One long-enduring myth is that you can do butt kicks for speed: If you kick your butt, you’ll get a little extra boost from the hamstring contractions, thereby taking longer strides. But is it true? According to running coach Megan Roche, MD, not necessarily.
"Building hamstring strength is key for running power, however, the goal of running [longer distances] is not to have longer strides,” she says. “Optimal cadence ranges from 165 to 190. Stride power is best supported via knee drive, consisting of ‘high-heel recovery,’ or hip-driven foot lift, underneath your body, in a cyclical motion.”
If that feels like a whole lot of science to you, you’re not alone. Fortunately for us, Dr. Roche says that running watches and apps like Strava can help athletes cue into their cadence.
- Bec Wilcock, Nike running coach and athletic advisor at Ladder
- Ciara Lucas, CPT, certified professional trainer, RRCA-certified running coach, and Senior Health & Fitness Writer + Correspondent for Well+Good
- Megan Roche, MD, Megan Roche, MD, is a running coach for Strava.
But still, can that booty kick help at all? As a Nike running coach Bec Wilcock sees it, it’s all about having the mobility to perform the kick that will actually lend to your running ability.
“If you have full mobility to get the leg behind you and you have excellent core control, the glute max will be able to perform its chief function,” she says. “This will help you posturally maintain an upright position in your trunk and you will have better propulsion force, or the ability to move forward.”
In that way, she says that, yes, increasing the range of motion within the hip extension (when your leg moves behind you prior to toe-off) will give you an extra boost to propel yourself forward during your run. Which, ultimately, can help speed things up. But butt kicks aren't necessarily the best way to get that range of motion.
“This doesn't mean that we over-stride,” she adds. “That's a big no-no. We want the pendulum (legs) moving equally in front and in back of you at all speeds.”
At the end of the day, butt kicks are probably left to use as drills during your pre-run warmup. There are other, better, ways to reliably gain some speed.
Here's how to actually get faster at running
1. Run tall
"Focusing on running tall is a great first step,” says Dr. Roche. “This helps eliminate sinking down in the stride, which can cause higher ground reaction forces and lower cadence or step rate.”
2. Lean forward ever so slightly
“Focusing on a slight forward lean (without bending at the waist) encourages more efficient footfall,” Dr. Roche says.
3. Relax into your stride
"Relaxation is key to achieving running form that is light on feet and quick,” Dr. Roche says. “I often have athletes start by relaxing their face and jaw before relaxing their shoulders. It's common for tension to originate from these areas and spread down through the lower legs.”
4. Focus on full range of motion
“Full mobility of the hip, ankle, and ball of the foot ensures that the pendulum (your leg swing) can swing equally in front and behind the trunk of your body (your center of mass),” Wilcock explains, noting that this helps you run efficiently and can even make you faster.
5. Stay loose
“In distance running, you want to avoid swinging the arms with excess energy, so holding the upper body high and loose helps,” Dr. Roche says.
6. Be mindful of being light on your feet
“I encourage athletes to think about being light on their feet,” says Dr. Roche. “Sprinters think about maximum power in each stride, but distance runners should consider quick, efficient strides that minimize impact.”
7. Add stability training to your training program
“This can improve the control and power delivery of the musculoskeletal system to stabilize and propel you forward,” Wilcock explains. “Start by incorporating 'smart' exercises (single leg, glute, and hip movements). These 'smart' exercises can improve coordination and cue specific muscles to work in the right way with correct postural alignment.”
8. Run slower than you think you should
It may sound backward, but it’s true. "Running slower can actually make you faster," says Ciara Lucas, CPT, RRCA-certified run coach and writer for Well+Good. "The fancy term for this is 'zone 2 training.' It’s when you run at a steady pace that feels like an easy to moderate effort."
Lucas says you should be able to hold a conversation at this pace—and that running in zone 2 should be the bulk of your training to help strengthen your heart and lungs. It’s not beneficial to always be pushing it to the max!
9. Don’t skip recovery
Intentional post-run recovery should be prioritized just as much as hard training. In order to reach new goals and improve your performance, your body needs adequate time to rest and rebuild the muscles that are being activated when you run.
"Take at least one day completely off from running if you can," Lucas says. "If you insist on running every day (some people love having run streaks), make sure you are including recovery runs, [which are] very light and controlled efforts that will have less muscle damage."
Does pumping your arms ever help?
Exaggerated swinging is not the move for distance runners. That said, Dr. Roche says that upper body movement depends on the type of distance you’re training for.
"For distances over 400 meters, holding the upper body high and loose is key for minimizing excess energy,” she says. “In my coaching practice, I refer to the ideal distance running upper body position as ‘T-Rex’ arms, emphasizing the idea that large arm swings are not efficient. The arms can help determine cadence/turnover so large arm swings generally reduce turnover."
In other words, if your goal is to go far as fast as possible, focus primarily on your legs, not your upper body.
That said, if you’re in the final moments of a race, Wilcock admits that speeding up your arms can help give you the momentum to also speed up your legs.
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