I finally noticed a big difference in my running form after 8 weeks of drills

Everyone keeps saying that barefoot-style shoes or fancy insoles will fix your stride, and I used to buy into that. But I actually saw a real change in my pace and posture after I started doing simple hip flexor drills every morning for 8 weeks straight. My average 5K time dropped from 28 minutes to 25 minutes just from loosening up my hips, not from any gear swap. I tracked it on my watch and the difference was clear by week 6. It made me wonder if a lot of the advice about shoes is just marketing. Has anyone else seen a bigger payoff from strength drills than from new shoes?

3 comments

3 Comments

lily23024d ago

Did you find the hip flexor drills on your own or follow a specific routine? I had a similar experience where my 10K time dropped by almost 2 minutes after I started doing glute bridges and lunges for a couple months. It seems like everyone forgets that your body mechanics matter way more than what's on your feet.

anthony_jenkins6124d ago

Noticing that is EXACTLY the hidden fix for SO many things in life @lily230.

diana15524d ago

Oh that's great you noticed real results @lily230. A friend of mine was stuck at a 24 minute 5K for over a year and she tried everything - different shoes, compression socks, even started icing her shins every night. Nothing worked. Then her physical therapist had her do these simple hip capsule stretches and clam shells with a resistance band for six weeks. Her time dropped to 22:30 and she said her lower back pain went away completely. She never changed her shoes once. The funny thing is she bought three pairs of expensive trainers during that year trying to fix her stride, but it was just tight hips holding her back the whole time.