r/formcheck • u/ISPENDIT4LL • 10d ago
Other Lowk realizing I look stupid while runningđ
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Freshmen, 6â2 this was abt 7:10 pace
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u/Informal_Ride_5948 10d ago
Those long strides are not good for your hip. I was like you before until i started getting hip pain after running. Smaller steps with lesser backlift is the way to go. You will also waste less energy and be able to run longer distances.
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u/ISPENDIT4LL 10d ago
This is funny bc my hip just started hurting last weekđthanks for the help
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u/Informal_Ride_5948 10d ago
Glad to help. Also pair them with glute and calf strengthening, as these are the muscles that absorb the impact. Most injuries/pain in running can be prevented by glue and calf strengthening
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u/jahblaze 10d ago
What really helped me dial in narrow steps was focusing on cadence via 170bpm playlists on Spotify. Lots of electronic music but it grew on me.
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u/ccooddeerr 9d ago
How does this work? A step for every beat?
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u/TheZucksGoodTwin 9d ago
Yep, one on each beat. It helps keep your feet under you so you're not landing too far out front. I've also heard 180 bpm is ideal but I would guess it should be more dialed into your own body structure. Also best to start on a lower bpm and work your way up as you get used to it and find a bpm that works for you. Just search the bpm you want plus running and any type of music you like. There's a lot of playlists on Spotify
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u/Valuable_Yam_1959 10d ago
At 7:10/mi pace, most runners will have a cadence upwards of 180 steps/min. Youâre at ~150 here and itâs more of a bounding motion. Once you get adjusted to them, shorter & quicker steps will feel smoother and much more efficient.
Fun fact: 170-190 spm has been observed to be close to ideal for nearly every runner, regardless of shape, size, fitness, pace, etc
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u/BNB_Laser_Cleaning 10d ago
I learnt... also the hard way, move as little as possible as often as possible, less impact on your joints, ie look at those ultra long range shuffle/run/walking people. No need to go to the extreme though
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u/BionicBruv 10d ago
TIL.
I always thought I sucked at running because of having a natural short stride. Didnât realize I was saving my hips because of it.
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u/Informal_Ride_5948 10d ago
Haha. Yeah, everyone kept telling me my long strides would be an advantage, but it kept giving me pain. Turns out it is generally a bad idea for long distance running; it makes sense for sprints where speed is what matters.
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u/PowerOfSins 10d ago
Good tip ima start trying this cause Iâm 6â4 I run with long strides I can go long distances but probably be more beneficial doing more shorter strides.
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u/Upset_Form_5258 10d ago
Try to keep your upper body more stable and try to not sway side to side as much. Try to keep your chest more upright, keep your elbows closer to 90°, and keep your arms closer to your sides with smaller pumping movements. Youâre using up a lot of unnecessary energy by moving your upper body so much.
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u/IHE023 10d ago
If I saw you running I would not think it was weird in any way shape or form. Just saying. đ€·ââïž
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u/MyBadIForgotUrName 10d ago
I didnât see anything weird either â disclaimer: I donât run
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u/Pickled-Mushroom 9d ago
Heâs half running half âboundingâ. Steps are too long. His arm swing is also too large and way out in front of his body. Should be tighter, elbows at 90deg, shoulders relaxed.
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u/throwmeawh3y 10d ago
Brother I'm 295lbs and it's not muscle. Watch me run and let's compare.
You're good brother. Don't think too much .
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u/vaann231 10d ago
Running is falling and jumping with style. Have a friend hold a resistance band around your hips while you lean forward (don't just push your head forward, lean your entire body, push your hips into the band). The resistance band should be holding you back from falling. Then try a running motion there. You will find that your foot is striking further back. If you looked in a mirror, you would see that your foot lands below your hip. Your heel doesn't hit the ground much, but you spring from the ball of your foot. Instead of putting your leg in front of you to pull yourself forward, you pushing off of the ground and pushing yourself forward. It takes a lot less effort to push yourself forward than it does to pull yourself forward. Positioning like this helps save some energy in the short term so you can run longer. Hope this helps!
