A common question a running coach is asked is what the perfect running technique is. But the idea that there is one technique to strive towards does not really make any sense. Everyone is different and so there are different ways to do it all of them appropriate to the individual using them. While there are some techniques and means of improvement a person might make with their strength, mobility and so on, there is no one way to do it.
Your coach should have a personal plan for you
The technique someone uses might also depend on their fitness and their goals too. You would not coach an athlete competing in an Ironman the same way you would coach a sprinter athlete in high school. Sometimes there is also the problem that pushing a person to adopt a completely foreign method of training could cause injury. Improvements whether with a coach in person or an online running coach should be made within that runner's personal goals and physical limits. You might later redefine those goals and that technique of course, but in the shorter term, a good coach should respect the capabilities of their runner right then.
Two simple technique cues that can help anyone
So all runners are different and they have different needs, and a good coach should understand that and work with that. But some technique cues can help a lot of people so here are two of them.
1) Keep your hips high – Some runners will run so that they are bent forwards with their bottom sticking out. This tends to be an indicator of something like core weakness, hip flexors that are tight and or a problem with poor posture. Or some kind of combination of all of them! It is hard to get a runner like that to bring their pelvis to a more neutral position but instead, you could think about holding our hips high and pelvis high. Bring your body so that it is more over the landing foot as you run. You should notice that you feel lighter, you have more stride frequency or cadence and you can reduce the problem of over striding.
2) Your upper body should be working too – If you watch sprinters you will know just how important having their upper body involved as they run is to their speed. The right movement with their arms can make all the difference in what place they come in their race. The arms help to set and hold the leg speed. A running coach can help develop this movement so that it is in sync with your legs. Just because you might not be a sprint runner does not mean those arms have no importance.
That does not mean you need to adopt the arm movement and pace of Usain Bolt! But often casual and endurance runners just hold their arms to their sides and put little more effort or thought into the upper body as they run. Even at a relaxed pace, your arms should have some kind of small and slow movement. That then becomes more pronounced when you pick up speed so for the end of the run. Talk to your online running coach for tips about how you can better use your upper body to improve your running.
