Running might seem like a simple workout that requires no technical practice and still gets you good results but if we look closely it is much more technical than most of us can think about. From the way we lift our feet to the way we move our shoulders and back, we have a lot of things to keep in mind.
You might have seen that most people start running and within just a few months they get the desired results whereas others struggle throughout their lives to achieve the desired results. There is no doubt that most of these results are due to metabolism and individual differences but we cannot deny that it is much more than that especially the technique of running and walking is very important.
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Most people think that it is all about the legs and feet. The way we lift, balance our weight, and land on our feet is very important and indeed it is very important but just relying on this is not enough. You also need to help your upper body stay in sync with the lower body.
The way we swing our arms is very important because it helps us in adjusting our full body posture. For the longest time, people would just leave their hands hanging whereas others keep their hands by their sides. Technically there is nothing wrong with the way you swing your arm and you can do it as fast or as slow as you want but if we look at it deeply we will see that there are so many different things that impact the overall pattern.
With the help of this article, we will look deeply into the way we keep our hands as we run. We will then look at some of the tips that can help us keep our hands by our sides without too much work.
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Why do You need To Work On Your Hand Swing?
You might have noticed that professionals have a very swift beyond movement and they have a very limited hand movement. However, if you are immature you might as well leave the hands dangling by your side which will make you feel much heavier. With the help of adjusting the arm swing, you will be able to make your upper body movement sync with the lower body and this will help you in running much faster comfortably.
Another very important reason you need to restrain the swing is that it will impact your body movement and peed as well. Most people do not understand that your hand gesture will put a strain on your hips, waist, and even your core. You have to adjust according to the workout pattern that you might otherwise ignore.
How to Swing Your Arms the Right Way?
Most people think that there is no hard and fast rule about arm swing while running so they keep it loose or try to restrict the movement by clenching the fist to hand. One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot go to extremes. Leaving your hands dangling by your side or strictly keeping them from moving will both impact your movement.
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Here are some of the best ways you can move your hands while running in order to support your body movement:
- Start by making fists just like you would while punching someone.
- Now that you have made the fists, keep them loose but retain the shape of your hands.
- Now, keep your hands to the height of your waist. Do not make it too tight or loose them hanging just gently keep them by your side.
- Now as to your curve up your arms from the elbow and they will swing with full force.
- Now naturally let them adjust according to the pace. Do not speed it up too much or let them loose. You will see your hands adjusting according to your speed. If you go at full speed you will see your hands moving at full speed as well. However, if you slow down you will see the impact as well.
- The goal is to let your hands play a mediator in the movement of your upper and lower body.
Bottom Line
To sum it all up, you can either choose to do everything naturally or you can train your body to develop muscle movement. For the arm swing, you cannot let your hands lose by your side, this is the reason you need to work on keeping your hands fisted up by your waist height. Rather than moving them fiercely, you need to make sure they are not dangling. While running, most people leave their hands hanging by their side, where it might not seem such a huge issue but we can all agree that it hinders the movement and make you feel much heavier. So, it is much better to train your body to have very restricted hand movement so you can spend more time moving your lower body.