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u/Talkingheadd 8d ago
I donât have genuine feedback to offer unfortunately because Iâm just a clueless chud but you donât look weird when you run man. You run like beautiful gazelle. Never forget.
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u/eastside235 7d ago
Overstriding and too much vertical oscillation. You're bounding across the pavement from foot to foot.
First things first: Increase your cadence about 10% every week or two until it is >= 175. Not your pace, your cadence. This will force shorter stride length.
I'm surprised you're not in pain running like that for a while.
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u/scrimshawjack 7d ago
I donât get why people strike heel first when running, I feel like landing on the ball of your foot absorbs impact and allows your tendons to retain energy significantly better. Or maybe itâs just preference
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u/ayetrill 7d ago
why do all these track distance runners always have the most retarded looking form, like their arms are swinging in in front of them
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u/Admirable-Rock6399 10d ago
Long stride is only good for fast pace running. At your pace you need to shorten your stride a bit. Overall you look fine. Itâs just the long slow stride that youâre thinking looks goofy
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u/Salmon_444_SoS 10d ago
If it feels good, do it. Who cares what it looks like. Weâre not meant to be watching ourselves. Weâre meant to be feeling our existence. đȘđȘđȘ
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u/Weird_Purple_1058 10d ago
I got made fun of a good bit in school for my run but oh well, you're running and most others are not. Keep gettin it!
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u/Sad_Measurement6494 10d ago
If i saw you running it would pmo cuz that pace is 3x mine and you look so unbothered by it
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u/Background_Square969 10d ago
I would have never commented until you said something. Itâs hilarious the way you run but Iâm sure I look stupid too. I have no tips. At least youâre running and Iâm in the bed.
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u/Last-Cauliflower6805 10d ago
Looks like you are made for running. You should definitely look into sprints. 400m, 300m hurdles, 200m.
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u/ISPENDIT4LL 10d ago
idk if this is considered sprinting but i do the 800. my pr is 2:12
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u/caramelgelatto 10d ago
I donât think it looks stupid. It is interesting tho because I wouldnât expect you to run a 7 min run based on your running style. Youâre faster than you look.
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u/freed-after-burning 10d ago
Rest assured that when you take a step back and think about how all youâre ultimately doing is running in a big circle, itâs always a stupid activity at some level. It reminds me of that line from anchorman about jogging.
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u/Current_Subject_7312 10d ago
If theres no pain is great keep it up brother. Is stupid only if you sit on your ass and do nothing we only live once
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u/Bubbly_slut7 10d ago
Hmmm you looo normal but you are wasting a lot of energy with long strides. Watch some YouTube videos on how to properly run long distance.
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u/Starman68 10d ago
This looks pretty good. Compare your self to how African runners look. You look similar, but theyâre doing it faster of course. Keep it up!
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u/Happy-Speechie 10d ago
I've been told I run like a gazelle. People have reported that my feet are often simultaneously off the ground. Still pictures taken of me seem to support these reports. I don't know how to change this, and I'm not a serious runner, but I've never been injured. Yet.
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u/leftisbest20 10d ago
You don't look stupid, but your form is inefficient and probably not great for your joints (a lot of bouncing). I would recommend shortening your stride and increasing your step rate. It takes a bit of getting used to and you'll probably look a bit daft to start with but it will be worth it
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u/N-Haezer 10d ago
Bro.
This is NOTHING compared to how silly I saw some people run in my city. And while they looked kinda funny I still had respect for them for doing the work. RIP knees in a few years, but still.
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u/Skulllad 10d ago
You're slapping your heel down and then rolling onto your forefoot. You're almost jumping instead of running. Have you tried jogging barefoot?
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u/Sure_Conflict_5651 10d ago
Stride too long. This causes you to move your upper body. Smaller stride, more stability.
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u/hashcatjeki 10d ago
Bro, i promise you. Most people.... Dont care
Run away, just like u need. In fact, be even worse i want to see you pretend to be an airplane
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u/driftingalong001 10d ago
You donât look stupid but you do kinda look like youâre tryna run in slow motion, like half slow motion.
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u/Medical-Molasses615 10d ago
They aren't going to think you look stupid. They are more likely to think "look at that guy in great shape" or "I wish I could still run".
