Running is a fantastic sport for young athletes. It's great for their hearts, lungs, and muscles, and it can teach them valuable lessons about discipline, perseverance, and teamwork. But if they don't have good running form, they're more likely to get injured and won't be able to reach their full potential.
That's why it's important to teach young runners the ABC's of good running form. Here are a few key tips:
A is for Alignment
Head: Keep your head up and your eyes looking forward, not down at your feet.
Shoulders: Relax your shoulders and keep them down, not hunched up.
Core: Engage your core muscles to keep your torso upright and stable.
Arms: Bend your arms at 90 degrees and swing them back and forth naturally.
B is for Balance
Footstrike: Land on the middle or ball of your foot, not your heel.
Stride: Keep your stride length short and quick.
Cadence: Aim for a cadence of 180 steps per minute.
C is for Coordination
Arm swing: Coordinate your arm swing with your leg stride.
Push-off: Push off the ground with your toes, not your heels.
Relaxation: Relax your muscles as much as possible while you're running.
In addition to these tips, it's important to have young runners work on their flexibility and strength. This will help them maintain good form and prevent injuries.
Here are a few additional tips for helping young runners improve their form:
Have them run on soft surfaces, such as grass or dirt, when they're first starting out. This will help to reduce the impact on their joints.
Use drills and exercises to help them practice good form. There are many great drills and exercises that you can find online or in a book.
Have them watch videos of good runners. This can help them to see what good form looks like.
Most importantly, make sure they're having fun! If they're not enjoying running, they're less likely to stick with it.
By following these tips, you can help young track and field runners develop good running form that will help them to reach their full potential and stay injury-free.
I hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Happy running!
Comments