Is your posture affecting your running form? The way you hold yourself when not running can significantly impact your body mechanics and running efficiency while on the pavement. To achieve optimal running technique and perform better in your next marathon, it is crucial to maintain proper spinal alignment, balanced and flexible hips, and pain-free, limber muscles.
Bad Posture Health Risks
Irrespective of how fit and strong one is, poor posture can ruin one’s running form. Leaning backward in a hunched position, which results in tightened chest muscles and weakened upper back muscles, moves one’s center of gravity backwards. This can cause overstriding while running, leading to foot landing too far ahead of the body, lower back pain, and neglecting essential muscle groups that stabilize the hips and spine.
Wrong posture not only affects your running form negatively but also poses several other health hazards. Maintaining a hunched position with a round back can cause spinal compression, adding undue pressure on internal joints and discs. This, in turn, results in strained muscles, tendons, and ligaments adjacent to the affected area, further leading to pelvic tilt and hip imbalance.
As you get used to spending most of your day sitting and gazing at screens like working on your computer, browsing your phone, and watching television, you may notice a tendency for your shoulders to slump forward, causing your neck and head to extend forward. This misalignment with your spine subjects them to the pull of gravity, resulting in a disadvantageous leverage on your muscles from your neck down to your hips.
When you slump or slouch, you not only experience sore, tight muscles and painful inflammation, but you also limit your lung capacity by putting pressure on the thoracic cavity. To breathe more easily, it’s crucial to sit up straight with shoulders in a neutral position and chest open wide. For runners, lung capacity is essential for endurance and prolonging the time until exhaustion. By correcting poor posture, you could potentially enhance your breathing techniques and develop stronger, more enduring patterns that will support longer training sessions.
How to Reverse Bad Posture for Running
If you’re looking to improve your running form and correct your poor posture, these easy-to-follow tips and techniques could be the solution you need to break the habit permanently.
- Stretch – stiff, sore back muscles make it incredibly difficult to sit up straight for an extended period of time. Stretching, whether it is after a run or with yoga practice, can help re-lengthen the spine and draw muscles out (and your hip flexors), and make them more malleable and elastic.
- Do NOT Sit Cross Legged – it is so easy to spend hours each day crossing your legs – whether it’s at your desk at work without thinking or at home on the couch perusing Instagram, crossing legs is one of the biggest factors for developing imbalanced hips. A 2014 study even found that people who sat cross legged for more than three hours a day were more likely to experience rounded shoulders, forward head posture (craned neck), and pelvic tilt.
- Lift Weights – are you already supplementing your marathon training with weightlifting? Don’t forget to target those upper back and shoulder muscles which can strengthen your upper back, open your chest, and help you sit up straighter.
- Brace Your Back – just like you might wear a brace or supportive wrap for knee, groin, ankle, or foot pain when running, a posture-corrective brace may help you sit up straighter. The best back brace for posture will be made of comfortable, breathable fabric, offer support and spinal alignment without limiting range of motion, as well as be easy to get on and off.
- Practice Balance – in addition to running and bodyweight exercises, balance activities can promote better posture. Try sitting on a stability ball or standing on a balance disc without a straight and astute back, neck, and
shoulders. Pretty hard, huh? Balance exercises also help you hone your center of gravity and strengthen core muscles for more agile and precise running technique.
Your marathon training could be negatively impacted by poor running form without you realizing it. Ensure that your posture is correct by being aware of your body and making helpful adjustments and doing exercises when you’re not running. You will most likely notice significant improvements in both your form and endurance when you train and compete.
5 Bodyweight Back Exercises for Better Posture
Noam Tamir, C.S.C.S., CEO and owner of TS Fitness in New York City, suggests that in order to enhance your velocity, improve your endurance, or prevent injuries, strengthening your back muscles is crucial.
He emphasizes the importance of a robust upper and lower back for maintaining an effective running stance. Along with reducing torso rotation and keeping you upright, your back muscles also generate the power to move your arms. He clarifies that the “pullback” motion in your arm swing while running relies heavily on the strength of your lats. Strengthening your back not only helps sustain a forceful arm swing but also aids in resisting slumping, especially during periods of exhaustion.
Additionally, a reinforced back has a higher chance of enduring the rigorous impact that accompanies workouts. Tamir elaborates that sustaining a robust lower back is crucial in order to avoid injuries resulting from significant compression during running. To aid in boosting the strength and safeguarding of your back, Tamir has fashioned a demanding yet brief routine consisting of five bodyweight back exercises.
To utilize this list, execute every activity mentioned for the specified number of repetitions and rest for 20 seconds between each one. Repeat the complete set thrice. Tamir has exhibited each move in the video shown above to enable you to learn the correct posture. It is recommended that you use an exercise mat.
Side Plank Reach to Row
Assume a side plank position with your right forearm resting on the ground, ensuring your body is in a straight line from your head to your feet, and your feet are stacked on top of one another. Verify that your right elbow is directly beneath your shoulder. Move your left arm overhead (with your bicep brushing your ear slightly), then pull your elbow back towards your ribs in a rowing manner. Repeat this action ten times on each side.
High Plank With Scapular Retraction
Assume a high plank pose with your shoulders positioned above your wrists and keep your core tight to maintain a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Use your glutes and thighs to keep your legs straight. Pull your shoulder blades together and loosen your torso a bit. Elevate your upper back to spread your shoulder blades apart. This is considered one repetition. Repeat this physical exercise 12 times.
Lower Back Extension
Begin in a prone position with your feet touching the ground and your hands clasped behind your head. Keep your neck in a neutral position, contract your abdominal muscles, tighten your buttocks, and use your lumbar muscles to elevate your upper body from the ground. Pause for a moment before gradually lowering yourself to the ground. Perform 12 repetitions.
Renegade Row
Assume a high plank position with shoulders above wrists and engage your core to form a straight line from shoulders to heels. Utilize your glutes and thighs to maintain straight legs. Elevate your right hand towards the ribs while keeping the elbow near the ribcage and maintaining square hips. Gradually return the hand to the floor and repeat with the left hand. Keep switching hands and perform 10 repetitions on each side.
Superman Lat Pulldown
Assume a prone position on a mat, with arms straight out in front of you and palms facing downward. Contract your glutes and raise your chest, legs, and arms off the ground simultaneously. While in this position, draw your elbows towards your hips while ensuring that your shoulders remain relaxed and away from your ears. Straighten your arms and repeat this exercise. Perform 12 repetitions.