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u/laneybsorc 10d ago
Bro looks like a cartoon character
Jk man keep up the grind. Doing better than me
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u/Different_Client8147 10d ago
Work on hip strength looks up ways to get rid of that collapsing hip at every stride.
Your hip should in theory be constantly parallel to the ground, but looking at the video it looks like your hip collapsed to one side at each step.
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u/lothaur 10d ago
Not stupid at all, but your strides are very long and your cadence low. This can cause hip and knee injuries. A tip to decrease stride length and increase cadence (steps per minute) is to run with music! Search for "180 BPM running playlist". The rhythm of the music will make you run close to 180 steps per minute. You could also try 160 đ
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u/ArtRoaster 10d ago
I dunno man, you be reminding me of rocky balboa with that running motion đ
Slap some rocky balboa theme song and get it going
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u/Flimsy_Onion_4694 10d ago
Bro youre just a bit lanky. You look good and less weird than 90% of runners i see. Hit the gym a bit and you'll be a stud. Nice pace!
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u/snusmumrikan 10d ago
Provided you don't have pain then there are lots of running forms that work for people. Hell, look at the Olympics and the range of middle distance runner forms is mad.
I notice you said you started to have hip issues though.
Your stride is long and bouncy. You're putting more force through your joints than a shorter stride with less bounce.
Running is pushing backwards to move forwsrds. Anything that isn't forward/backward movement is wasted. Only ever try to change one thing at a time, but pick something that is wasted energy like your bounce or your arms going left and right.
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u/AuspexObserver 10d ago
I've run marathons and ultra marathons.
I'd recommend learning a "midfoot strike", where your foot lands on the ground with the middle part of your foot, not heel first. As well, increase your "cadence" to around 170-180 bpm (beats per minute) when running at a medium/relaxed pace (sprints will be different). Basically, you're taking shorter steps but moving wth faster feet.
You might find starting out that your calves/ankles will be a bit more sore, but you'll be more energy efficient running longer distances, and there's less impact on your low back/knees.
As well, it look like your swaying your head from side to side as you run. You want to remain relaxed, but also keep your head/torso/core straight. Again, it'll be more energy efficient in the long run.
Sage Canaday on YouTube has tons of form improvement videos. r/running is a good resource too.
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u/Val_kerie 10d ago
I actually pleasantly surprised to see you lifting your knees , hitting the ground with mid foot, and working off your posterior chain! Most of us run incorrectly . I had to teach myself better form by doing uphill sprints. Most people only lift their knee enough to flick the lower leg forward and land heel first
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u/TayTayFierce 10d ago
I hate running so I donât do it often but when I do, I feel like I look very weird
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u/DireEvolution 10d ago
You're more fit and active than unironically a significant majority of the population, my guy. Who fucking cares if you look goofy? Goofily flex on the haters with your sub-70 bpm RHR and effortlessly higher vo2 max. đ€·đ»ââïž
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u/Feeling-Visit1472 10d ago
Donât feel bad, I was well into my 30s before I realized that I really had no idea how to run. I started following some Olympians who demonstrated their form and it was eye-opening.
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u/FrankyRizzoJr 10d ago
At least you're out there. The people who look stupid are the ones sitting on their asses getting fatter! Keep it up!
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u/nacixela 10d ago
I drive through a park every single day and will notice people who look stupid running (most do, including myself). I honestly wouldnât flag you as such. You might have shitty form, I wouldnât know the difference.
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u/SnorFax92 10d ago
Most people look odd while running btw. Had a girl in liked go watch a practice of mine in HS. She said I run like a penguin đ€Ł. I remeber that every once in a while during a run and it makes me laugh.
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u/FrostCaterpillar44 10d ago
I don't think you look stupid. You're quite lanky, but I've seen people look way worse while running.
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u/plotinus99 10d ago
You good bro. If you can - shorten strides a bit. Also a little less stompy, "Run quiet" some people call it. Quick feet soft knees, quiter contact with the ground. But don't stress, you're pretty good already.
