Tips To Stay Relaxed While Running

Looking to improve your running speed and become a faster running? Then staying relaxed while running is key.

How come?

Tension compromises your running technique, making your movement less efficient. Anywhere you’d hold under tension, you’re burning up energy could be spent elsewhere.

This may seem counterintuitive since most runners usually focus on increasing their effort when trying to speed up, but tensing up creates more tension in the body.

And the more you tense up, the more energy you waste. And you don’t want that.

Relaxing your body can help you achieve an efficient mile throughout your runs, allowing you to speed up for that finishing kick.

Here are some of my best tips on how to stay relaxed and run faster during your next run/race.

The key step to relieving all of that tension and staying relaxed begins with you catching yourself in the act.

In other words, know your tensions spots!

How to relax arms and shoulders while running

As a runner, you’re more likely to carry tension in your upper body, so pay attention to your shoulders and arms.

Are your shoulders hunched? Are your shoulders moving up toward your ears Are your arms bent at a 90-degree angle?

For example, most runners tend to move up their hands toward their shoulders as they get tired or tense.

These are common running technique errors that could create more tension in your body.

The Solution: While logging the miles, regularly check the position of your shoulder to ensure they’re staying relaxed throughout.

Keep your arms swinging at your side and not cross your midsection.

When you’re crossing your arms over your chest, they’ll begin to move up toward your shoes which force you to hunch over. This not only makes it harder to breathe but causes discomfort and pain in your neck, shoulders, and back.

If you notice tension building in your arms, drop and shake them out. Next, re-position the anthem at a 90-degree angle while keeping your shoulders back and loose.

Relax the face in your runs

The face is another prone area to tension. Pay Attention to your face.

Are you clenching your jaw?

If you notice any of these, you’re not only exerting extra effort but also limiting your oxygen intake.

The Solution: Try opening and closing your mouth a few times—think exaggerated yaw or taking a slow and long inhale and exhale.

Relax neck while running

Another common tense-prone area in runners is the neck.

How far your chin sticks out as well as your head tile are key to proper posture.

Bad head posture—or what’s known as texting neck—can result in stress in the upper body, which may slow down your stride.

The solution: if you notice that you are straining or tightening up your neck, try rolling it forward for a moment, then backward, then to the sides while taking deep breaths.

Gaze ahead naturally, not down at your feet. Gaze ahead roughly 30 to 60 feet ahead of you’re and only glance down if needed—when encountering an obstacle on the road, for instance.

This should be enough to straighten your back and neck and bring them into proper alignment. Avoid jutting out your chin.

Conclusion

To run faster, staying relaxed is essential. Tension wastes energy and hampers efficiency. Focus on relaxing your shoulders, arms, face, and neck to maintain optimal running form and conserve energy for stronger performance.