STYLE COUNSEL

There’s no ‘right’ way to run. But knowing your gait can help you pinpoint weaknesses and run stronger.

- TOM CRAGGS

THE RUNNING WORLD has a bias towards effort. We tend to focus on the volume and intensity of our training, and the effect that they have on our cardiovascular fitness. Of course this is important; but it’s not the only piece of the performance puzzle. Gait and technique are also important components of performance, but they’re often overlooked – other than when we buy new running shoes. 

While we tend to develop our own running styles, our technique can affect running economy and put a limit on how fast we may eventually be able to run. Poor technique can increase the likelihood of injury, which in turn affects the consistency of your training and thus can hamper your potential to progress. By analysing your technique, you can try to identify some of the key potential risk factors to address with conditioning or drills.

Running technique is dynamic and complex, with lots of moving parts. That complexity can lead to sweeping judgements about ‘good’ or ‘poor’ form, based on how pleasant a runner’s movement is to the eye. The technique and gait you should be interested are those that are effective – in terms of both performance and injury prevention. So don’t try to force your body into a generic, perfect-looking technique. Instead, assess yourself as an individual; think about your injury history, and where you feel stronger or weaker in runs or races, or areas that feel less comfortable than they might.

How to analyse your gait

One approach is to engage the services of a performance lab. Biomechanics labs use sophisticated software to introduce a high level of detail and measurement to your gait analysis. This gives you key data and expert opinion. However, they can be expensive, and obviously, will require you to attend a lab.