Published: April 29, 2011
Words: 63995 (approximate)
Language: English

Short description

A practical guide for distance runners to learn and train for the fundamentals of good running technique. Recognize problems with running form that cause injury, or frustrate achievement of your goals. A complete framework of coordination training, mental cues and a training philosophy to improve running technique. Foreword by Philo Saunders PhD, Senior Physiologist, Australian Institute of Sport.

Extended description

With so much focus on getting big miles into your legs it’s easy to overlook the importance of developing the strength and coordination necessary to run with good technique. This book helps beginner runners learn the basics of good technique and explains how running better will help prevent injuries as you train towards your goals. Experienced runners can use the book to evaluate their technique and develop new strategies to enhance performance and avoid injury. Finally, coaches can use the book to help assess how well their runners are moving.

With foreword by Philo Saunders PhD, Senior Physiologist, Australian Institute of Sport: "When Brian asked me to write the foreword to his book I agreed instantly as it covers a critical aspect of successful running. This book is easy to read and based on sound scientific research. It provides practical advice on how to improve technique for runners of all abilities and will be a valuable resource for distance runners."

Using simple explan... (Read more) With so much focus on getting big miles into your legs it’s easy to overlook the importance of developing the strength and coordination necessary to run with good technique. This book helps beginner runners learn the basics of good technique and explains how running better will help prevent injuries as you train towards your goals. Experienced runners can use the book to evaluate their technique and develop new strategies to enhance performance and avoid injury. Finally, coaches can use the book to help assess how well their runners are moving.

With foreword by Philo Saunders PhD, Senior Physiologist, Australian Institute of Sport: "When Brian asked me to write the foreword to his book I agreed instantly as it covers a critical aspect of successful running. This book is easy to read and based on sound scientific research. It provides practical advice on how to improve technique for runners of all abilities and will be a valuable resource for distance runners."

Using simple explanations of how the best runners move, Running Technique takes the reader through a discussion of what good running technique looks like and explains the underlying muscle activation patterns and postures that drive good technique. Runners are shown how to recognize technical weaknesses that can lead to common injuries and a guide on doing your own gait analysis gives you a head-start on assessing whether changing or improving your running technique is necessary.

The book then provides a sound framework for runners to gradually improve their technique by explaining how training for strength, coordination and technique gives you a greater chance of avoiding injury and achieving consistently better performance levels. The direct relationship between strength training and running technique becomes clear as the book explains why this type of training enables any runner to start developing efficient muscle activation patterns to run with better technique.

Running Technique takes the reader through a number of simple exercises and muscle activation drills that can be done anywhere without gym equipment. Each exercise is explained so you know which muscles to activate during each phase of the movement and how this relates to running. The book also provides a framework for assessing the usefulness of any strength exercise in relation to improving running technique.

This book does not promise a direct or easy path to perfect running technique, but rather provides a practical methodology for moving through distinct phases of improvement and skill as a runner. This allows runners to step into the training framework in a way that is appropriate for their experience and ability. The first phase involves learning to activate the correct muscles at the right time, the second to stabilize and strengthen the hips - the engine room of good running technique. Finally, for more advanced athletes, there are suggestions for fine tuning technique and training for power and speed.

The book includes a chapter about running shoes and barefoot running and shows why wearing minimalist shoes or going barefoot provides a useful stimulus for improving technique but is not an end in itself. Running Technique explains that gradual evolution towards minimal shoes and barefoot running should only be attempted once the muscle activation patterns to run with good technique and have been established. There is also information on selecting the right type of shoes for your running technique.

Finally, the book details how popular training approaches can be modified so they are more forgiving on runners with imperfect mechanics and how training smarter can help you avoid injury. Running Technique brings together three ideas that justify taking technique seriously: running should be enjoyable and mostly pain free, injuries should be the exception, not the rule and performance improvements are possible by learning to run better, not just training longer and harder.
(Less)

Tags

strength training, minimalist running shoes, barefoot running, running form, running training, running tips, running technique, running injuries, beginner running, learn running

Available ebook reading formats

Single purchase gains access to all formats. How to download ebooks to e-reading devices and apps.

Format	Full Book	Sample First 24%
Online Reading (HTML, good for sampling in web browser)	Buy	View sample
Online Reading (JavaScript, experimental, buggy)	Buy	View sample
Kindle (.mobi for Kindle devices and Kindle apps)	Buy	Download sample
Epub (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others)	Buy	Download sample
PDF (good for reading on PC, or for home printing)	Buy	No sample available
LRF (Use only for older model Sony Readers that don't support .epub)	Buy	Download sample
Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices)	Buy	Download sample

Videos

Author's overview
Brian Martin provides an introduction to his book Running Technique.

