Mastering proper running form makes you faster, more efficient, and less injury-prone.
And, one of the ways to improve your form is by addressing vertical oscillation, a measurement of how much your body moves up and down as you run.
Determining your vertical oscillation and making sure it aligns with the recommended range of 5 to 10 cm is important for all runners, whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or you’re a beginner wanting to avoid injury and improve your technique.
We’re about this explain what vertical oscillation is, why it matters, how to determine yours, and tips for ensuring yours is within the ideal range.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- What Is Vertical Oscillation & A Good Vertical Oscillation Range?
- How To Assess Your Vertical Oscillation
- What Happens When You Have Too Much Or Too Little Vertical Oscillation
- Tips For Achieving Ideal Vertical Oscillation
What Is Vertical Oscillation?
Vertical oscillation, also referred to as vertical bounce, measures how much you move up and down, or bounce, with each running stride.
- This is important because a runner with too much vertical oscillation expends extra energy moving up and down, rather than propelling forward, making them slower and less efficient.
- Alternatively, a runner with too little vertical oscillation more frequently shuffles, resulting in not using their feet to propel forward, a key component of fast running.
When comparing two runners, one with good vertical oscillation and the other with too much, the head of the runner who has good vertical oscillation will remain steady and not drastically bounce up and down as they run.
But, you’ll notice that the head of a runner with too much vertical oscillation moves up and down far more.
What Is A Good Vertical Oscillation Range For Running?
When running, a good vertical oscillation range is between 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) with every stride.
Higher than this range is too much vertical movement, and lower than this means you’re likely dragging or shuffling your feet.
This range was derived from numerous research studies that looked what changes vertical oscillation had on a multitude of factors.
These findings are perhaps best summarized in this 2018 study, which found that vertical oscillation of 5-10cm can promote proper running form, improve efficiency and economy, increase speed, and mitigate your chance of injury.
How To Determine Your Vertical Oscillation
Now that you know what the ideal vertical oscillation range is, you must determine what your vertical bounce is.
There are two options, depending on what you have available for assessment.
Exercise 1: Vertical Bounce Self-Assessment
This assessment is simple. Either record yourself or have a running buddy record you while running and then review your footage after.
Self-Assessment Directions:
- Find a space where you can run long enough to fall into your comfortable running stride.
- Either set up a camera at a distance where it can record you running, or ask a friend to record you.
- Start running at your normal pace for about 20-30 seconds, making sure a portion of your running is recorded.
- As you look at the footage, focus on the movement of your head and upper body. Is there too much up-and-down movement occurring with your strides?
- Check out your feet and lower body. Do your lower body muscles look tense? Are you shuffling rather than running?
- Make note of your form so you can compare them to the signs of high and low oscillation we’ll review shortly.
Exercise 2: Vertical Oscillation Tracker
If you have an app or fitness tracker that monitors motion, this is an effective way to determine your starting vertical bounce. Ochy and Runmatic are two examples of smartphone apps that will assess your vertical oscillation.
Directions:
- Use a fitness tracker or smartphone app that will measure your vertical bounce. Start the running mode before beginning your run.
- While running, the tracker should provide you with real-time data, including your vertical oscillation measurement.
- Focus on maintaining your vertical bounce within the ideal range (5 to 10 cm or 2 to 4 inches) during your run.
- If your vertical oscillation exceeds or falls below the ideal range, adjust your running form by focusing on tips we’ll discuss shortly, such as slight forward lean, landing and pushing off with the balls of your feet, and avoiding tense muscles.
- After your run, review the app’s data to assess your overall vertical bounce.
What Happens If You Have Too Much Vertical Oscillation
If your vertical oscillation is above 10 cm, you have too much vertical bounce.
Too much vertical motion is inefficient as it wastes energy with every stride. Rather than helping to propel you forward efficiently, too much bounce causes you to expend more energy moving up and down.
If you have an overly high vertical bounce, you’ll use more energy running at the same speed, compared to if your vertical oscillation was in the ideal range.
In addition, a vertical bounce that exceeds 10 cm can also increase your injury risk.
This 2018 study also found that when vertical oscillation is too high, it increases the impact force each time your feet return to the ground, increasing your risk of injuries, specifically stress injuries to bones and joints.
Risks & Results Of A High Vertical Bounce:
- Your running form isn’t efficient because you’re using too much energy moving vertically, rather than forward.
