“Hey DASHers out there it’s Laurence again with another piece on Body Tuning!
Last we spoke about relaxation, and how this can make you run effortlessly faster. Today, we are talking about rhythm, which is closely related to relaxation. The more rhythm someone has running, the more it looks to be effortless.
Rhythm is defined in the oxford dictionary as a strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound.
I feel this definition pretty much sums up what running is. We tend to hear commentators during running events talk about the rhythm of an athlete, or perhaps their stride pattern, which is exactly what we aim for when running, a consistent stride pattern through rhythm, leading to relaxation.
If you have ever attended one our DASH classes, you would have heard me speak about how important the arms are whilst running, “the faster the arms, the faster the legs”. The arms are a key way to find rhythm. Going back to my previous post, relax your shoulders and let your arms tick back and forth like a metronome.
“the faster the arms, the faster the legs”
Little Tip: The distance between your hands will dictate the length of your stride.
e.g Long distance runners tend to have a shorter arm movement going backwards and forwards, whilst a sprinter will have a much larger and exaggerated arm movement.
Sometime we have to take a step back to take two steps forwards, cliché as it is, patience is a must. To work more on rhythm at first, try out tempo sessions, which involves running at a set pace for a set distance. Running at a decent tempo as opposed to maximum effort, helps to develop desirable habits like rhythm while relaxed. Do not be discouraged that you may be running slower to attain this goal, remember practice makes permanent. Do not rush your progression, depending on whether you prefer short or longer runs, eventually practice your rhythm at faster paces for set distances.
Enjoy finding your rhythm, master this skill and I can promise your runs will feel faster, smoother and more effortless.
An odd thought I had previous to writing this blog: athletes who have good rhythm, are also good dancers. So perhaps you think of yourself as a cool mover on the dance floor, use this to your advantage! Use that innate rhythm inside you, dance your way to a faster run and be a cool mover on the track floor!
p.s I have often found singing along to a song in my head has helped me find rhythm during the most exhausting part of a session =) never a bad time for some solo karaoke” Laurence, DASH Team London
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