OPTIMAL RUNNING TECHNIQUE - Hips

Your hips determines where your center of mass is. That fact is crucial to be aware of when it comes to maximizing running technique. Think of this: If your foot lands well infront of your hip every time it strikes the ground, your body will decelerate, you'll lose momentum and need to use your muscles to pull your body forward and thorough the motion for next stride.
To find an effective hip position, have a good upright, upperbody posture (open chest, shoulders back), stand tall and tilt your body slightly forward starting from the ankles to the hip.



A common mistake is to lean forward at the shoulders rather than lower body/hips and this actually pushes your hips backward and can also limit the volume of your lungs (oxygen intake).

These biomechanical principles of hip position during running may not be simple to follow at first. It requires endurance and strength in core muscles to keep the body and hip in a slight forward leaning position and like most other skills it takes time and practice for the neuromuscular system to learn the new paths and movements.

Next post in the OPTIMAL RUNNING TECHNIQUE series will talk about KNEES and STRIDE CHARACTERISTICS.