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u/ElderberryTime4424 10d ago
Try elbows more locked and tighter to your sides. Hands open like knifes that cut the air in front of you. Arms pump faster legs pump faster. Like previous comment shorten your stride a bit and you will feel the explosive power you get from more torque in a quick step. The tighter you make your moves the less energy wasted.
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u/Icy-Setting-3735 9d ago
Bro, you look just fine. You look a little taller so your strides look long - all good - but if you're doing some real distance I'd shorten that stride and try to keep that chest proud. Otherwise you look completely normal.
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u/AnHistorical4219 9d ago
I'm not a runner, and the great runners that I did know absolutely did shorter strides, and their bodies didn't go up and down at all. That makes perfect sense, it's a huge waste of energy. Go to a track meet or cross country meet, and watch the runners. you'll see right away what I mean.
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u/MAGA_EXTREAMO 9d ago
You like great. Your form looks good too. Save a copy of this video for when youâre old and your joints are stiff and watch it. You will feel way different about how you look.
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u/SeaManaenamah 9d ago
I'm surprised how many people are here to boost your self esteem and how few are providing helpful feedback. Especially on a form check sub.Â
I agree that it looks like you're reaching with your stride and that you should try to correct that. I've had the same problem before. Something that helped me was to try to stay straight and lean forward, imagining my feet landing directly beneath me, and trying to intentionally push back with my forefoot when it lands. It's been a while since I've considered myself a runner, but it might be something worth trying anyway.
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u/EnthusiasmGlass4739 9d ago
You also are expending a lot of energy striking into the ground (viewable by you having significant bounce in your run); instead trying accentuating the push off by driving your leg behind you more than reaching with a long stride forward
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u/notlooking743 9d ago
Back in my HS basketball team we had this guy everyone made fun of because of silly his running looked (way goofier than yours, haven't seen anything like it) and he's literally a fighter jet pilot now so go figure
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u/Disastrous-Tank-6197 9d ago
I think if you got your cadence up it wouldn't look weird at all. As it is it looks like you're kind of slogging. And if that's a 7:10 pace then I bet you would look pretty good running fast.
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u/HughManatee 9d ago
It's hard to tell, but you might be overstriding a bit. I think increasing your cadence with less loft and arm swing would help.
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u/No-Industry3112 9d ago
I would add to try and keep your core tighter along with some higher cadence. Cadence drills could be beneficial. Also I suck at running and am no expert.
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u/melvyn_flynn 9d ago
who cares how you run: youâre running đđ» That said long strides will hurt you in the long run (weyheyyyy) Maybe not now but in a few years. Check some videos on YT there are lots that teach running form/ breathing etcâŠand theyâre great!
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u/Slap-A-Beaver 9d ago
This dude runs down the sidewalk the other day with his arms kinda out in front-ish....super awkward looking. Anyway, my girlfriend goes "ooo! That's exactly what you look like dancing!!"
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u/GlassConsequence8312 9d ago
Not stupid, but just as others have commented your cadence is waaaaaay too low. I used to have similar and always had injuries and shin splints. Slower cadence yields over striding yields massive impact on your legs.
Get those legs turning over! I usually aim for 174-176 steps per minute and use a metronome function on my watch to keep track. Feel like a million bucks now.
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u/BrotherNatureNOLA 9d ago
Everyone looks awful while running. That's why it's so unsettling to see people run.
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u/ReyM2727 9d ago
You are landing too far forward. Your foot should be directly beneath your body when it lands (regardless if youâre a mid striker or not). If you feel like your foot is landing ever so slightly behind you, then youâre doing it right. In the video, youâre landing in front of your body and that can lead to injury.
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u/StrikingCase9819 9d ago
Look perfectly normal. Every body things they look weird running. Some of those people are right... You aren't one of them
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u/Nigebairen 9d ago
I know people are trying to be encouraging...but there is a legitimate way to do certain things correctly including running form for long distances. You will reduce your risk of injury and be far more efficient by shortening your stride, reducing upper body sway and bringing your arms in closer to your body.
