Cole Ellis, D.C. ART
Sports Chiropractor
Active Release Techniques Provider
 

• Injury Prevention
• Running Performance Improvement
• Alignment and Relaxation

At first, as you make the gradual shift from contacting with the heel to more of a mid-foot strike, you might think the shift will be hard and unnatural.  Surprisingly, it's not always a tough transition. If you take your shoes off and go for a run, your stride will naturally shorten and you will land on your mid-foot below your hips.  This is very natural and the body usually adapts fairly quickly.  

Running without shoes one time a week for short distances and on softer surfaces will help build and improve your running stride.  Then, when you put your shoes on, you want to mimic the same feeling until it 

becomes very natural. Both mentally and physically thinking about "pulling the road behind you with each step" is an effective strategy. Notice the runners on a treadmill.  See how the foot is landing out in front of the body and the angle of the foot is increased.  This is often referred to as "the breaking effect."

 
To be more efficient and reduce injuries, decrease this angle by landing "more" on your midfoot below your center of gravity. Try this and see how it feels ... if you have been over striding for years and a heel striker, don't be alarmed if this feels unnatural at first. Give yourself time and eventually landing on your mid-foot will feel more natural. 

2. Connect the upper body with the
 lower body. 

Being aligned is an important component for injury prevention and running efficiency.  Gravity will try and break you down the further you run and the more fatigued you get.  To counteract this you want to stay tall (without bouncing) and keep the head, 
shoulders, hips and ankles lined up.  

With core exercises, the key is to get the spine in a neutral position before starting the exercise.  This will level the pelvis and fire up the core muscles, which will help protect the back and stabilize the hip joint, preventing unnecessary and wasted movements such as lateral hip sway.  While running, or even while walking throughout the day, there is a very simple habit to form and get used to. It is called "leveling the pelvis."  Don't take it too far, however. It's not an aggressive pelvic tilt; you just want to subtly move the hip into a neutral position, basically where where waistline is parallel to the ground.  Matt Fitzgerald explains in his book, Brain Training for Runners, that 9 out of 10 runners do not engage their core muscles when running.  I suggest practicing leveling the pelvis throughout the day when you run. 

This technique is not actually free falling.  A better description is controlled falling.  Being in alignment, running symmetrically, and having the core engaged is the set up point for falling forward.  As a unit. the entire body is slightly tilted forward from the ankles - not the waste.   Having the pelvis level and the core engaged makes this possible without crumbling at the waist.

5. Arm & Shoulder Position

Your arm & shoulder position are important: