How to Detect the 5 Most Common Running Errors and Correct Them with Practical Exercises
Did you know that a single workout exceeding your longest run in the last 30 days by 10% is associated with a higher risk of injury? If you increase your cadence by 3–5% at the same speed, you shorten your stride, reduce braking, and experience less pressure on your patella. If you lean slightly forward from your ankles (without bending at the waist), you distribute effort more evenly across your joints.
In recent years, the "10% rule" for weekly mileage has been repeated ad nauseam, but a recent study with over 5,000 runners (Frandsen, 2025) suggests the real issue isn’t so much the total weekly distance but the peak distance in a single run. Analyzing training data, researchers found that when a session exceeded the longest run in the previous 30 days by more than 10%, the risk of overuse injury increased significantly—even reaching +128% if the volume of the longest run was doubled.
With this in mind, here are the technical errors that slow you down and wear you out the most, along with how to correct them on the track using simple, measurable tools: cadence, foot and knee position during the support phase, hip oscillation, and arm swing.
What Should You Observe?
Place your phone at hip height and record yourself from the front and side at a comfortable/tempo pace. Observe:
- Where your foot lands: Is it in front of your center of mass?
- The pelvis: Does it drop when you land, and does the knee move inward?
- The torso: Is it too vertical or leaning back?
- The arms: Do they cross the midline?
- Cadence: Steps per minute or what your watch reports.
1 & 2 / Overstriding and Low Cadence: The "Invisible Brake"
What do you see? You land with your foot too far in front of your center of mass, which slows your running speed. This can increase the impact on your hip, knee, and tibia, making you less efficient because it brakes your momentum.
How to fix it?
- Increase cadence: There’s no magic number, though it usually ranges between 170 and 190 steps per minute (SPM). I recommend counting your steps during a tempo or marathon-pace run and adding 2–5% more while maintaining the same speed. You can use a metronome or follow Michael Jackson’s They Don’t Care About Us (180 SPM).
- Incorporate hills with a 5–8% incline: They help increase step frequency by naturally shortening your stride without forcing support under your hips.
- Work on mobility for tight hip flexors, ankles, and the big toe.
3 / Inefficient Torso Posture: Vertical Oscillation and Lean
What do you see? Your head bobs up and down too much. Your torso is too vertical or leans back, with your hips forward relative to your ribs, increasing braking and potentially raising femoropatellar stress. A slight forward lean from the ankles (not the waist) redistributes loads (less knee, more hip) and can reduce the aforementioned stress (Teng, 2014).
How to fix it?
- Low skipping: 3×20 m, trying not to alter your center of mass.
- Cadence blocks + 3–5% at the same speed: Every 5 minutes, do 1 minute with this adjustment.
- Blocks with a slight forward lean from the ankles: 3×50 m.
- Core/anti-rotation: Front plank, 3×30–45″.
- Transfer: 6×60–80 m with a slight lean and lively cadence for recovery.
4 / Crossed Arm Swing and Tense Shoulders
What do you see? Your arms cross the midline of your body, and your shoulders move elevated/tense, projecting less forward momentum. Arm swing influences balance, coordination, power, and speed. If it’s passive or nonexistent, it can increase metabolic cost by 3–13% (Arellano, 2014; Koo, 2025).
How to fix it?
- Position your elbows at ~90°, with relaxed hands moving from your pocket to your chin, starting from the shoulder and moving forward and back.
- Don’t cross the midline, and let your elbows "push" backward.
- Exercises: 30 seconds of arm swing, focusing on the described position.
- Technical focus: While running, every 5 minutes, think about your arm movement for 1 minute.
- Band pull-aparts: 2×10 reps, bringing your shoulder blades together and down.
5 / Hip Drop and Dynamic Valgus
What do you see? During single-leg support, the pelvis drops on the side of the swinging leg (Contralateral Pelvic Drop), and the knee of the supporting leg moves toward the midline (dynamic valgus). This is associated with medial knee overload, femoropatellar pain, and IT band syndrome. Additionally, runners with poor pelvic control show higher pressures under the 1st–2nd metatarsal heads during running.
How to fix it?
- Strengthen abductors and external rotators to improve pelvic drop and dynamic valgus.
- Single-leg glute bridge + isometric hold: 3×10 reps + 15″ hold per side.
- Controlled step-ups and step-downs: 3×10 reps per side.
- Single-leg deadlifts: 3×8 reps per side.
Coach’s Tips
- Change one variable at a time (first cadence, then hips, etc.).
- Pain rule 0–2/10: If it increases, reduce intensity or rest.
- Record yourself every 2–3 weeks from the same angle and pace to track progress.
- Strength training at least 2 times per week.
Focus on Overall Body Position for Better Running
- Head: Look ahead (not at your feet), with ears aligned with shoulders. Avoid "poking" your head forward.
- Shoulders: Open, back, and down (as if holding a pencil between your shoulder blades).
- Arms: Elbows at ~90°; movement from "chin to pockets." Keep elbows close to your body; don’t cross the midline, with thumbs "pointing to the sky."
- Hands: Relaxed.
- Torso: Tall and long, without slouching. Engage your core.
- Hips: Slight forward lean to "fall" in the direction of movement, without breaking the body’s line by bending at the hip.
- Knees: Aligned with the middle of the foot, landing under the knee.
- Legs (tibia): At contact, the tibia should be as close to perpendicular to the ground as possible. This way, you use your ankle, knee, and hip to absorb and propel.
- Feet: Midfoot strike if it comes naturally. If you’re a heavy heel or forefoot striker, don’t force it—prioritize proper footwear and overall technique.
If you take care of your technique, you’ll likely improve your running speed and reduce injury risk.
Jéssica Bonet
Bachelor’s in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, PhD in Biomedicine specializing in women’s running training. Founder of the Run4you running club in Barcelona. Runner since age 7, she has completed the Six Majors among other marathons and half marathons.
Website: jesbonet.com, Instagram: @jesbonet_run4you, YouTube: @JesBonet
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