Health Fitness

If you ever feel sluggish, achy, or winded when you run, surprise: The culprit is likely your posture. The right body alignment is the key to an efficient, injury-free, and fun workout. Follow our head-to-toe tips for conquering the top three posture mistakes, and you’ll be striding with ease.

Slumped shoulders
They slow you down and restrict breathing.

The fix

Think tall. If you start to slouch, take a deep breath (you’ll feel yourself straighten naturally) and roll your shoulders back. Stack your head, shoulders, hips, and feet so they’re aligned. And look ahead toward the horizon; your gaze will help you stay upright.

Stiff arms
Keeping them motionless prevents them from doing their job—propelling you forward—and saps precious energy.

The fix 

Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, and tense and release your shoulders, arms, and hands to relax. Swing your arms like pendulums forward and backward from your shoulders, not side to side across your body.

Overstriding

Big steps can slow you down and cause injury.

The fix: Increase your stride rate and improve your efficiency by taking shorter steps more quickly, making sure your feet are directly under your hips (versus out in front of them) when they hit the pavement. Work on this a few times during each run.