Low or High Action for middle/long distance running?

Hamish Bond wrote:

Is it more efficient to have a low or high arm action for middle/long distance running?

Does a low arm action save wasted energy?

Low arm action - Peter Snell, Ron Clarke, Fernando Mamede, Alberto Cova and Ryan Hall.

High arm action - Kip Keino, Jim Ryun, Said Aouita, Paul Tergat, Mo Farah and Eliud Kipchoge.

The basic premise as I understood it is that Warhurst believes many athletes hold their arms too low or too high with tight shoulders. The consequences being loss of speed, relaxation and rhythm – he prefers to see the arms held with elbows at 90 degrees and swinging to about the midline of the torso – somewhat similar to the way I’ve read Alberto Salazar describe an optimal nipple to nipple arm-swing. The second part of the explanation really got me interested.

As ever in discussions about running technique there is a contradictory view – probably the most strident naysayer of the role of the arms in running technique was legendary New Zealander Arthur Lydiard who said “when I train athletes I try to make their legs go faster, not their arms.”

Is it more efficient to have a low or high arm action for middle/long distance running?

I don't claim to know the answer, but I doubt that there is one answer that applies to everyone. I think that your job is to find the action that is most efficient for you.

one thing I do find it interesting to think about is that when I am doing proprioception drills, I concentrate on my arm position as a way of controlling my speed. lower is slower, for me, at least.

then one day I was watching a 10,000m race with Brendan Foster doing the commmentary and he noted that the runner in 2nd place, who I seem to recall was Craig Virgin, had lowered his arm position slightly, and Brendan said this indicated a loss of concentration. to me it was a control thing, but to Brendan Foster it was a concentration thing.

I also think it interesting to think, as Denbigh suggested, about the role that arms play in changing pace. in his book Peter Coe, a non-runner, said that faster arms make faster feet, while in his book The Art of Running Faster, Julian Goater (13:30 for 5km and British X-country champion) said the exact opposite, that faster feet make faster arms. as a coach I teach lads to think of their upper body as their gearbox. to change pace you should shorten the stride and increase the cadence by driving with the arms. I guess that puts me in the Peter Coe camp.

cheers.

It makes some sense that Lydiard dismissed the important of arm action, considering that his first great runner was Murray Hallberg.

I use my arms less than many, but have realized in my easy runs that my heartrate declines by 2 bpm when i consciously swing my arms more (around 90grade angle, and they are not going towards the nipples, more straight forward)/ or I can run a tad faster at same heartrate.

Always feel more efficient using a high arm swing. Ie like eliud Kipchoge

Hamish Bond wrote:

Is it more efficient to have a low or high arm action for middle/long distance running?

Does a low arm action save wasted energy?

Low arm action - Peter Snell, Ron Clarke, Fernando Mamede, Alberto Cova and Ryan Hall.

High arm action - Kip Keino, Jim Ryun, Said Aouita, Paul Tergat, Mo Farah and Eliud Kipchoge.

Kenyans have always been proponent of the high arm action whether it is middle distance or long distance.

Alexander Nix wrote:

Hamish Bond wrote:

Is it more efficient to have a low or high arm action for middle/long distance running?

Does a low arm action save wasted energy?

Low arm action - Peter Snell, Ron Clarke, Fernando Mamede, Alberto Cova and Ryan Hall.

High arm action - Kip Keino, Jim Ryun, Said Aouita, Paul Tergat, Mo Farah and Eliud Kipchoge.

Kenyans have always been proponent of the high arm action whether it is middle distance or long distance.

Except Wilson Kipsang.

The Ethio and Kenyan women practically carry their hands next to their ears.

Except wrote:

Alexander Nix wrote:

Kenyans have always been proponent of the high arm action whether it is middle distance or long distance.

Except Wilson Kipsang.

The Ethio and Kenyan women practically carry their hands next to their ears.

Kipsang's arm action is indeed low for a Kenyan.

It is only natural that the shorter distance runners typically have higher arm action. David Rudisha and Wilson Kipeketer for example.

Hamish Bond wrote:

Is it more efficient to have a low or high arm action for middle/long distance running?

Does a low arm action save wasted energy?

Low arm action - Peter Snell, Ron Clarke, Fernando Mamede, Alberto Cova and Ryan Hall.

High arm action - Kip Keino, Jim Ryun, Said Aouita, Paul Tergat, Mo Farah and Eliud Kipchoge.

Peter Elliot is another low armer.

Hamish Bond wrote:

Is it more efficient to have a low or high arm action for middle/long distance running?

Does a low arm action save wasted energy?

Low arm action - Peter Snell, Ron Clarke, Fernando Mamede, Alberto Cova and Ryan Hall.

High arm action - Kip Keino, Jim Ryun, Said Aouita, Paul Tergat, Mo Farah and Eliud Kipchoge.

Who was that Olympic Chinese woman runner who ran with her arms by her side?

Hamish Bond wrote:

Is it more efficient to have a low or high arm action for middle/long distance running?

Does a low arm action save wasted energy?

Low arm action - Peter Snell, Ron Clarke, Fernando Mamede, Alberto Cova and Ryan Hall.

High arm action - Kip Keino, Jim Ryun, Said Aouita, Paul Tergat, Mo Farah and Eliud Kipchoge.

Samuel Wanjiru had a pretty low arm action especially for a Kenyan.

Except wrote:

Alexander Nix wrote:

Kenyans have always been proponent of the high arm action whether it is middle distance or long distance.

Except Wilson Kipsang.

The Ethio and Kenyan women practically carry their hands next to their ears.

Snell and Kipsang have pretty much the same low running arm action.