Athletics: Five Ways to Relaxing on Your Next Run

Relaxing while you run conserves a great deal of energy. Try these tips the next time you hit the road or trail:

Use a natural arm swing. Do not try to muscle your way through the arm swing. The bend in your elbow should be around 90 degrees.

This way your hands swing somewhere near hip height.

Try not to grip your shoes with your toes. Don’t fix the ankle in one angle; instead keep your ankle as relaxed as possible.

Relax your shoulders. Try to keep the tension out of your upper back so you can save your energy. You may find that you repeatedly tense your shoulders as your run, so every few minutes, shake your arms and shoulders out to relax them.

Imagine that you are carrying eggshells. Many runners tend to clench their fists as they run, and this wastes a lot of energy. Your wrists and fingers should be held loosely, as if you are holding on to something fragile.

Keep your jaw relaxed. Try to stay away from clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth. It is impossible to whistle with your teeth clenched, so every once in a while whistle a few bars of your favorite song to make sure you are not grinding your teeth.