Running Form - Arm Swing

Yesterday's run was pretty good.  Weather was cool. Starting at 60 or 62 F it stayed fairly cool for the entire duration of the run. There was wind up to about 12-13 mph which added to the chill factor.  Even a couple of weeks ago I could see a lot of earth worms crawling from the open lands across the curb to the road in the morning. Perhaps due to the lower temperature, they were all but gone. The lower temperature also seemed to keep people indoors. In fact, there were very few walkers for the first 10 or 12 miles. People started showing up once the chill got warmed by the mid-morning sun. There were about four times as many people in the last 2 or 3 miles than in the first 12 miles.

I ran at an easy pace. Started off and found myself running at the expected pace the first couple of miles. I usually have difficulty running at the targeted pace in the first couple of miles as the body warms up. Some days it is slower and on other days it is faster. Yesterday it was right where I wanted. I conserved my drink (not sure if that is a good idea, but I am usually concerned that it may not last the full 15 mile distance) and took my first gulp only after half the distance was behind me. In the second half I paid more attention to running relaxed with good form, as usual, whereas the first half was about running at a very easy pace.

One of the things to do for a more relaxed and efficient run is to pay attention to how the arms swing. I thought I should mention it here as I saw a gentleman running with quite a wide and awkward swing. Of course, no one has the perfect running form. Even elite runners have imperfections and some have particularly awkward running form. Obviously, medals go for finishing and not necessarily for best form. However, everyone can run better and lower risk of injury by improving their form.  First, what made this person's swing awkward.  His left arm had a large smartphone strapped to it. The arm hung close to the trunk and was swinging forward and backward slightly. His right arm, on the other hand (no pun intended), was extended out a lot, and was swinging across his side in an arc, like playing table tennis.  Part of the problem was obviously the imbalance in the weight. Since the arm with the phone was held close to the body, in order to balance that weight the opposite arm was overextended on the other side. Imagine carrying a weight on one hand. You need to extend the other arm out in order to balance against that weight. Moreover, the natural swing of the arms during the run was thrown off balance as the free arm was forced to swing wider due to the imbalance in weight, which in turn forced the torso to turn left and right as he ran. A smartphone, though weighing just a few ounces, matters a lot when you are on a long distance run. No matter how light and easy it seems, the weight imbalance is going to creep into your form, reduce your running efficiency and increase the stress on your body.

In his classic fitness guide The Runner's Handbook, well known coach Bob Glover says your arms are almost as important as your legs. They are not just along for the ride. If you use your arms properly, they will make your legs go faster by propelling your body forward. You will also maintain good balance and conserve energy.

What should you do with your arms? Before you begin, relax the shoulders first. Then have your arms relaxed by the trunk. When you run, keep the forearms relaxed and comfortably bent 90 - 120 degrees at the elbow. Fist and fingers flexed and relaxed. The arms should swing in a fairly short arc across your body, but never across the mid line. The slight movement across will help the body maintain correct alignment as you stride forward each time. However, make sure that the movement doesn't get too far across the body, or it will cause body rotation. Do not lift the arms too high. Run with the neck and shoulders relaxed. Not tight.

Check out this excellent video.

If your shoulders feel tight or tired during the run, drop the shoulders to a relaxing position, lift your arms above your head with relaxed wrists and fingers turned inward and flapping. Run for 30 seconds or until shoulders feel relaxed and then go back to normal arm swing.

Proper arm action will help you run with better balance and conserve energy.

I have rest today and Tuesday. Next run on Wednesday.

Wish you better health and fitness thru running. If I can run, you can run.