When I worked with runners earlier in my career, I stressed hands going from hips to armpits and the hands light. Even had them run with a potato chip between the thumb and index finger; eat chip when done with runs.
At The Perfect Method, we teach running form for sprinters and distance runners based on the mechanics of human motion: legs cycle with the center of gravity centered (no leaning), the body is tall, the chin is down, the shoulders are relaxed. We also teach that power comes from pushing, and suggest a number of drills to develop this in athletes.
Arms go through a similar motion pattern for all runners, but it’s less pronounced for distance runners: “Elbows to the sky, thumbs to the eye, hand through the pocket” is what we suggest for sprinters. “Hand through the pocket” gives the opposite leg more time to push.
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When I worked with runners earlier in my career, I stressed hands going from hips to armpits and the hands light. Even had them run with a potato chip between the thumb and index finger; eat chip when done with runs.
At The Perfect Method, we teach running form for sprinters and distance runners based on the mechanics of human motion: legs cycle with the center of gravity centered (no leaning), the body is tall, the chin is down, the shoulders are relaxed. We also teach that power comes from pushing, and suggest a number of drills to develop this in athletes.
Arms go through a similar motion pattern for all runners, but it’s less pronounced for distance runners: “Elbows to the sky, thumbs to the eye, hand through the pocket” is what we suggest for sprinters. “Hand through the pocket” gives the opposite leg more time to push.
Good luck, coach!