If you are running with a slouched running posture it’s wrong!

You are wasting energy and causing issues to your body that will lead to injury. If I see a client that has this posture I get excited. I get excited because I know we will make huge gains in their running form and massively reduce their injury risk.

In this episode I’m going to talk about what a slouched posture is, how it may feel in your body so you can understand if you are slouching when you run. I’ll also give you things to look out for and I’m going to give you some coaching cues that will improve your running posture.

So let’s get into this episode…

WELCOME

Welcome to the Run Better with Ash podcast, the podcast for runners seeking valuable insights and inspiration to enhance your running journey.

I'm Ash, your Personal Podcasting Running Coach and in today's episode, we're diving into a topic that has the power to dramatically improve your running form and reduce your injury risk.

As runners, our posture plays a crucial role in our performance and overall well-being. One common mistake we often see is slouching or being too soft in the body, particularly around the core area. This not only wastes energy but can also lead to injuries, especially in the neck and back.

Maintaining proper posture while running is essential. When we slouch or collapse through the core, it disrupts the alignment of our body. This misalignment not only decreases our running efficiency but also puts excessive strain on our neck and back muscles.

It's like driving a car with misaligned wheels – it not only affects the fuel efficiency but also wears out the tires unevenly. Similarly, when our body is misaligned during running, we end up wasting energy and stressing certain muscle groups more than necessary.

HOW DOES SLOUCH POSTURE FEEL IN THE BODY?

When running with a slouched posture, you may experience several discomforts and limitations that can affect your overall running experience. Here's how slouch posture may feel when running:

1. Increased Fatigue: Slouching can put unnecessary strain on your muscles, especially in the neck, upper back, and shoulders. This can lead to increased muscle fatigue and tension during your run, making it more challenging to maintain a consistent pace and performance.

2. Restricted Breathing: Slouching compresses the chest cavity, limiting the expansion of your lungs and inhibiting proper breathing. This can result in shallow breathing, reduced oxygen intake, and decreased endurance during your run.

3. Reduced Efficiency: A slouched posture disrupts the natural alignment of your body, affecting your biomechanics and running efficiency. It can lead to a decrease in stride length, compromised push-off power, and an overall decrease in running speed and efficiency.

4. Increased Impact on Joints: Slouching can also contribute to increased impact on your joints, such as the knees and hips. Poor alignment puts additional stress on these joints, potentially leading to discomfort, pain, or even injuries over time.

5. Decreased Stability: Slouching affects your core stability and balance while running. It can lead to a less stable base, making it harder to maintain proper form and increasing the risk of tripping or falling during your run.

Running with a slouched posture can hinder your performance, decrease your running efficiency, and increase the risk of discomfort or injuries. It's important to focus on maintaining a tall and upright posture while running to optimise your form, maximise your energy output, and reduce the strain on your body.

TIPS FOR IMPROVING RUNNING POSTURE

So, what can us runners do to improve our posture and prevent these issues?

Well, the first step is to focus on our core strength. Strengthening the muscles in our abdomen, lower back, and hips provides a solid foundation for proper posture. This helps maintain an upright position and reduces unnecessary stress on other parts of the body.

Engaging the core muscles while running helps us stabilise our torso and maintain a more efficient alignment. This, in turn, leads to better running form and reduces the risk of injuries.

Another key aspect is body awareness. Paying attention to how we hold ourselves while running is crucial. Are we hunching our shoulders forward or collapsing through the midsection? Is your head falling. forward and pulling down towards the ground?

By practicing self-awareness, we can make conscious adjustments to our posture during our runs.

Also, incorporating exercises that target the upper back, neck, and shoulder muscles can help improve our posture and prevent imbalances. Strengthening these areas allows us to maintain an open chest and relaxed shoulders while running.

And let's not forget about flexibility and mobility. Tight muscles, especially in the hips, chest, and shoulders, can contribute to poor posture. Incorporating stretching and mobility exercises into our routine can help alleviate muscle tightness and improve our overall posture.

It's essential to create a balanced and integrated approach that combines strength training, body awareness and flexibility work to address posture issues effectively.

BEFORE I GET INTO THE COACHING CUES I have one little thing to ask you. PLEASE SHARE this episode with a friend. You will be helping a friend out gain more valuable running knowledge and you will be helping my podcast reach new listeners, IT IS the single best form of marketing for my podcast.

I really appreciate you sharing the episodes to friends, thank you!

COACHING CUES TO IMPROVE RUNNING POSTURE

1. STRING from the crown of the head. Imagine you have a piece of string out of the top of your head that is gently pulling your head and the rest of the body upwards.

2. IMAGINE you have a pole from the heels through the back up through the neck to the top of the head.

3. TALL BUT NOT TENSE. Create the right amount of effort in your posture. Not too much effort as you will be too stiff. There is a sweat spot to find.

Use the coaching cues to feel what works for you and try to find the sweet spot so that you can run better.

QUICK SUMMARY

Remember, when it comes to running posture, we want to stand tall, engage our core, and maintain a relaxed yet upright position. This not only optimises our energy efficiency but also reduces the risk of unnecessary injuries.

I’m sure you found this discussion on running posture insightful and helpful. SHARE these tips with a friend.

Remember, good posture is a key ingredient in becoming a stronger and injury-free runner.

Thank you for listening. Stay tuned for more episodes of "Run Better with Ash podcast."

Until next time, keep running strong and maintain that impeccable posture! Happy Running!