Should you lean forward when running?
Yes, you should lean forward slightly when running, a few degrees from the ankles with the whole body in one line, but a lean that bends you at the waist is a fault, not a cue.
Two kinds of lean
There is a good lean and a bad lean. They look similar from the front. From the side they are nothing alike.
The good lean is from the ankles. Ear, shoulder, hip and ankle stay in a straight line, and the whole line tips forward a few degrees. Think of standing tall and letting yourself fall forward until you have to step. That is the feeling.
The bad lean is from the waist. The hips stay back and the chest folds forward over them. The line from ear to hip bends. It looks like a lean, but the hips are behind you, and the legs have to reach forward to catch up.
How much lean is right?
A few degrees. On a side view video, the torso sits roughly 3 to 8 degrees ahead of vertical at midstance for most runners. More than that at easy pace usually means the bend is at the waist, not the ankle. Straight up, or leaning back, is also common in new runners and tends to go with a foot landing ahead of the hip.
Why the ankle lean helps
A slight whole body lean puts your centre of mass a little ahead of the foot when it lands. That makes it easier to land under the hip rather than in front of it. It also uses gravity for a small push, so the legs work less.
The waist lean does the opposite. The hips drop back, the foot reaches to find the ground, and the lower back and hip flexors tighten to hold the fold. It is often linked with lower back ache after long runs.
How to tell which one you do
Film from the side and pause at midstance, the frame where the foot is flat under you. Draw a line from ear to hip. Then from hip to ankle. If they make one straight line tilted slightly forward, good. If there is a bend at the hip, that is the waist lean.
Here is the cue most runners find works:
Run tall, then tip the whole body from the ankles until you feel light on your feet.
See proper running posture for the rest of the body and how to fix running posture for a 4 week drill plan.
How to check it with Caden
- Tap Run a new analysis and set up a side-on shot. The phone must be at hip height and square on, or the lean reads wrong.
- Open the Upper body lean dial. It shows your torso lean in degrees at midstance and grades it.
- Open Breakpoints and view the Midstance frame. The skeleton overlay shows whether the ear to hip line and the hip to ankle line are straight or bent.
- Read the coach's tip for the one cue Caden picked for your lean.
FAQ
Is leaning forward bad for your back when running?
Leaning from the ankles is not. Bending at the waist loads the lower back and is often linked with back ache on long runs.
How many degrees should I lean when running?
A few. Most runners sit between 3 and 8 degrees ahead of vertical at easy pace on a side view. More than that is usually a waist bend.
Should I lean forward when running uphill?
A little more than on the flat, still from the ankles. Keep the chest open and the hips forward rather than folding over the hill.