a Run Coach + Drills