Running Naturally

A body naturally moves from the day of conception. When thinking about starting into the sport of running think about how natural it should feel. It is something that your body was made to do. As a toddler learns to walk the next move when balance has been truly acquired is running. A body is meant to run and will run if given a bit of time and patience to work up to the demands running as a sport puts on the body.

Even though running is a natural athletic sport for a body the running form a body takes may not be as natural. That is to say when watching a marathon that no two runners will look the exact same at the start, their stride and the finish. This does not however, lead one to believe they can neglect thought on form when running. There are certain main areas a runner will want to remember when perfecting their running form.

Just as an athlete taking up tennis for the first time a runner should research proper techniques involved in the sport. The running form is something that needs a basic understanding before starting out. Posture, breathing and foot positioning are all things that need to be looked into to decrease the risk of injury amongst first time runners.

One of the first things a runner needs to think about when running is proper posture. In running this involves a relaxed upright position. When running relaxed the body is allowed to move without tension and strain in the shoulders and neck. The release of tension will allow the runner a better run. It is important that runners hold their heads high and centered, making certain to not lean too far forward or too far back. It is important that runners look in front of them instead of down at their feet while trying to relax the muscles in their face, neck and jaw. The shoulder blades should not be pulled together but instead left to hang loose and parallel to the spine.

The next area of interest is a runner's arms and hands. A runner's arms can become powerful and enhance the running form. The most appropriate placement of arms and hands is off to the side elbows bent at ninety degrees pointed slightly away from the torso. Tension should be released in the hands and the fingers should be cupped like they are holding a fragile object, such as a raw egg. The arms should be swinging freely in a pumping fashion on the runner's side.

Breathing is essential for any sport. The breathing technique for each runner is different and is developed over time as the body adapts to the sport. Some runners choose to do a deep breathing technique where the breathe comes from the stomach while others prefer a method that is more shallow and combines breathing through the nose and mouth. A personal style will develop for each runner. The best technique in general is inhaling deeply and then forcefully exhaling through tight lips.

Develop a stride, enjoy some upright positioning, swing your arms and breathe deeply. Enjoy running. Developing a running form is one of the most important pieces of the sport and should be done with some knowledge, listening to the body and a bit of personal flair.
------

If you have enjoyed this article on running form from Kevin Germain at CPS visit http://www.elitefeetrunning.com today where you will find useful information on running form.

Source: http://cps.articlealley.com/running-naturally-2399824.html

---

By: Article Alley

Free Article Directory: http://www.jumparticles.com

Copy and Paste Link Code:
<a href="http://www.jumparticles.com/1000044">Running Naturally</a>

Article ID 1000044
This article has been viewed 1757 times