What If Running Better Means Doing Less, Not More?

Have you been putting in the effort to improve your running form, only to find it falls apart when fatigue sets in? Have you ever considered that the issue might not be your effort or your fitness? Instead it could simply be that your notion of what “good form” is, is skewed.

Most of us grew up believing that being good at something means working hard, in sport and life in general. But what exactly does working hard involve? Does it have to be effortful, or can working hard equate to working smart?

When it comes to running, don't assume that improving our form must demand more effort; instead get used to the idea that good form is effortless. After all, when something feels physically hard, is it likely to be more efficient? Probably not.

=

Generally, movements that feel easier are easier—and easier usually means more efficient. This is where the Alexander Technique and Run SMART lessons come in, teaching you how to become consistency better at raising your awareness of unnecessary tension in your body and teaching you how to let go of it. Applying this principle to running means paying attention not to how hard you're working, but where you might be working too hard. As FM Alexander, the founder of the Technique, once said: "If you stop doing the wrong thing, the right thing does itself." You don’t need to add more effort to run better. You need to notice where you’re overworking and gently let that effort go.

Efficient movement works with your anatomy, not against it. It’s not about pulling in your stomach, tucking your chin down or squeezing your glutes. These habits make running more tiring and less sustainable as they use energy, a commodity that is already scarce when fatigue sets in. So if your “good form” can’t hold up when you’re tired, it’s probably not good form.

Sometimes, our ingrained habits block access to easier, more effective movement patterns but most people are unaware that they have these habits in the first place. That’s why expert, independent guidance can help and where the Alexander Technique in particular is so useful.

So bring this idea of "non-doing" to your next run and stop trying so hard to “fix” your form. instead, start allowing your running to improve by doing less, not more - you might be surprised by how much better you feel and how much better you run. And if you would like some personalised 1-to-1 advice and detailed video analysis, get in touch and we can discuss how we can

transform your running.