How to run with proper running form and help prevent injuries

If you’ve ever watched a race — whether it’s a 5K, marathon, or ultra — you’ll notice right away that not everyone runs the same way.

Some people glide along effortlessly, while others look like they’re just holding it together. The difference often comes down to running form, and training regimen of course.

Running with proper form makes you faster, more efficient, and less likely to get injured. Form is less about looking perfect, and more about moving in a way that lets your body work with you, not against you.

These are the five biggest things that have helped me improve my own running form. Each one is practical, and something you can start working on today.

1. Engage your glutes (yes, your butt matters)

If you’ve had an overuse injury like ITB pain or shin splints before, tight or weak glutes may be part of the problem.

When your glutes aren’t firing properly, other muscles — like your lower back or calves — step in and try to do the job instead.

To fix that, you’ve got to wake them up. That means:

• Regular glute activation exercises (even a few minutes a day helps)
• Thinking about using your glutes while you run — mentally cueing them with every step
• Running strength workouts (like the ones I sometimes share on YouTube) that focus on the hips, glutes, and core

My silly but effective trick? Repeat “left cheek, right cheek” with every stride, to focus your mind on activating those glutes. Sounds ridiculous. Works like magic.

2. Run tall with good posture

Proper form starts with your posture. If you’re slouched forward or collapsing in your core, everything below that gets thrown off.

What helps me is thinking of myself as running tall and light — engaging my core, keeping a slight forward lean from the ankles (not the hips), and relaxing my upper body.

Running with a strong, upright posture:

• Reduces wasted energy from side-to-side motion
• Makes breathing easier
• Helps you stay efficient when fatigue kicks in

Try it on your next run: imagine a string pulling you gently up from the crown of your head. It sounds simple, but it changes everything.