ch run by relaxing your ankles and with your body straight fall forward. Continue running until you feel you stride change. Stop and repeat relaxing your ankles with your arms at your side. Lean forward and let gravity work for you. Don’t forget to incorporate the hop likeWith the domination of Kenyan athletes this century in road racing and track and field there must be something that they all do. At first glance nothing really stands out besides the fact that they just run really fast. After closer examination a glaring difference in the running form can be identified. They lean forward, and let gravity work for them. I wonder if this is from running up all those mountains in Kenya. Or maybe the lean is caused by running back down the mountain. However the Kenyans come about this lean, it really works.

Any runner can use the lean to their advantage. The lean is not from the waist; instead you lean by relaxing your ankles. Gravity then causes your body to fall forward. Try this experiment, stand with your arms at your sides. Now lean forward by relaxing your ankles while keeping your body straight. Feel yourself being drawn forward; gravity is doing the work for you. Adding a hop like foot strikes to the lean will add another Kenyan trait to your running. But be prepared to run faster like the Kenyans.

To practice the lean begin each run by relaxing your ankles and with your body straight fall forward. Continue running until you feel you stride change. Stop and repeat relaxing your ankles with your arms at your side. Lean forward and let gravity work for you. Don’t forget to incorporate the hop like

running form can be identified. They lean forward, and let gravity work for them. I wonder if this is from running up all those mountains in Kenya. Or maybe the lean is caused by running back down the mountain. However the Kenyans come about this lean, it really works.

Any runner can use the lean to their advantage. The lean is not from the waist; instead you lean by relaxing your ankles. Gravity then causes your body to fall forward. Try this experiment, stand with your arms at your sides. Now lean forward by relaxing your ankles while keeping your body straight. Feel yourself being drawn forward; gravity is doing the work for you. Adding a hop like foot strikes to the lean will add another Kenyan trait to your running. But be prepared to run faster like the Kenyans.

To practice the lean begin each run by relaxing your ankles and with your body straight fall forward. Continue running until you feel you stride change. Stop and repeat relaxing your ankles with your arms at your side. Lean forward and let gravity work for you. Don’t forget to incorporate the hop like

Any runner can use the lean to their advantage. The lean is not from the waist; instead you lean by relaxing your ankles. Gravity then causes your body to fall forward. Try this experiment, stand with your arms at your sides. Now lean forward by relaxing your ankles while keeping your body straight. Feel yourself being drawn forward; gravity is doing the work for you. Adding a hop like foot strikes to the lean will add another Kenyan trait to your running. But be prepared to run faster like the Kenyans.

To practice the lean begin each run by relaxing your ankles and with your body straight fall forward. Continue running until you feel you stride change. Stop and repeat relaxing your ankles with your arms at your side. Lean forward and let gravity work for you. Don’t forget to incorporate the hop like

e keeping your body straight. Feel yourself being drawn forward; gravity is doing the work for you. Adding a hop like foot strikes to the lean will add another Kenyan trait to your running. But be prepared to run faster like the Kenyans.

To practice the lean begin each run by relaxing your ankles and with your body straight fall forward. Continue running until you feel you stride change. Stop and repeat relaxing your ankles with your arms at your side. Lean forward and let gravity work for you. Don’t forget to incorporate the hop like

ch run by relaxing your ankles and with your body straight fall forward. Continue running until you feel you stride change. Stop and repeat relaxing your ankles with your arms at your side. Lean forward and let gravity work for you. Don’t forget to incorporate the hop like foot strikes. As your leaning ability improves you will be able to use this technique for longer periods of time. Until one day the lean becomes second nature to you.

Advantages of using the leaning technique are improved running economy and speed. Your running economy will improve because less effort will be required to run. Your running speed will also improve because gravity is helping pull you along.

One last technique to remember that the Kenyans employ is called leading. When their chests are out in front of their legs no braking forces are applied. Many people run with a braking action caused by what is known as over striding. When the chest is in front of the legs no braking forces are caused. The legs are pushing well behind the runner and are not causing any braking action.

Give all of these techniques a try in your next run or race. Just be prepared to run like the Kenyans, faster.