PERFECT RUNNING FORM - How to Increase Your Stride Length

How to increase your stride length without overstriding.

When it comes to proper running form, it's important to prevent yourself from overstriding by landing your foot beneath a flexing knee, close to beneath your centre of mass.

By not overstriding, you'll find it easier to run faster and more efficiently!

Despite the importance of not overstriding, you WILL need to increase your stride length (distance covered with each stride) if you want to RUN FASTER!

In this short video, I'll explain how that works!

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Put simply, running faster is simply a case of increasing a combination of both your stride length and your running cadence (number of strides per minute).

In terms of increasing your stride length, there are TWO strategies your body can use to cover more ground... one will result in an efficient running form, the other will end up with you overstriding and slamming the brakes on with each stride!

GOOD RUNNING FORM:

To run faster, your increased stride length should come from you picking your feet up a little higher during the swing phase of your running gait (increased knee flexion) and driving your knee up and forwards more (increased hip flexion).

This combined hip and knee movement will result in you covering more ground during flight phase of running gait.

It will also set you up to land your foot beneath a flexing knee at initial contact (rather than overstriding).

BAD RUNNING FORM:

In comparison, runners who try to run faster with poor running form often neglect to pick their feet up high enough and run without sufficient "knee drive" (hip flexion) for the given running speed.

With this low carriage of the foot, the only way they can cover enough distance with each stride to maintain the pace, is to reach forwards with the lower leg (extending the knee) excessively during late-swing phase of their running gait.

This sets their foot up to strike the ground too far ahead of the rest of their body... thus overstriding.

Think about the simple running technique tips in this video next time you go out for a tempo run or other type of speed session. I'm sure it will help you to increase your stride length, run faster and avoid overstriding.

Good luck!

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ABOUT ME: I'm a runner, sports rehabilitation specialist and coach based in the UK (Norwich and London).

Since 2007 I've been working with athletes focusing specifically on helping distance runners and triathletes overcome injury and improve performance through developing their individual running technique.

Running biomechanics has become a geeky little passion of mine!

#2MinRunTips #JamesDunne #KineticRevolution

[its_Matt_B_]

This was a great description of how knee drive is important to prevent over-striding. I'm sure I used to over stride more than I do now, and over the years I've become more of a mid-food striker, compared with being a heel striker.

[jonweighell]

Great video - to the point, without the need to try and find the information you want buried in the middle of long video!

[WA-uqrh]

My new favorite channel. No dramatic BS, straight to the point.

[JonathanWaltersDrDub]

Love that you actively make your content appropriate to the need vs chasing the Youtube algorithm! Seems like everyone in 2019 and 2020 is forcibly making their videos 10 minutes. I love that you're not afraid of making videos like this! Extremely useful and concise! This is real quality content!

[jenniferjagoszewski]

Love, love, love this! I am a former overstrider. My cadence was around 160 and my physio taught me to run again from scratch. I am around 180-195 steps now but I am at that point where I want to stop my old man shuffle. The knee and glute is so important. You explained it perfectly.

[krane]

Actually I probably under-stride, which is strange since I'm 6'4 with long limbs. Anyway, now that I see this I'll start to work on it. Can't wait till the gyms open again.

[slotheros]

So this is how I find out I've been running wrong my whole life. Really appreciate your videos. You've prevented me from continuing to brutalize my knees with each run

[marshhen]

Extremely helpful!!! This explains why I am faster on trails when I have to pick my knee up higher to avoid roots and stones and slower on flat paths. I will focus on increasing my stride angle and not length.

[justlake]

I'm naturally a heel striker..so I got that fixed first. Now I need to improve my stride length..I've noticed that my speed is quite bad. It took me almost a year to improve my form and reduce my backache...I'm so slow..but I'm getting there😀 I'm so grateful for such YouTube channels that help people like me..

[Jay-jeen]

Good video! A few years ago I started training for the 400m, I ended up increasing my stride length by doing 200-300m repeats (quick) with little recovery time (90-120 seconds). You learn to run through the lactic pain, but more importantly it forces your stride to become super efficient so that your times are consistent throughout the workout.

I also found that actively focusing on trying to land behind your centre of mass is good - you don’t actually end up landing behind your COM, but it’s a good cue to prevent bad form creeping in.

Running technique is a tough one, a lot of things are passive and only a few things are active. In my opinion knee drive is a product of force delivered to the ground, but if it works then it works; everyone’s different.

[spak]

Thank you for making this short and sweet - not to mention easy to follow! Basically, "pick up your feet."

[josephsanders]

As an Alexander Technique teacher I learned a lot from your videos. Huge thanks for offering such clear & helpful information

[System-of-a-Corn]

I watched arrount 1000 videos about stride length and how to imporve it and this the first that finally make mi understa it :D and it's done in under 3 minutes! Great job!

[andreasheilmann]

Your videos are outstanding. I learned so much and could immediately practice following the lessons. After almost 20 years of distance running, I am re-discovering my stride. Thank you so much, James!

[jaichrobert]

I knew I had overstridi g most of my life. Your video was incredibly helpful. I'm a 69 year old avid athlete that needs go form to promote longevity.
Thank You!

[pauljohnson]

Just started running again after 24 years and a knee surgery about four years ago. Had to relearn how to run after being immobilized in a full leg brace. I am now finding my running form years ago was excessively low and long. Kick up rocks low and a terrible pounding heel strike. Severe shin splints as a teen.

Spent a lot of time analyzing your videos recently and for four days I fought the urge to revert. It felt horrible and unnatural, like I wouldn't be able to cover ground. But on the fourth day it started to not only feel right, but I began to cover ground more quickly for a brief distance.
Worked a lot on core strength, glute activation APT and heel lifts.

Thanks so much for the great break down and patient explanations!

[Wrestling-]

I tried that today on my run.
First run... 3 miles like I normally run fo my easy runs. 10:10/mile pace .91 cadence.
Second run.. 1 mile opening up my stride, 7:03/mile higher knee drive and back kick. 1.24 cadence
Third run... cool down. I started to lift my knees too high as it was supposed to be a cool down not going under 9 minutes per mile.
THANKS A LOT!! OPENING UP with strong knee drive is like floating in the air WITHOUT over striding!!

[MrN]

I’ve been running since 1991 and only 6 months ago had I heard of or understood cadence. After checking mine was 152 and definitely over striding. It’s taken a lot of practice but now I’m around 177. During Christmas I gained weight my 5k pb has improved however.
The next step, so to speak, is increasing stride length. Through watching your videos I’ve improved so much and had zero injuries.
Knees higher and leaning forwards will be the next strategy.
22:03 mins for 5k currently.
49 years old.

[newbarker]

This is great. Will think more about my form from now on.

[JasonBowman]

5 months late....but I found this video extremely useful!!! Thank you so much! I’m a cyclist/MTB rider for all my life and I just got into running 3 years ago. I believe I started with a good base cardio from cycling, but I started with calf injuries in the first year. Then in year two I fractured my Tibia 🦴 because of good fitness and horrible running form. I was a big heal striker, but I’ve now learned to do exactly what you talk about in this video. I’ve now finished my first 10k, 15k and half marathon without injury!