Competitor - August 2017

46 TRAINING

WORKOUT OF THE MONTH

Form CheCk

How to think about your body

position while running—

and exercises to right your

posture wrongs!

By Jean-François Harvey

Running is an art that we can perfect

through training. What’s more, just a

few simple changes can make a huge

difference over time.

Although the advances in exercise

science can be applied to running, some

people still believe that developing

their running technique is pointless and

could even increase their risk of injury.

They think we all know how to run, that

running is a natural activity we all did

as children, so we shouldn’t have to do

anything to improve our technique.

Others are of the opinion that we are

running the wrong way, and that it’s

the fault of the so-called modern shoes

we wear. In recent years, studies have

in fact shown that foot strike can vary

dramatically depending on the type of

shoes we wear. With advocates calling

for a return to a more “natural” way of

running, minimalist shoes represent

one solution to consider.

Every runner can run better. And do so

with greater comfort, speed and control,

while having more fun, saving energy and

enjoying a more natural movement. This

can all be possible mainly by improving

one’s running technique. All runners

have potential for fixes, whether in their

running form, training or biomechanics.

What is the ideal

running posture?

To have good posture is to have a body

position that is centered spatially and

balanced gravitationally. It can be

achieved with minimal effort through

control of the postural muscles. Having

good posture changes your relation-

ship to the environment around you

and within your body. It is one of the

essential foundations for every run-

ner’s health and performance.

The ideal running posture is the

one that promotes the most efficient

movement and the most natural,

flowing running style while respecting

your body as much as possible. Don’t

worry if your basic posture looks

different from the ideal. You have your

own posture, like a body signature.

And there’s no reason to change every-

thing overnight.

You can gradually work your way

toward the ideal without needing to

achieve perfection. There is more than

just one good running posture, for the

simple reason that human beings are

not robots. According to the principles

of posturology—the scientific study

of posture—and the latest advances in

biomechanics, we should be aiming to

run tall with a slight forward lean.

When you improve your posture,

you’re improving your ability to

express yourself not only to the outside

world but also within your body. The

effects of better posture trickle down to

everything you do. Postural exercises

can promote a better lengthening of

the spinal column by stimulating and

strengthening the deep spinal muscles

and all the muscles (quads, calves,

glutes, etc.) that hold the body up

against the force of gravity.

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