FitSugar

10 Tips to Improve Your Running Technique

Shape — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:58:44 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape, here on FitSugar.

Don’t Run Heels First. Avoid striking the pavement with your heels - save that for your power walks. "When you walk, you keep one foot in contact with the ground, while running has a moment of weightlessness in the stride," says Alex Figueroa, a running coach and creator of Priority1 Wellness in Miami Beach. Running with a heel landing can contribute to back and knee pain.
Do Land on the Midsole of Your Foot. Landing on your forefoot (instead of your heels) allows your muscles to catch the weight of your body in flight, reducing the effects of impact on the joints and bones, says Figueroa.
Don't Use a Long Stride. Leaping forward while you run is inefficient and an energy drain. Instead, stand tall and lean forward, and when you feel like you are going to fall, step forward just enough to catch yourself. This should be the length of your stride. It takes less energy to fall than to reach your foot in front of you.

Read on for seven more tips to improve your running technique.

Running Tip: Keep Your Eyes on the Horizon

FitSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:58:36 PDT

When your mom told you stand up straight, you probably had no idea that she was also helping your running technique. Running efficiently and pain free has a lot to do with your posture. Keep your head in line with your spine, your shoulders relaxed, and your torso over your hips. A simple way to stack all these body parts one on top of the other is to gaze naturally at the horizon as you move forward. Adjust your eyes and chin so they are parallel with your body. It's tempting to look down at the ground or gaze at the peak of an upcoming hill, but this can overstretch your neck and cause your shoulders to hunch up toward your ears. Not only will gazing at the horizon prevent pain during and after your run, but it'll also make your workout easier.

There Really Is Not One Right Way to Run

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:00:00 PDT

When it comes to endurance, long-distance running as opposed to sprinting short distances like Jamaican gold medalist and record breaker Usain Bolt (100m, 200m), there is not just one way to run.

There are many techniques out there and almost as many variations as there are runners. When watching the men's marathon (yes, I watched the men's marathon, which I guess establishes me as a running geek even if my weekly mileage doesn't), I kept using my DVR to pause the action and try to figure out where these elite runners strike: heel, midfoot, or toe. The answer is all three. The same goes for arm motion and torso placement - the variations are endless. I have been experimenting with where my foot strikes and I shared this information with a running-shoe specialist. I was surprised to hear him say that I would just be trading one type of injury for another as I transitioned from heel strike to hitting the pavement with my midfoot. Ahhhh, I thought, so there really isn't one way to run.

The New York Times broke down some of the pros and cons of different running patterns and for the highlights just

Running Technique: Where Do You Strike?

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:30:00 PST

Runners have an ongoing debate about technique and what part of the foot is better to land (strike) on.

Some say landing on the heel of the foot prevents injury to the calves and Achilles tendon, and is great if you're running long distances. Other runners say that landing on the ball of the foot is easier on your knees and other joints and that it makes you feel lighter, which is great when you are sprinting or trying to run faster. Others land on the middle of their foot, because that's what comes naturally for them.

So I want to know about your running technique. Where do you strike?

Source

What Is the Deal With: My Upper Body When I Run?

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 10:30:00 PST

Running...it seems like it should be the most natural thing in the world to do, but like all good things there is technique. What to do with your upper body can get confusing, since it is just riding on the legs that are doing all the work.

Here are some tips on running form:

Your torso should be upright, with chest up and plenty of room for the diaphragm to work correctly. You're going to be breathing heavy so make it easier for your lungs and diaphragm to work.
Do not lean forwards (aka bend at the waist or hips - I see lots of folks craning forward at their waist or hips), backwards or slouch, as all of these lazy postures can stress your lower back. Using your deep abs can help you keep upright and run properly.
The shoulders should be relaxed with elbows bent to around 90 degrees and the motion should be from the shoulder not the forearms ( no floppy rag doll arms). Arms should swing freely with the action mostly front to back.
The hands should be held with the palm facing inwards not down. If you prefer to hold your hands in a fist make it a loose fist with the thumb resting on the index finger.

Of course when you are running, it is always better to not over think the action. Do check in on your running form every few minutes until the habits become natural.

How to Get the Perfect Faux Flutter Every Time

Guest Writer — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:50:42 PST

Celebrity makeup artist and Vanitymark Cosmetics founder Brett Freedman has been guest blogging on BellaSugar for the past two months, but alas, all good things must come to an end. Thank you for your amazing advice and top tips, Brett, and we look forward to seeing your work on red carpets everywhere! With that said, we're proud to present Brett's last column, for which we know you'll be all a-flutter.

Long, lush lashes. Who doesn't want them? With the trend toward brighter lips and sparser eye, a vivid lash line is even more important. So many gals ask me about amping up their flutter with faux lashes. It's actually pretty easy. Here's my technique to give your peepers a little extra pop. See how Brett gets it right every time when you read more.

