How to run: trail running technique

Going off-road means adjusting your running style. Here a few tips on improving your technique and overcoming the tougher terrain…

Becoming a better trail runner means taking your track and road technique and adjusting it for the uneven terrain. It’s a challenge to overcome, and you’ll be working muscles that are put under a lot more pressure.

It comes down to 3 unique challenges: running uphill, running downhill and using your arms to control your rhythm.

Go uphill with much smaller steps
Running uphill is the lung-busting part of trail running – it’s the bit that road and track runners have most trouble adjusting to.

Large steps are hard to maintain when you’re going up. You’re also using the forefoot much more to push off.

This combination of forces means you should:

shorten your stride
lift your knees higher
shift your weight to the balls of your feet
move your legs from the hips

Keep your downhill running under control
You can quickly lose control of your speed going downhill. The pull of gravity can cause you to hurtle down hills with a stride that is too long.

By overextending your leg, you put yourself at risk of injury. What you need to do is:

keep your feet under your body
maintain an upright posture
raise your feet from the ground as little as possible

Use your arms to propel you forward
In trail running, your arms are crucial to your overall running rhythm. And they’re essential to how efficient you run.

When you’re going uphill…you should swing your arms in short, sharp movements. Then your leg movement should follow with a short, fast stride.
When you’re going downhill…use your arms to control your momentum and keep control. That helps you to keep your balance, regulate your movement and quickly change direction.

The gear you need
Specific trail running gear is designed to help you go up and down hills and let your body working more effectively.