For runners, form is everything. It can be the difference between a personal record and a disappointing result, or between chronic injury and enduring health. When all else breaks down and a long-distance runner hits the dreaded wall, it is form that can carry him through to the finish line.
Most books on running form revolve around the premise that there is an ideal form all runners should try to achieve. However, research and experience show that people can run effectively in a wide variety of patterns with some key universal elements.
Unfortunately, the constraints of our modern lifestyles change how we move, limiting our range of motion and weakening key muscle groups. Runner's World Your Best Stride is designed to help you counteract those forces and regain your own unique, powerful and effective stride that will carry you through endless, injury-free miles.
Author Jonathan Beverly details his search for common ground among physical therapists, podiatrists, and coaches on which elements of running form are universal and how to improve them. Specific exercises will show you how to counteract tight muscles from excessive sitting, how to improve limited arm mobility from hunching over electronic devices, and ways to improve speed by lengthening your stride. All of this culminates in an approachable guide to human movement and a practical tool for improvement.
