Quiet, Relaxed Shoulders

How aware are we of our shoulders while we run? Sometimes on a long run I realize that my shoulders are creeping up to my ears. That’s my cue to take a deep breath and relax the shoulders.

That creates a chain reaction for runners: helping the upper body relax; giving us more room to breathe; setting up the conditions for a smooth pelvic rotation; resulting in a lengthier backswing of the legs. Doing a few alternating shoulder rolls once in awhile can help to ease up those muscles.

Along with relaxing the shoulders, Chi Running emphasizes ‘quiet’ shoulders. We don’t need to be pumping our shoulders, moving them forward and back. Let the arms do the swinging, while the shoulder remains stationary. Think of the shoulders as two headlights pointing forward consistently. From the shoulders up we want stability.

Keeping the shoulders low and quiet helps to maintain good running posture, allowing the larger core muscles to do the work of moving us forward. Efficiency and injury prevention - the Chi Running way.