Reviews

Log-in to write a Review   Log-in to add a Video Review

Review by: Andrew M on Feb. 11, 2012 :
Running Technique was the book I was looking for, I'm only a casual running, but was always getting knee injuries. The running technique book has allowed me to understand what muscles are involved in running and removed a lot of problems I had with my stride. I no longer have knee injuries when I run now that I know what to look for and what I should be doing. Which was really all I really wanted - to run without injury. I can also see that as time goes on I'll be able to get fast and remain injury free which will be brilliant. Thanks Brian.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Nick Stanko on Dec. 24, 2011 :
Running Technique is a priceless work that helps to describe a part of the running/training puzzle that few books tend to leave out. Achieving one's full potential as a distance runner cannot be achieved through just logging the miles. There are a plethora a factors that must be included in a well balanced training program. Running Technique covers the specific supplemental (weights/core) and biomechanics part that will take your running to a new level. Also after this read... you will enjoy your running more because you will be more engaged in it.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Anthony Lee on Nov. 08, 2011 :
A very good read. The only disappointing part was that I did not read this information about 8 years ago when I started running a bit more seriously.
Whilst not being a top level runner, I have been able to achieve a level of competency through sheer hard work and logging plenty of kms. This has been achieved however purely by reaching a level of fitness from a cardio point of view, but with no view of the technical component of running. I have had my fair share of injuries and also frustrations about not making performance gains despite putting in the work.
Brian’s book is a great insight into what makes a great runner tick, and identifies the gaps between them and the rest of us. The best part of it though is the practical insight into how you can make improvements to your own running performance and enjoyment via better speed and less injuries. It really is a book for all abilities.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: seda on Nov. 03, 2011 :
One of the best running book that I've ever read! I think that it explains the mechanics of running very well that you finally understand the right/wrong things that you do while running. You begin to see that a good technique is not only about being a forefoot or heel striker but much more than that. After reading the book, just in a few days I started to feel the difference in the way that I run and the most important thing is that finally I was able to identify my problems and had the answers about how to correct them. I wasn't injured at the time that I started to read it but considering the injuries that I had in the past I was aware that there were things that I needed to correct with my technique. Despite reading many books about running (including the bestsellers), for me, there were still some missing and unclear parts in the running mechanics chain and none of the books ever described them as well as this book. Now I know that I'm on the right way to be able to run injury free and enjoy my runnings more than ever.

I think that for those who are injured this book is a MUST read. Also for beginners, if you will invest your time for some reading about running to make a good start, this should be the book to read first (and probably you won't need to read another one). I think that even you have no injury and happy with your performance you may still find the book very useful and enjoyable since it's very informative about the running technique and easy to read. The strength and coordination exercises are very well described as well with the key points that you should pay attention to perform them correctly.

I think that this book definitely deserves to be a bestseller running book.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: D on Aug. 22, 2011 :
What a great, informative book! I am a runner who has been trying to break the 40min mark for 10k for the past year, but have been hampered by injury the past 7 months.

I bought this book hoping it could help me fine tune my running technique, avoid any further injury, give me relevant strength exercises as a runner, and make me faster.

I finished the book in 4 days, booked a gait analysis with Brian within the week, and started tweaking my technique as I read, along with doing Brian's specific strength exercises twice a week. Within two weeks of engaging my glutes and hamstrings, and doing additional strength exercises, as recommended in the book, I noticed I was running 5-10secs faster, per km, on my easy runs without any extra effort. Within 4 weeks of changing my technique this faster pace (with seemingly less effort) has translated into my speed sessions. I am running reps/intervals/tempos faster and more easily. Within 6 weeks of reading this book, I achieved my sub 40min race goal, and ran a pb of 39:35 - and I still have much room for improvement. Thank you, Brian!

I highly recommend this book to anyone hampered by injury, or seeking to include strength training specific to a runner, to help achieve running goals.

This book is packed with relevant, fundamentally important information specific to any runner wanting to improve form and strength.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: cc cc on July 04, 2011 :
It's an excellent and informative read, one written with an athlete in mind. Easy to understand and follow, in plain English and not full of jargon and with the requirement of a PhD to comprehend.

Sound reasoning behind the explanations and diagrams to back up the text. Author is a runner who has practiced what he speaks, and this comes through very clearly in the book.

No matter what your running level is at, or your ability, this book represent top value. The runner and/or coach will benefit heaps from purchasing this first class book, and they will be referencing it from their library many times in the months and years ahead.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Netasha DiCrosta on June 26, 2011 :
Fabulous read! Am a recreational runner who has had way too many injuries this year. Am already starting to see the differences with changes in technique. Book is written well ( chapters 4 and 5 are reasonably technical but push through it) and the links to the website for further visual examples are great. Brian knows what he's talking about and is always happy to answer any questions. Buy it - you won't regret it!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Reason for report:
— Select a reason — Book is or contains spam Book infringes copyright Same content is published elsewhere with different author (for ex., by private-label rights) Duplicate Incomplete work (such as sample or serial) Should be marked adults-only Category is inappropriate Poorly formatted Nudity or other inappropriate content on cover Nudity or other inappropriate visual content in book Inappropriate erotica content Cover image is improper Content is inappropriate Other violation of Terms of Service Other reason not shown above.

Additional details: