Improve Your Running Performance with Upper Body Exercises

Runners usually don't think about the size of their biceps very much. Why should they, after all? It's their legs that matter in the end. So upper-body activities aren't necessary for runners?

A look at the athletes competing in the Olympic 100m final tells a different narrative. It appears that the larger your arms are, the faster you can run.

So you're probably wondering...Do You Really Get Faster With Strong Arms?

The impact of arm strength and size on your running performance varies depending on the type of run:

Sprints & Arm Strength

This is true to some extent for sprints. Sprinting is all about getting the most forward propulsion in the quickest amount of time possible. The runner's arms generate additional thrust, propelling him forward.

This necessitates the use of strong shoulders. While arm strength is less important than arm technique in professional sports where races are decided by hundredths of a second, it can mean the difference between winning and losing.

Arm Strength And Distance Running

Bulky arms are actually a disadvantage in distance running since arm strength has virtually no effect on performance. Big bulging arms are just more weight. What important is that you use the proper technique.

Every movement you make from your hips down is influenced by your arm swing. Swinging your arms faster causes your stride frequency to rise automatically. Slow and long swings have the opposite impact, owing to the fact that our brain coordinates our arm and leg movements.

Here's how you may improve your running by using an arm swing...

When Running, Hold Your Arms In The Appropriate Position:

· Your elbows should be bent at a 90-degree angle or less.

· Allow your arms to swing freely in the direction you're jogging (your arms should not cross the centerline)

· Keep your palms pointing inward and your hands relaxed. Your thumb and index finger should softly contact.

· Rather than pulling your elbows forward, concentrate on pushing them back.

Your running form will be more efficient if you use the proper arm technique. However, you won't be able to run with proper form unless you strengthen your upper body (especially your core muscles).

The Benefits of Upper Body Strength For Runners

Naturally, strong leg muscles are necessary for quick running, but many runners overlook the necessity of upper body strength in achieving good running results:

The stomach and back muscles aid in the stabilization of the upper body. Compensatory movements result from a weak core, reducing forward propulsion.

For efficient transmission of energy from your body to your legs, you need a strong upper body. Without this, good arm technique will not be able to give optimal leg support. A good running form allows you to go faster while using less energy.

It reduces your chances of getting hurt.

Running requires a lot of core work, but many of us only train our abdominal muscles. Your back is also a part of your core, and ignoring it increases your chance of injury. To reduce the chances of injury you require a good running shoes such as Nike mercurial vapor 13. Because your core (both your abs and your back) helps to support and protect your spine from the impact of running, this is true.

When you do one without the other, you risk injuring yourself and running inefficiently. Compensatory movements (for example, excessive side-to-side movement) result from a weak core, which reduces forward propulsion.

It helps to enhance your posture.

To run well, you must have good running form. You'll never be able to attain your maximum potential if you can't keep good form throughout your run.

Increasing your upper-body strength will enhance your posture by strengthening the muscles in your back and shoulders, allowing you to run in a more upright stance even when you're exhausted.

Because many of us work professions that need us to sit at a desk most of the day, strengthening these muscles will help us avoid the slouched posture we unknowingly adopt on a daily basis.