Running Form

This paper by van Oeveren et al.[1] is one of my favorite papers of all time. It demystified running form for me, compressing the biomechanics into their core primitives: step length & duty factor:*

The dual-axis framework: a horizontal axis running from small step on the left to large step on the right, a vertical axis from long flight time at the top to long stance time at the bottom, and five stick-figure runners placed at the centre and at each of the four extremes, labelled Sit, Hop, Push, Bounce and Stick.
The biomechanics of running and running styles: a synthesis, Figure 7 - showcasing the five running styles[1]

I loved it so much I had to give it the ole laser cutter treatment, turning it into a poster for my office:

A square birch plywood panel on a dark wood surface, laser-engraved with the dual-axis running-style diagram: the two labelled axes, the circle and square guides, and the five runner panels marked Bounce, Hop, Sit, Push and Stick, with a credit line engraved in the bottom corner.
Sorry for the permanently-enshrined typo Ben! That's why I prefer software...

But I knew I could do better. It's hard to conceptualize different running forms from still images. So I brought them to life!:

Long flight time
Small step
Large step
Long stance time

What's the point? Running with better form can lighten the load your joints take on every step, and potentially even reduce your injury risk.

If there's one metric you should care about - it's cadence. Though the evidence is mixed, one study found that increasing your cadence by 5-10% can cut the energy your knees have to absorb on each landing by 20-34%[2]. And if you're a newer runner, a quicker cadence may be more oxygen-efficient [3]. To calculate your "ideal" target cadence (or at least, one that's probably good enough) - check out this cadence calculator.

Ryan YostJuly 30th, 2026

* normalized by leg length, while keeping speed fixed.

  1. [1]van Oeveren, B. T., de Ruiter, C. J., Beek, P. J., & van Dieën, J. H. (2021). The biomechanics of running and running styles: a synthesis. Sports Biomechanics, 23(4), 516–554.
  2. [2]Heiderscheit, B. C., Chumanov, E. S., Michalski, M. P., Wille, C. M., & Ryan, M. B. (2011). Effects of step rate manipulation on joint mechanics during running. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 43(2), 296–302. University of Wisconsin–Madison.
  3. [3]de Ruiter, C. J., Verdijk, P. W. L., Werker, W., Zuidema, M. J., & van Dieën, J. H. (2013). Stride frequency in relation to oxygen consumption in experienced and novice runners. European Journal of Sport Science, 14(3), 251–258.