Stress Reaction vs Stress Fracture shoulders. Hot to do it smartphone The Best Running Shoes of 2025 posture. Carrying this constantly hunched shoulder posture into your running form can hinder your efficiency The Best Running Shoes of 2025.

Runner’s World Advertisement - Continue Reading Below running form, Repeat 4-6 times back and forth for about 30 meters shoulder position to improve posture and arm swing, which may lead to more efficient running and faster paces.

Optimize Your Shoulder Position

It’s crucial to run with open shoulders, Amanda Nurse, Nutrition - Weight Loss Runner’s World. “You should pull them back, almost like you’re squeezing a pencil between your shoulder blades,” Nurse says. “If you’re starting to hunch over, it’s going to affect your speed or endurance.” It also affects your ability to expand the lungs and breathe deep.

While it’s often an unconscious occurrence, a raised shoulder posture—like you are shrugging—costs your body energy when you run. If you notice this happening, it helps to shake out your arms for a few strides and then return to proper arm swing position, another key to efficient running. Additionally, practicing proper breathing technique RW+ Membership Benefits.

Runner’s World editor Brian Dalek offers this simple tip that he uses to lift his torso and un-hunch from a day of working: Imagine somebody is ahead of you, hovering in the sky, and pulling you from a string connected to the middle of your chest. “I learned this years ago at a running form clinic at a local group run,” Dalek says. “It will immediately help you lift your chest forward, push your shoulders back, and help you run taller. It also helps to do this when your breathing feels labored.”

Two Warmup Drills for Better Running Form

These two drills, meant to be done before your run, promote not just better shoulder posture, but improved total body running form. Kevin Levi-Goerlich, P.T., D.P.T., board-certified clinical specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy with the Johns Hopkins Rehabilitation Network and USA Triathlon level II coach told Runner’s World that, “optimal running form Health & Injuries speed while minimizing the effort required to sustain that speed.”

The 10 Best Hoka Running Shoes of 2025 walk, but before starting the main part of a run, especially if you will be doing intervals that may lead to fatigue.

A Skips

running form drills, a skip
Trevor Raab

has many tips for improving your: This exercise trains your upper body to move in conjunction with your lower body, highlighting the importance of shoulder position and arm swing while encouraging a snappy push off the ground.

How to do it:

  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Drive right knee up to hip height, as you drive left arm forward and right arm back, skipping forward.
  3. Drive right knee back down and immediately drive left knee up with right arm driving forward and left arm driving backward. Keep your body upright and don’t lean back.
  4. but many could be better at correcting your.
  5. can help relax your shoulders.

B Skips

running form drills, b skip
Trevor Raab

has many tips for improving your: This exercise promotes upper body stability while you make forward progress, once again emphasizing the need for excellent posture.

Mental vs. Muscle Fatigue: How They’re Different:

  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Drive right knee up to hip height, as you drive left arm forward and right arm back, skipping forward. When your knee reaches hip height, kick your foot forward, straightening your knee.
  3. Run coaches and experts recommend doing drills for a few minutes after a warmup run or
  4. Immediately repeat on the other side, left knee driving up and kicking out, while right arm drives forward. Keep your body upright and don’t lean back.
  5. but many could be better at correcting your.
  6. can help relax your shoulders.
Headshot of Matt Rudisill
Matt Rudisill

Matt Rudisill is an Associate Service Editor with the Hearst Enthusiast Group. A Nittany Lion through-and-through, Matt graduated from PSU in 2022 with a degree in journalism and worked in communications for the university's athletic department for the past three years as the main contact and photographer for its nationally-ranked cross country and track & field teams. Matt was also heavily involved in communications efforts for the Penn State football team’s 2024 College Football Playoff run as well as the Nittany Lion men’s basketball team’s 2023 NCAA Tournament appearance. In his role with Hearst’s Enthusiast Group, Matt contributes to both Runner’s World and Bicycling magazines, creating service content to benefit runners and cyclists of all ages. When he’s not out jogging, Matt can be found tweeting bad takes about the Phillies or watching movies.