Fit & Proper: Efficient and injury-free running techniques

Three months ago, Sugamesh Verma (name changed) started running for 45 minutes a day, five days a week to lose weight. At 5 feet seven inches, he weighed 89 kg. A friend told him that running would be the best way to shed the extra fat. Verma runs on the street near his house. He feels good about the run but has of late been experiencing pain in his knee. His ankles and shins also hurt. Last week, the pain suddenly became so acute that he found it difficult to stand. His orthopaedic doctor says he has suffered a knee injury as a result of faulty running technique.

In order to run efficiently and reduce the chances of injury, you need to learn how to run effortlessly. The first thing you need to do is to stop resisting. Just let go, merging into the surroundings. It sounds philosophical, but that's what is really needed. Stop being part of the rat race and stop trying to run faster. To run faster, you need to slow down and then build from there.

Here are a few tips for effortless running:

Barefoot drills
The soles of your feet have amazingly high density of nerve endings, but by wearing socks and shoes, you numb them. These will help to improve your running technique:

• Walk barefoot on grass for 5-10 minutes every day.
• Foot shortening manoeuvre: put your bare foot flat on the ground on an old newspaper. Curl up the newspaper using your toes, hold for a second and let go. Do 25 repetitions four times a day. In about a month your arches will start becoming stronger.

Skipping (with or without the skipping rope) or jogging in one spot

• Doing this for 5-10 minutes will help sensitise you to landing on your mid or forefoot.
• Be soft while landing.
• Once you've done this for some time, muscle memory will remind you to land on the mid or forefoot when you run.

Heel to butt running

• Start jogging on the same spot while taking your heels to the butt. Do this for two minutes.
• Now slowly start running forward with the heel to butt movement. Run for 20-30 metres and turn back and run. Repeat five times.

Natural running style

• Stand tall like a puppet as if an imagery string from the top of your head is pulling you up.
• Now imagine the string is not only pulling you up, but also pulling you in such a way that you tilt forward by about five degrees. Your centre of gravity is not at the back of the heels but the midfoot.
• This will almost give you a sense that you're falling forward. Your dominant leg will instinctively cut short the fall by stepping forward.
• Now imagine that someone has a hand on your back in between your shoulder blades and is pushing you forward. This will help you take the next step.
• Now apply the heel to butt movement while keeping the forward tilt. Note, the heel doesn't have to touch the butt; it just moves in the direction of the butt.
  All of the above are only drills to start with but will soon become second nature when you run. However, don't force any of the above during running.

Rajat Chauhan

Adidas running expert