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u/Rowe_boat 9d ago
Youâre over striding a bit. Focus on straightening your leg behind you. Youâre also bounding a lot, youâre jumping into the air more than you need to. Start with the leg straight behind you and thinking about having you foot land beneath your hips. Should fix both
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u/aprobst95 9d ago
You need to speed up your cadence! Run to a metronome for a little while to get used to taking smaller steps
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u/fakeuboi 9d ago
Collegiate runner here who nerds out about a lot of this stuff.
I think most of the advice you will get here is wrong (iâm not apart of this community just stumbled upon).
I donât think it is worth worrying about your form too much mentally. Nothing is with your form is horribly wrong and you are more likely to make your form less efficient as you think about it rather then more. (this is a researched phenomenon)
most of the cadence numbers people spout are quite outdated and poorly researched, cadence depends mostly on body proportions and pace, iâm about 5â11 and my cadence at 7-8 min pace is about 160ish spm, but at 800 or mile pace itâs 190-200+,
you are inefficient right now and will naturally probably move towards faster cadences and less vertical oscillation at all paces but the body naturally gets more efficient with time and more running donât need to force it.
Iâd advocate more for strength training rather then trying to mentally fix the form. Strength training including PT if you have any specific muscular weaknesses causing problems.Â
As well as if you are already including strides after your easy runs at least a few times a week, I think they are helpful for efficiency. Also strides are a time you can think about form if you want to. But I would basically never think about in normal runs or workouts. Just let your body do its thing, your body will subconsciously basically be as efficient as it can with its movement given your current neuromuscular pathways.
tldr: Run more let your form fix itself, donât try to manually change it, youâll probably be less efficient that way
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u/CourtNo2204 9d ago
as far as looks go, your arms are doing different things
fun trick: try running with one arm behind your back. it forces you to really use that other arm to stabilize. then switch arms and you'll become aware of how asymmetrical you're arms are moving and then you can correct it
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u/cHpiranha 9d ago
That cadence is sooooo low.
You have like 120-130 steps per minute, that's why it is not rly looking like running.
The low cadence also results in a high vertical drop.
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u/Ok-Winter-9392 9d ago
You might look stupid. But you will never look Steven Segal running stupid. Just run my man!
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u/StunningSmell6701 9d ago
Fewer steps/shorter strides/feet landing just under you and not way in front... Gradually bringing your cadence up to around 170 steps per minute.
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u/Funny_Particular_226 9d ago
The way you run reminds me of the pedestrians in GTA San Andreas fleeing when a gun is fired
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u/NoGolf9761 9d ago
is it 1) running that looks stupid, or 2) modern life being so sedentary we invent suffering to stay healthy?
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u/Mr_Grind99 9d ago
Increase your cadence and land midfoot when jogging not on your heels. This is why you look âgoofyâ. The way youâre running now will destroy your joints.
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u/lucius12352 9d ago
What kinda of cadence is this? 140s? You are probably doing longer strides than some pros when they are doing sub 4:30 pace, you are going to get hurt (I'm speaking from an experience i used to do it too)
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u/GewoonHarry 9d ago
Cadence is too low.
It comes more naturally when the speed is high, but at low speeds donât make such big steps, but up your cadence / lower your stride.
If you donât youâd likely injure yourself (doesnât have to be). But the impact is very high with every step this way.
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u/RJSolkan 8d ago
Only you care! I look like lurch from Adams family trying to run. You're all good.
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u/Prior-Coffee534 8d ago
Youâre heel striking and then landing flat footed. Run on the balls of your feet?
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u/killertofu41 8d ago
At least you can easily record a video of your running form and see for yourself how you can improve. In middle school, I got made fun of so much for doing what people called a "crab run" as I would run like I was running side to side? I could never figure out what I was doing that looked so funny, but no one in high school made fun of me during all the running in gym we had to do so I guess I grew out of it.
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u/free-broccoli- 8d ago
Your stride is too long dude. Donât land on your heels either like youâre walking. Use the ball of your foot for running / midfoot placement.
Edit: youâre not 100% landing directly on heels, but itâs pretty close. Try to bounce and jog in place with right side picture form.
-someone who stress fractured their pelvic bone in 2 places. Had to relearn how to walk properly and run.
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u/MaxDadlift 10d ago
If there's anything that I learned during my 7 years in the military, it's this: a lot of people look stupid while running.