Running question: Does form and technique really matter?

Just run in whatever form keeps you comfortable. If you start getting more "into" it and trying to go faster you can start thinking about that sort of thing. Until then though, just go out and run.

I don't agree with bringing your foot up that high. My favorite advice when I was a new runner was to pretend that you are running alongside a shoulder-height hedge, and that someone on the other side of the hedge is watching you. They should not see your head bobbing up and down, but going relatively straight. I was also told to try and concentrate on a mid-foot strike with shorter strides in the beginning and that worked really well for me. Do what works but keep in mind that when you do try and change your form you'll be working to unlearn a lot of muscle memory.

I started running with C25k in June and now run daily. The reason I was able to get to this level as quickly as I did is because I followed all of the tips and advice that is out there for beginning runners. You DO want to have a midfoot strike - it's so much easier on your knees, shins, heels, ankles, etc. You want to have a short stride, but a faster cadence. When you run, your foot should land directly below your knee - Look at these Olympic runners[/url every single one is leading with their knee, and not bringing the foot in front of them. It allows your muscles, bones, joints to have a greater endurance which is more important than speed. You want to stand almost straight up, but lean forward and take out as much bounce out of your run as possible.

I know it seems picky, but once I started paying attention to my form, I went from one day being able to barely do 30 minutes, to the next time I ran, I fell very comfortably into proper form, and went for a full hour without pain! It was amazing. Read every single article that is out there on beginner tips - drill that into your head, they don't all the same things because it's a mass conspiracy...it's because it's truf!

There are pros and cons on this. Certainly improving my running technique and form has been a huge part of my fitness journey - running is more enjoyable for me, with a smoother feel, I am faster, and less injury prone. But it's trickly to go making changes to your mechanics without expert supervision - you can easily make things worse by thinking mechanical thoughts while you run and forcing your body into unfamiliar movements.
Rather than specifically trying to change your mechanics, there are some good drills and exercises you can do that will "naturally" help your technique. One of the best is 100 ups - it's very simple, it's definitely not going to hurt you, and it can help you get the feel of improved form. http://100up.info/the-100-up-running-technique-2
Beyond these kind of simple things, I wouldn't do too much monkeying around with your mechanics without input/supervision from a good coach.

I would Google chi running & pose running. While I believe that "proper" running form can prevent a lot of injuries, I also know that from experience, people can run with terrible "form" and have no problems.

The only potential problem with the "just do it and not worry about form" suggestion is that you could get used to running with bad form and become injured. I had a stress fracture in my left knee (that hurt like he**, I will add) from overstriding which was due to heel striking. I had to work really hard to change my stride/form. Just my $.02.

LeanButNotMean44 wrote: »

The only potential problem with the "just do it and not worry about form" suggestion is that you could get used to running with bad form and become injured.

Whilst in principle I'd agree, in practice someone starting a C25K plan will take some time to find their form. At that point it's worth starting to do something about whether it's right or not.

Give someone on week one of C25K too much to think about, they'll never make it into week two.

I would say enjoy yourself, don't overthink it! After you learn to enjoy it, you can tinker with your form and see what works for you based on your goals.

missed the part about feet higher then the knees. I've never heard that before (also not a runner) but if it applies to anything its flat out sprinting, like 100m or less. Not even a middle distance runner would run like that

yea agreeing with what everyone is saying...dont focus so much on the foot strike if its working for you...however dont overstride...keep your head up and shoulders straight..dont cross your chest with your arms..all these will help with your efficiency.

If you're getting into competitive sprinting then it definitely matters as you can drop time with better form. Does it matter for long-distance I couldn't say for sure as I haven't studied distance running much but it might to some degree. Something like bringing your foot up to your waist sounds more like a running drill to focus on form and striking your foot correctly. I would suggest keeping your arms at a 90-degree angle as you're running and go back and forth. Find your stride and practice maintaining that same stride as you run so it's consistent.

Form is most important for distance or competitive runners. If you're just looking to ramp up your exercise regimen, it's not the be all end all. Proper form does however help protect you from injury, just like having the right shoe does.

You'll know if you're running wrong. You'll be in pain in a place you shouldn't (inside of the hip for me) or you'll roll your ankle etc.

Your form will improve to a degree over time; your body really does want to move in the most effective and efficient way possible. If you have problems, trouble shoot. I underpronate, which causes the pain in my hip, so if I start to feel that early in a run, I will literally spend my run focusing on correcting how my foot is going through the motion and keeping my weight to the middle of it. I know there's shoes I could buy to help me do that, but since I'm broke, I'll just use the mental focus for now.