Need help with running issue

daydreams_of_pretty
daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When I run I feel like I'm swiveling my hips, so today I had someone watch me for my entire 30 minute run to see if I'm actually running funny. Turns out I'm kicking my feet out to the sides on each step, and this weird swivel-kicking was consistent for the entire run. My entire torso twists on each step (think squeezing water out of a sponge).

I feel like this is slowing me down (a lot). I really want to be able to run a 5K in less than 30 minutes, but I'm not sure how this is going to happen if I'm swivel-kicking the whole time.

Why is this happening and how do I stop it? :(

Replies

  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
    Never heard of that issue, it may just be an issue of retraining yourself. Slow down and focus on you movement(I have had to train my self with over extending to protect my weak knees) If you practice mindfully it should eventually become habit.
  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
    I've never had this issue but agree with the previous poster that you probably just need some re-training. i saw a young lady kind of run like you but only her legs going out to the sides, her body was still straight. My guide and I were wondering how that worked/wasn't uncomfortable or anything...

    What's your stride length? If it's too long, shorten it. When I work on form I aim to align my feet with my hips, when I run I then extend my legs a bit but still think about the form work I did and keep my legs "in line".

    Have you done any marching/high knees? If not, may be something you might want to try and add to your form work and pre-run even
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
    I'm not sure what my stride length is, but I don't think it's long. I just asked the person who watched me run today, and he said that it didn't look long to him. I already feel like I'm running really slowly, which I think is due to the swivel-kicking.

    I've not done marching or high knees in conjunction with my running, but I've done them in other workouts. I could add those next time.

    I'm wondering if it has something to do with my hip width. I think my hips are a little narrow. Or maybe there's tightness in the back of my legs?
  • rrowdiness
    rrowdiness Posts: 119 Member
    Possibly not the best thing to be crowdsourcing a solution to, we can only go by what you've described!

    If you can, head along to a physio or gait specialist and ask them to look at / video you on a treadmill. Alternatively, join a running club / running group and ask them for input / advice.

    Generally the way you get faster is by training a certain way rather than changing your gait. I know a number of runners who've changed the way they run, it was more for injury prevention than for speed though.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Danielle_Husband wrote: »
    I had someone watch me for my entire 30 minute run to see if I'm actually running funny.

    They watched you run for 30 minutes?? They must really, really like you :p

    I see the swivel-kicking a lot at my gym. It's a complex and variable issue, so it's hard to give advice without seeing it. The best thing is to see a sports physio. Or post a video of yourself on a treadmill. If you use video, place the camera behind you at hip level, and take a 2nd shot at your side.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    One thing I learned from a physical therapist/marathoner after going to him for running form eval, was that where your arms go, your legs go. I had a cross gait and my arms were doing the same thing. I now keep much better posture, and keeps my arms straight rather than crossing my body when I swing them. Cross gait is gone. So, pay close attention to the form on your upper body, and it just may fix your lower body issues.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    omma_to_3 wrote: »
    One thing I learned from a physical therapist/marathoner after going to him for running form eval, was that where your arms go, your legs go. I had a cross gait and my arms were doing the same thing. I now keep much better posture, and keeps my arms straight rather than crossing my body when I swing them. Cross gait is gone. So, pay close attention to the form on your upper body, and it just may fix your lower body issues.

    Thats interesting... i know i cross my body with my arms when i run.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    omma_to_3 wrote: »
    One thing I learned from a physical therapist/marathoner after going to him for running form eval, was that where your arms go, your legs go. I had a cross gait and my arms were doing the same thing. I now keep much better posture, and keeps my arms straight rather than crossing my body when I swing them. Cross gait is gone. So, pay close attention to the form on your upper body, and it just may fix your lower body issues.

    Thats interesting... i know i cross my body with my arms when i run.

    It's a common running form for many women I've noticed, but not so much for men that I've seen, I think it has to due with the hips but it's not considered good running form since it will pull your torso into a twist and waste energy.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    omma_to_3 wrote: »
    One thing I learned from a physical therapist/marathoner after going to him for running form eval, was that where your arms go, your legs go. I had a cross gait and my arms were doing the same thing. I now keep much better posture, and keeps my arms straight rather than crossing my body when I swing them. Cross gait is gone. So, pay close attention to the form on your upper body, and it just may fix your lower body issues.

    Thats interesting... i know i cross my body with my arms when i run.

    It's a common running form for many women I've noticed, but not so much for men that I've seen, I think it has to due with the hips but it's not considered good running form since it will pull your torso into a twist and waste energy.

    when i got fitted for my running shoes i got told i have a wonky pelvis... hmmmmm....
  • Seemill
    Seemill Posts: 13 Member
    I have a friend who had this issue to the point where she fractured her hip. Everyone is different, so you should seek out a PT to correct your stride, but for her, the PT recommended running while squeezing her butt tight. Might sound weird, but it pulled her hips in line.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    edited October 2014
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=XSPi3mx84J0

    Watch Priscah around 00:33. Her stride is painful to watch, but sounds kinda like yours. And she's wicked fast. Everyone is different.

  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    OP, you might also want to check out Pose Running. I'm not a huge fan of it but the information does give some hints on how to correct common running issues even if you don't feel like going whole hog into it. If after trying to correct the issues on your own you still aren't getting any better you might check a PT but unless running is causing injury it might be a little drastic.

    You might also want to look into a running oriented stretching and strenthening program because you probably have tightness and weakness associated with your job if you sit all day.
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
    Lots of interesting replys! Thanks!

    I'm going to check out Pose Running and try to pay attention to what my arms are doing, in addition to the high knees. I think the running-specific stretching would help as well.
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=XSPi3mx84J0

    Watch Priscah around 00:33. Her stride is painful to watch, but sounds kinda like yours. And she's wicked fast. Everyone is different.

    Wow, she is fast! I never thought about checking youtube. :)
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    omma_to_3 wrote: »
    One thing I learned from a physical therapist/marathoner after going to him for running form eval, was that where your arms go, your legs go. I had a cross gait and my arms were doing the same thing. I now keep much better posture, and keeps my arms straight rather than crossing my body when I swing them. Cross gait is gone. So, pay close attention to the form on your upper body, and it just may fix your lower body issues.

    This was exactly my issue for a while. My arms were crossing the middle of my body and I was having a lot of hip pain and generally just wearing me out. I read an article about not crossing your arms over your body so I worked on it and it helped so much. See if that works for you too OP!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Curious if your walking stride also has your feet pushing out rather than straight back. I see a lot of people running on the trails I use that have a similar-seeming gait and most of them have their feet turned out like a duck's when they walk.

    The pigeon-toed walkers seem to run with their toes turned in, too. To the point where it looks to me like they're going to trip over their own feet at any minute.

    I wonder if I have any obvious idiosyncrasies with my gait, since I don't run with anyone who would have told me. Hmm.
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
    stealthq wrote: »
    Curious if your walking stride also has your feet pushing out rather than straight back. I see a lot of people running on the trails I use that have a similar-seeming gait and most of them have their feet turned out like a duck's when they walk.

    The pigeon-toed walkers seem to run with their toes turned in, too. To the point where it looks to me like they're going to trip over their own feet at any minute.

    I wonder if I have any obvious idiosyncrasies with my gait, since I don't run with anyone who would have told me. Hmm.

    I'm not sure if I do the same thing when walking, but I do tend to roll my ankles and walk on my toes. Hmmm...maybe this is unfixable?
  • LoneWolfRunner
    LoneWolfRunner Posts: 1,160 Member
    Check out Eric Orton's book "The Cool Impossible". Excellent book on building good running form and great exercise routines to strengthen your form as well.

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