On my run today I noticed another runner carrying a water bottle in one hand and an ipod in the other. What struck me about this runner was the total lack of upper body movement as he run, no arm movement, no upper body rotation, nothing.
Once the runner had disappeared from sight I imitated how he ran to see what effect it would have on my running. I found it quite difficult and unnatural to completely immobilise my upper body and the effect on my lower body was dramatic. Immediately my stride length shortened significantly and my pace slowed to a shuffle, I had no push off, no knee lift, all feeling of fluidity disappeared. I felt like a poorly constructed robot.
Try it yourself and see the effect it has. If you run holding a water bottle notice if the arm you hold the water bottle in moves less than your other arm, if it does then it is affecting the way you run making you less efficient and setting up possible biomechanical asymmetries leading to injuries. Get a hip holder for your water bottle or a camel back.
Studies have shown the energy cost of running with a camel back is far less than running with a hand held water bottle.
For those of you who want to know why read on….
Keeping your upper body completely still you effectively turn off your core muscles and significantly reduce the load on your hip flexors and glutes.
Let me explain – as your leading leg travels forward (say right leg) and your left leg goes behind you your arms go the opposite direction – ie right arm goes backwards , left arm goes forward.
So now you have a diagonal stretch from your left hip to your right shoulder. This places a tension on your hip flexors and abdominals. This tension places a load on the muscles, tendons and fascia which when released acts like a rubber band pulling your left leg forward and right arm forward. As you drive the left leg and right arm forward your left arm and right leg travel backwards which loads the opposite diagonal ( right hip to left shoulder) and the cycle continues.
Your gluteal muscles are loaded by the rotation of your pelvis. As your right foot lands your pelvis rotates to the right placing a stretch or load on your right gluteals which when released helps you drive off the right leg.
So the rotation and arm movement of your upper body effectively loads the muscles in your lower body.
Notice that the faster you go the more arm swing you have – sprinters swing their arms a lot more than marathon runners. Sprinters use more force so the greater arm swing place a bigger stretch or tension on their muscles allowing them to generate more force.
Muscles work most effectively when they are placed under a tension first, if you dont do this then then amount of force the muscle can generate is greatly diminished . Take an extreme example – say you want to jump vertically as high as possible. TO load or place the muscles of the hip and leg under tension the first thing you do is squat down which is quickly followed by your vertical jump. Now imagine how high you could jump if you werent allowed to squat down at all – you’d be lucky to make it off the ground.
This is what happens if you dont move your arms when you run – you greatly reduce the force the glutes, hip flexors , core , hamstrings and quads can generate.
As a seasoned fitness and biomechanics enthusiast with a deep understanding of human movement, I've explored and analyzed various aspects of running mechanics, energy expenditure, and the impact of upper body movement on overall efficiency. My expertise extends to the intricate connections between different muscle groups, biomechanical asymmetries, and injury prevention in runners.
The article you've presented touches upon a crucial aspect of running that often goes unnoticed—the role of upper body movement and its influence on running efficiency. The author highlights an observation during a run, emphasizing the notable difference in the runner's performance due to a lack of upper body movement. I'd like to delve into the concepts mentioned and provide a comprehensive breakdown:
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Upper Body Immobility and Running Efficiency: The article underscores the significance of maintaining fluid and purposeful upper body movement while running. The author's personal experimentation of mimicking the observed runner's immobile upper body supports the argument that restricting natural arm swing negatively impacts overall running performance.
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Effects on Stride Length and Pace: The author notes a dramatic effect on stride length and pace when the upper body is immobilized. This aligns with biomechanical principles, as a restricted upper body limits the diagonal stretching motion from hip to shoulder, disrupting the natural flow of movement.
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Biomechanical Asymmetries and Potential Injuries: The article warns against the use of hand-held water bottles, suggesting that it may lead to biomechanical asymmetries and increase the risk of injuries. The rationale lies in the disrupted diagonal stretching motion, which can create imbalances in muscle load and tension.
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Energy Cost and Equipment Choices: Reference is made to studies indicating that running with a camelback is more energy-efficient than using a hand-held water bottle. This insight suggests that equipment choices can impact the energy expenditure of a runner, emphasizing the importance of considering such factors in training.
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Core Muscles, Hip Flexors, and Glutes: The article explains the biomechanics of running, emphasizing that keeping the upper body still turns off core muscles while reducing the load on hip flexors and glutes. The interconnectedness of these muscle groups is crucial for generating force and maintaining an efficient running stride.
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Role of Arm Movement in Muscular Loading: The author elucidates how arm movement contributes to the loading of muscles in the lower body. The diagonal stretching motion from one hip to the opposite shoulder creates tension, acting like a rubber band that propels the legs forward and supports the overall propulsion of the body.
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Relationship Between Arm Swing and Running Speed: A notable observation is made regarding the correlation between running speed and arm swing. Sprinters, who require more force, exhibit a greater arm swing compared to marathon runners. This illustrates the connection between arm movement intensity and the force generated during running.
Understanding and applying these biomechanical principles can greatly benefit runners in optimizing their performance, reducing the risk of injuries, and enhancing overall efficiency. The recommendations to use a hip holder or camelback for hydration further align with the broader goal of maintaining a natural and effective running stride.
