Running Tip of the Day: How to Relax Your Upper Body for Better Running Efficiency
A relaxed upper body can make a big difference to your running. Learn how keeping your shoulders, arms, and hands relaxed helps improve efficiency, reduce tension, and create a smoother running stride.
Running Tip of the Day: Relax Your Upper Body
When runners think about improving their performance, they often focus on their legs, pace, and training sessions. However, running efficiency is influenced by the entire body—including the upper body.
Unnecessary tension in the shoulders, arms, and hands can waste energy and make running feel harder than it needs to. A relaxed upper body allows your movement to become smoother and more economical.
How to check your upper-body position while running:
Relax your shoulders: Keep them low and avoid letting them creep up towards your ears.
Keep your elbows comfortably bent: Aim for around a 90-degree angle.
Let your arms move naturally: Your arms should swing forward and back, helping maintain rhythm and balance.
Relax your hands: Avoid making tight fists. Keep your fingers loose and comfortable.
Why it matters
A relaxed posture reduces unnecessary muscle tension and helps your body use energy more effectively. Over longer distances, these small improvements in efficiency can help you feel more comfortable and maintain your form when fatigue sets in.
The goal isn’t to force perfect form—it’s about creating a smooth, relaxed movement pattern that supports your running.
Next time you run, take a few seconds to check your shoulders, arms, and hands. A small adjustment could make your miles feel easier.
