In this post:
- how to run faster and longer without getting tired or injured
- how to implement proper running form
- check your glute activation, a key underlying element of proper running form
Get the free course How to Run Faster and Longer Without Getting Tired or Injured: 7 Steps to Proper Running Form and other exclusive content not available on the blog.
Video Transcript:
I’m talking about how to run faster and
longer with less effort, without injuries.
And one of the main things, main tenets
proper running form is to push the
center of your body forward, so not
hunching forward to create momentum to
create that shift of the center of
gravity, but actually pushing the center
of your body forward as you’re running.
(The area around where the hips are.)
One thing you need to be able to do that is to activate the glute
muscles. You have to be able to activate
your glutes. Lots of people have
underactive glutes and I’m going to show
you how to see if you have underactive
glutes. If you have underactive glutes I
will offer a solution at the end but
just to see if you do have them, what you want
to do is lie down on your back, feet
under the knees a little bit a foot away
from the hips. From there you’re
going to push the heels down and lift
the hips up. I’m lifting my hips here. Try
to get a straight line between the knees
hips and shoulders. What I want to do
here is keep the hips up for about 30
seconds and just see where I start to
feel it after I’ve held back for 30
seconds check in with my body. Once you
check in with your body and see you feel
it in your glutes, the butt muscles, or do
you feel it in your lower back or
hamstrings. If you feel more in your
hamstrings than you do in the glutes
feel more on the back of the thigh that
in the butt muscles it’s an indicator
that your glutes are under-active(inhibited). Also
if you feel it more in the lower back
than in the butt muscles, that’s an
indicator that your glutes are under
active. They’re inhibited and you need to
do some activation drills to get them
awaken to wake them up and get them to
where they fire with the minimal amount
of input from your nervous
system. Another way. This is a little more
advanced test of glute activation. Lie
down on your back again and then push
both hips up and then pick one foot up
just a little bit and hold that for 30
seconds. Now what we’re looking for here
is when I pick my foot up , if I have a
movement at the hips, if my hips are
unable to remain steady, if I can’t keep
my hips level when I pick one foot up.
That’s an indicator that the glute, the
glute of the stance leg, the glute of the
foot that’s still in contact with ground
is under active or lacks strength. Also
if I feel that more in the hamstring or
lower back it’s an indicator that the
glutes are not active. If I feel it in my
glutes, if I feel it in the butt muscles
I can almost be pretty sure that the
glutes are active and they’re firing. So
if you want a solution this if you
found that you glutes are under active
and you want a solution, I have one for
you. You can click the link that is
connected to this video if you’re
watching on YouTube or just a little
form underneath. I have a free course that
takes you through the process of running
better, running with proper form, how to
run faster and longer with less effort
and without injury and you can sign up
for that free course underneath here.
thank you
Author:
Nick Ortego is a health coach specializing in biohacking for runners. He integrates modern methods with the ancient wisdom of yoga to help runners get the most out of every aspect of life. He is the owner of N 2 Action, a wellness studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, offering personal training, health coaching, yoga, and fascial stretch therapy.
Also find more on the Nick Ortego Fitness YouTube Channel
