Posture is a hugely important part of being a successful runner. There are lots of benefits of good posture but 2 of the most important benefits are: 

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• Good posture keeps your centre of gravity in the right position which means there is better muscle balance and distribution through all the working muscles. It means that all the different muscles are doing an even amount of work which creates more efficiency in your style and gives you the ability to go for longer periods of time without losing speed or needing to stop.
   

• When you have good posture your body will be moving more safely. This decreases the risk of injury as most running injuries come from poor posture.
   

So then the question is: How can I improve my posture when I'm running? 
 

Here are some key tips:  
 

• Try to always remind yourself that you are trying to 'run tall'. This means that you have a straight spine, your shoulders are back and relaxed. Your eyes will be looking forward, around 5-8m in front of you (not down or up) and lastly you will be leaning forward from the hips with chest lifting up. Look at the photo above and see the example of the straight line runner.
   

• Do your core work. By strengthening through the core your body position will start to naturally lift which will hold you in place when you are running. Aim to get around three core sessions in a week and you'll soon notice a difference.
   

• Create awareness of what good posture feels like. You could use an awareness tool, like when you see your watch, that reminds you to hold a correct posture. At first the correct posture may feel weird but the more you maintain it the more it will be come the norm.
   

To become a more efficient runner we need to be continually improving our posture. This will help to avoid injuries, create a more balanced workout and also help you to improve your speed.

If you have any questions around posture feel free to ask the coaches at any time.