Both, but prioritize mechanics > form. We good?
Ok, I'll explain.
When most people ask about running form, they're referring to how they look while running. It may be helpful to think of this as "running style."
Many are concerned their form isn't "good" or that they're doing something wrong. They're wondering what they could be doing better. Maybe they're concerned form may be playing a role in regards to injuries they've experienced or wish to avoid. A more advanced runner may wish to improve their efficiency or reduce odds of future injury. A newer runner may just want to make sure they don't look ridiculous.
When it comes to running form, there is a lot of well-intentioned advice out there:
- Optimize your cadence (your strides per minute)
- Make initial contact with a certain part of your foot
- Practice barefoot running / run in minimalist shoes
- "Run tall" and other cues
Essentially, it comes down to, 'run like this, not like that'.
There are even branded running forms out there. Pose Method® + Chi Running®, anyone? The premise is that if you run a certain way, the world will be your oyster.
Some of this can be valuable because it's relatively easy to implement. For example, you'll experience lower peak impact and braking forces if you don't overstride (feet landing too far in front of your body). But, in my experience, this is just a short term gain and doesn’t really address the real issues. Maybe peak impact forces decrease, but total force experienced does not. You're still crashing down to earth with every stride. So, you’ll just shift load to other areas of the body that may or may not be prepared to tolerate it.
To sum up, you may look different while running, but your ability to move is still the same. Huh? Follow along.
To this point in my career, it's been rare that someone has asked me for help in improving their ability to move well. I’m going to call this biomechanics. Maybe it's because they aren't aware such a topic exists. Maybe they don't know there's a difference between running style and mechanics. In any case, in my experience, there is a lot LESS awareness around this topic compared to things like cadence, footstrike, strength training, mobility, foam rolling, and massage guns.
That's a shame, too, because working on your mechanics could just be your ticket to running forever, having greater efficiency, solving mysterious chronic injury cycles, decreasing your risk for medical conditions like osteoarthritis (or any condition where stagnation is the root cause), increased stride power potential, better posture, eliminating abnormal muscle states like tightness or weakness, and all around changing your life for the better.
I hope I didn't oversell it, but, to be honest, I've undersold it. Because, as you may have noticed, I mentioned a few non-running things there that are simply not possible to achieve by running like this, not like that.
Now, you'll still need to train smart, eat well, get your sleep consistently, and call your mom for God's sake, but how well you move - your biomechanics - is a [critical] piece of the larger puzzle.
So, what do I mean by biomechanics? Quite simply, to run well we need to be able to move well. Specifically, we need the ability to access every joint movement in our body. No joint should be motionless when we run. If we have access to every joint movement, then we can access the shapes we need to make with our bodies to move forward feeling light, free, and effortless.
If we cannot access every joint movement, then, sure, we can get from point A to point B, but it will not be as efficient. We will attempt to make the shapes we need to make but we won't be able to make them as well. We will be showing up to gait (walking + running) with less than what we need to have the best experience.
We move as efficiently as possible given what we are able to access in our body. More than likely, however, you currently cannot access every joint movement in your body when you walk and run. Don’t take it personally! ;-)
A common reason is that when we experience trauma, we guard or avoid moving the injured area to allow for healing to take place. Or, maybe it wasn’t a physical trauma. In that case, we may hold tension somewhere subconsciously. This is all a natural part of the healing process. However, often this process can be incomplete. We fail to remind these structures how they are supposed to move in relation to the rest of the body, upright, while weight bearing - just like what happens in gait.
So, if you're reading this, I'm betting you want to improve. You want the A. You don't want to settle for a B- or a running career littered with setbacks and unfulfilled potential.
Wow, in searching for a picture showing ‘efficiency’, I found this. Amazingly, joints should move exactly like the cogs shown in the picture!
On that note, let's talk more about efficiency for a moment.
Efficient: achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense.
I could tell you to strike the ground with a certain part of your foot, run tall with a cadence of 180, think about using your glutes ((??)), and breathe through your nose the whole time while telling me a story, but guess what? That will be way less efficient than if you'd just gone out and run your usual way.
If you're an experienced runner, you've already optimized your gait by taking millions of strides. If you're new to running, merely by practicing the task more - running more - you will become more efficient. Your form will self-select and refine as you take stride after stride, over time.
Yes, some of those form cues WILL change your experience of running. You may load tissues differently. If you're injured, that might even allow you to run with less discomfort. Yay! But, you're just kicking the can down the road. The underlying problem still exists.
Take home point of the day
If you show up to running with a hip that cannot flex well [or insert any joint movement here], then no matter what style of running you adopt, you will always be running with a hip that cannot flex well. THIS is the problem. Not your foot strike. You can run Chi, Pose, backwards, or prancercize (remember that??) and you'll do it all to the best of your ability all with an inability to flex your hip well. You'll get the job done and get from point A to B, but continue to move around your limitations.
What To Do
If you're interested in improving as a runner, there are certain big ticket items you need to address:
- Stability in life, first and foremost
- Train consistently + progressively + enjoy the process
- Lifestyle factors (sleep, nutrition, stressors)
- How well you move
These are all foundational. The broader your foundation, the higher your potential peak. Ignore any of these and you've got holes in the resume with massive improvement potential.
Our sport is literally gait. Walking, running, same thing. If your gait ain't good, running more and getting stronger and sleeping more isn't going to improve it.
As a runner, part of what you signed up for is to be working on how well you move. Here's the basic process:
1. We must identify what joint movements to which you lack access. What's missing?
2. Learn what these movements should look and feel like.
3. Practice the movements daily to put them 'back on the movement map' and make them available during gait.
4. Run naturally, as relaxed as possible, and don't think too much. If you show up to running having access to what you need to do it well, then your body will take care of the rest.
Please contact me to set up a phone call so I can learn more about your situation and discuss how I may be able to help.
In the next post, I'll discuss chronic injury and what the HECK makes it chronic. If you've ever dealt with a frustrating long term injury, you won't want to miss this one!