A stride is two steps—one by each foot. Divide your steps per minute by two to find your stride per minute. Most running analyses use steps per minute, but you may find strides per minute more convenient for your training.
How high do you drive your knees? What is your posture like? How fast are you running?
A forefoot strike will cause the least amount of shock on your body. You land on the balls of your feet before rotating back on your midfoot or heel. Your foot will rotate forward again to propel your next stride. A midfoot strike spreads the impact throughout your foot. It will look like you are landing flat on your feet or that you are landing on both the ball and heel of your feet. A good midfoot strike will land on the outside of the foot. [4] X Research source A heel strike can cause stress and injury. Your foot will land on the heel and rock forward to propel your body on the ball of your foot.
Your head should be looking straight ahead, not down at your feet or at the track. Your shoulders should be down and relaxed, not tight and scrunched up by your neck. Your arms should be relaxed, and they should be moving backwards and forwards, not sideways. Keep your arms positioned between your chest and lower waist. Your back should be straight. You should be leaning slightly forward, centered over your hips. You should not be leaning back. [6] X Research source
Sprinters will want to increase their stride length. High knee lifts and hip exercises will be most beneficial. Mid-distance runners may want to improve both stride length and rate. They will need to focus on glute, hamstring, hip, and core exercises. Endurance runners may want a shorter stride length and a faster stride rate. They will want to work on core, glutes, and hamstrings. If you’ve had an injury, you may want to avoid widening your stride length, focusing instead on proper form and stride speed.
Shoulder circles: slowly move your shoulders forward in a circular motion. Do ten times before rolling them backwards in a similar motion. Side bends: Stand straight with your legs apart. With a straight arm, reach down the side of your legs before coming back to the center. Repeat with the other side of your body. Hip circles: Put your hands on your hips. Make a circle with your hips, keeping your legs and torso still. Leg swings: Balance your weight on your left side of your body. Swing your right leg back and forth rapidly. (You can balance your left hand on a wall if necessary). Do 6-10 times before switching to your other foot. Leg bouncing: Brace your hands against the wall. Quickly bounce on the on the balls of your feet. Your heels should be lifting from the ground. [10] X Research source
Bench press: Lie on a bench with two dumbbells extended above your shoulders. Lower one dumbbell to shoulder height, and slowly lift it back up until your arm is straight. Lower the other dumbbell in the same manner. Bicep curls: Hold a dumbbell in both hands. Stand straight with your elbows near your torso and your palms facing forward. Curl one arm up slowly. Wait a second before lowering it back down. Repeat with the other arm. [11] X Research source Dumbbell squat to press: Hold a dumbbell in both hands at shoulder height. Slowly lower into a squat. Rise back up, stretching the dumbbells above your head. Your arms should be straight above your head. Lower the weights back to shoulder height before repeating.
Plank: Lie down on your stomach. Lift your body until it is resting on your forearms and toes. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your toes. Try to hold the pose for at least 20 seconds. Bridging: Lie back on the ground. Your knees should be bent about hip’s width apart. Relax your arms on the floor. Squeeze your glutes. Lift your hips and pelvis off the ground. Your body should form a straight slope from your knees to your neck. Hold for 10 seconds before lowering. Lunge with a medicine ball: Hold the medicine ball with both hands straight in front of your body. Lunge forward, bending the front leg and keeping the back leg straight. Move the medicine ball from right to left across your body before bringing it back to center. [12] X Research source
Knee hugs: Stand straight with your legs slightly apart and your arms at your side. Beginning with your right leg, raise one knee as high as it will go. Grab the knee with your hands, and squeeze it towards your body. Release and slowly lower it towards the ground. Repeat with the other leg. [13] X Research source Marching Drill: March at a walking pace around your usual running route. As you step up, drive your knees up as high as you can. The more exaggerated the movements, the better. Start slowly but build up speed over several sessions. [14] X Research source Skip: Once you have mastered marching, try skipping around an exercise track. Skipping is more intensive than marching, and it will help you lengthen your stride at a faster pace. Focus on pushing yourself off, and use your arms to help drive you forward. [15] X Research source
Deep lunges: Bend one leg in front of you while keeping the other leg stretched out straight behind you. Lower your body as far as it will go. As you rise, bring the back leg forward into a new lunge. Hip flexor stretch: Kneel on your right knee with your left knee bent 90 degrees in front of you. Slide your left foot forward a few inches before stretching your hips forward so that your left knee is straight over your left foot. Hold for 30 seconds before switching to the other leg.
High skips are another type of bounding drill. Push off or jump from one leg while driving the other leg up towards your knees. It will look like an exaggerated skipping or jumping motion. As you move forward, alternate between your legs.
When you lengthen your stride, you should be focusing on lifting the knees and extending the back leg of the stride, not the front.
Leg curl: You can find a leg-curl machine at your local gym. Adjust the machine for your height and weight preferences. Lie flat on your bench against the bench and your legs beneath the weight pad. Curl your lower legs up, keeping your upper legs flat against the bench. Lower and repeat. Superman exercise: Lie on your stomach. Extend your arms straight in front of you. Raise your arms, legs, and chest off the ground, and squeeze your glutes. Hold for two seconds before lowering. Repeat at least ten repetitions. [20] X Research source Glute-ham raise: Have a partner hold your ankles. Kneel with your torso straight. Lower yourself towards the ground by extending your knees. Hold your hands out to catch the floor, and gently propel yourself back up. You may need to practice before you are able to reach the floor. [21] X Research source