RX For Shin Splints: Ice Massage

Susi May — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:39:21 PST

Shin splints are the bane of many new runners. The tight calves that accompany mileage increases can spell pain for the lower leg. If running causes any discomfort, take time off to allow your shin splints to heal. But you need not sit idle on the sidelines while you recuperate: ice massages help, too. A serious runner, my Equinox trainer reminded me of the healing combo of ice and massage to decrease the inflammation around the tibia (anatomy speak for shin), caused by this overuse injury. The technique is simple, but first you need to make the ultimate tool: the icing cup!

Make Your Own Icing Cup
Used in gyms and physical therapy clinics, an icing cup protects your fingers from freezing and provides a perfectly sized contact point for massaging troubled spots. Take six Dixie cups, fill them with water, and freeze. When it comes time to ice, peel back the paper and begin the massage.

The Massage
Starting by your foot, place your icing cup on the outside of your shin, on the tibialis anterior muscle. Making long strokes toward your knee, massage the muscle with an amount of pressure that feels good. Mix up your massage strokes and try small circular patterns, once again starting at the ankle and working up toward the knee. After five minutes of massaging, finish your 20-minute icing cycle with 15 minutes of static icing by placing an ice pack (or frozen peas or corn) on your shin. Aim to massage and ice twice a day.

If you're not up for an ice massage, you can always show your shins some foam roller love. Do keep stretching your calf muscles, and once the pain diminishes try these easy exercises to strengthen the tibialis anterior.

3 Things I Learned From My First Indoor Cycling Class

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:15:09 PST

Since it's important to vary workouts and keep the body guessing, this year I resolved to add indoor cycling to my usual running-and-weights fitness routine. I made sure to wear and bring the right items to the gym, but I learned a few technique-related tips during class that I wish I'd known earlier. Planning to try an indoor cycling class for the first time? Keep these three pointers in mind to steer clear of injuries and make the most of your workout.

Regularly shift your hands: To avoid stiff, sore wrists, be sure to move your hands around the handlebars by correctly incorporating the standard cycling hand positions. You should try to keep your hands slightly loose - no death grips necessary - and do your best to let your weight fall into your feet, rather than leaning your entire body into your hands. It's also important to keep your shoulders down and relaxed.
Keep pedal rotations pause-free: Aim to make each pedal revolution as smooth as possible so that you don't put any extra strain on your ankles or the balls of your feet. There's a natural tendency to pause at the bottom of a rotation - especially during standing intervals - so make sure that your leg and glute muscles stay in a constant push-and-pull rhythm. To achieve this, try keeping your feet flat rather than letting your heel turn up and toe push down.
Focus on technique, not resistance: As you ease into indoor cycling, don't worry too much about the resistance level on your bike. Instead, strive to stay moving throughout the entire class and learn to fluidly transition between the sitting and standing positions. Later, when you've grown more comfortable on the bike, you can begin to worry about increasing resistance and amping up your workout.

Go Deep Into Your Forward Bend

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:10:41 PST

If you run, bike, ski, or sit at a desk all day, chances are your hamstrings are screaming for some attention. Get on the floor and give them what they crave - a seated forward bend. This pose looks simple enough, but here are some ways to increase that deep stretch in the backs of your legs.

Before folding forward, sit with your legs straight out in front of you. Take your right fingertips and pull the flesh of your glute up and away from the sit bone. Repeat on the: left hand moves left cheek. Moving the cushioning of your seat out of the way helps target your hamstrings more effectively in the stretch.
While still sitting upright, increase the stretch in the backs of your legs even further by gently pressing the backs of your knees into the floor. Flex your feet to also engage your calves and shins, but do keep your heels on the floor so you don't hyperextend your knees.
Actively roll both thighs inward, creating a more grounded base for your hips to hinge from. This action in the thighs also help keep the feet flat, as the pinky toe side of the foot has a tendency to curl away from you.

Continue reading to learn

Faster, Harder, Longer: How to Maximize a Treadmill Workout

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:29:43 PST

Numb fingers. Black ice. Risk of frostbite. These are all common reasons to skip running outside in Winter and take refuge in a warm, dry gym. Treadmills might feel safer, but you might even find the workout feels a little easier. Don't sell yourself short! Use these tips to upgrade your treadmill time and maximize the benefits of your run.

To Burn More Calories

Do intervals. Running at a consistent pace is great for longer training runs, but during your intense workouts, take advantage of intervals. By alternating between running a few minutes at a moderate pace and throwing in bursts at a quicker pace (or even sprinting), you'll burn more calories, build endurance, and become a faster, stronger runner. Not to mention, intervals have also been proven to fight belly fat. Here's a 30-minute treadmill interval workout for you to try.
Gradually increase your speed throughout your workout. You definitely don't want to start your run at a seven mile per hour (mph) pace since you need to give your body a chance to warm up. Start out with a brisk walk (4 mph) and every five to 10 minutes, give your speed a little push until you're running at a 5 to 8 mph pace.
Run longer. It's good to mix up the type of running workouts you do, so on days that you're not running intervals or building up speed, do a longer run at a consistent pace. If you run for 30 minutes (at a pace of 10 minutes per mile) you'll burn 270 calories. Forty-five minutes burns 405 calories, and even longer, an hour-long run burns 540 calories.

Keep reading to learn ways to tone your muscles and become a faster runner.