Forms

High level

Changing running forms is always risky. Imagine your body as a system running for many years. Every muscle, tendon and all everything has been adjusted over the years, changing how they work together always imposes risk.

If you want to try changing the forms to achieve better performance, do it with caution and only make minor/mild change very slowly. For performance purpose, spending extra time increasing the workout may also bring similar benefit without the risk of injury.

The only one case I would suggest considering the change is that you got injured or discomfort in running, and have confirmed that the form to be one of the factors. Hence, No Break, No Fix. Even then, there can be more then one factor, and changing running forms might not necessarily be on the top of the list. I would suggest start with stability and strength training, or even a professional diagnosis.

Breathing

Some random tips:

• Try odd-number breathing pattern. E.g., 3-step-in:2-step-out, 2-step-in:1-step-out.
  • Rationale - breathing can have some impact of how core, hence even number patten (e.g., 2-step-in:2-step-out) will results that the same leg-breath pattern (e.g., breath-in is always associated with right leg stride), which may causes some slight forms pattern. Keeping the total number odd (or even prime) can break such pattern.
• Try out different breath patterns and pick one you can sustain certain pace.
  • Over breathing might not be ideal - when CO2 level is too low, it can lower the CO2-exchange efficiency and increase blood PH level.
  • For endurance runner, you probably want to train body's tolerance of low PH level (high level of lactate acid and CO2 in blood). Reducing breath frequently can mildly stress the respiratory and cardiovascular systems (remember not to over-do it).

Diaphragmatic breathing practice

• Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your ribcage
• Breath in slowly through your nose so that your stomach moves out against your lower hand while keeping the hand on your chest as still as possible;
• try to tighten your stomach muscles, so that your stomach moves back in as you exhale through pursed lips

Forefoot vs Heel Strike

On a high level, comparing to the two types, the shock and stress move between ankles and knees/hips. The stress just goes away (unless the overall vertical movement pattern changes).

Forefoot strike relies more on the ankle to absorb the shock.

• Less stress on knees and hips
• More stress on feet/ankle/calf
• More sensitive to landing, which helps to reduce landing shocks.

Heel strike relies more on knees and hips to absorb the shock.

• More stress on knees and hips
• Less stress on feet/ankle/calf
• Less sensitive to landing - knees/hips have less neurons, so less self-adaptation during running

Excess Anterior Knee Translation

Reference: Running Movement Impairments: Excess Anterior Knee Translation

Anterior Knee Translation is how much you bend your knee forward during a stride, in particular, during a midstance.

You can observe your anterior knee translation during a static squat, and vary the form slightly to feel the distribution of stress between the knees and hips. Typically, it is suggested to not let the knees to be in front of the toes, though it is often challenged based on the goal of the exercises.

It is often in company with dorsiflexion (the bend of ankle).

Causes

Common causes are often weakness in one of the three main power generators, calf, quad and glute, so that one need an excess translation for compensation.

Treatment

1. The first treatment is to strengthen the weak point of the three (why not all of them!).
2. Movement training - practice push off the ground with glutes. It can be done in a stand form (e.g., Bulgarian single leg squat), while avoid keep knees in front of the toes.
3. Apply the focus to running, from short distance to longer ones.