- You’re landing with too much force with every stride, significantly increasing your injury risk.
Runners with a vertical oscillation that falls within the 5 cm to 10 cm range are more efficient in maximizing forward progress and energy compared to runners with a vertical bounce of over 10 cm.
What Happens If You Have Too Little Vertical Oscillation
If your vertical oscillation is too low, meaning below 5 cm, or two inches, you have low vertical bounce.
Runners that don’t have enough vertical oscillation don’t produce enough force to propel forward, resulting in a runner shuffling rather than running.
This 2022 study explains that while running, there is a brief moment when your feet are not in contact with the ground, which is an indicator of proper running form and effective use of power.
The less time your feet are on the ground, the more time you are traveling forward. The more you travel forward, the quicker and more efficient you are.
Risks & Results Of Low Vertical Oscillation:
- You likely have a higher ground contact time and aren’t spending enough time in the flight phase of your stride.
- You are not producing enough power for your feet to leave the ground and propel you forward.
- Your stride is too short.
Limiting ground contact and ensuring that you have adequate vertical oscillation will improve your running speed and efficiency.
Tips To Help You Achieve Good Vertical Oscillation
Working on your vertical oscillation can improve your overall running form, efficiency, economy, and speed, which in turn increases your performance and reduces your chance of injury.
There are five main tips to ensure good vertical oscillation while running. They include:
- Have a slight forward lean.
- Land and push off with the balls of your feet.
- Avoid shuffling or dragging your feet.
- Avoid tense muscles.
- Avoid an overly short stride.
Let’s look at each of these in more detail. It may be helpful to ask yourself each of these questions while running and after running, so you can identify where your weak areas are.
1. Do You Have A Slight Forward Lean?
A slight lean forward when running will help you to move forward rather than vertically.
This 2017 study shows that while the amount of forward lean varies between runners and depends on the runner’s speed and acceleration, proper running economy and performance occur with a forward lean of at least 5 degrees.
The video below will help you visualize what an ideal forward lean should look like when running.
Tips For Correct Forward Lean:
In addition, here are some tips to help you incorporate forward lean into your running form.
- Start Small During Easy Runs: If a forward lean is new to your running form, start by practicing it during your easy runs or warm-ups. Begin with a very subtle lean, about 5 degrees forward, and adjust to that before increasing it further. When you lean forward, it should come from your ankles, not your waist. It should feel like a slight shift in your center of gravity but not so significant that you feel like you’re falling forward.
- Focus On Form: A common mistake runners make is to lean forward from the waist, but your forward lean should come from your ankles. Keep your upper body tall and straight with no rounded shoulders or hunched back. Keeping your core engaged will help support correct forward lean.
- Practice Running Drills: Incorporate running drills that emphasize ideal form and forward lean, including high knees, A-skip, B-skip, butt kicks, ankling, and strides. These drills will help support correct movement patterns and build muscle memory for maintaining a slight forward lean during running.
- Gradually Increase Your Lean: Once you adjust to a small lean, you can gradually increase your forward lean more as you become more comfortable with it. A good forward lean goal is around 10 degrees forward from the ankles. It’s important to note that this will vary from runner to runner, so pay attention to your body, how it feels, and any discomfort that may occur. Also avoid excessive leaning, which can lead to placing too much strain on your muscles and throwing off your balance.
2. Are You Pushing Off With The Balls Of Your Feet?
If you are not pushing off the ground from the balls of your feet, or mid-heel, you are producing too much force vertically, likely resulting in vertical oscillation that’s too high.
Including running stride drills in your training is a great way to train yourself to push off the ground using the balls of your feet.
This drill will help you practice pushing off with the balls of your feet:
- Find a space where you can run 50 to 100m accelerations.
- Begin at a jog, building up to a moderate speed, gradually slowing to a stop.
- One stride should take you about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Focus on landing and pushing off the balls of your feet with every stride.
Practice landing and pushing off the balls of your feet to ensure that you are reducing your vertical oscillation to the proper range. Focus on keeping your head steady level with each repetition.
Many great drills aren’t time-consuming and will help you perfect your form. This video highlights some of our favorites:
3. Are You Shuffling Or Dragging Your Feet?
If you are dragging your feet, you don’t have enough vertical oscillation, meaning you are not producing enough power while running.
To fix shuffling or dragging your feet, work on picking up your feet and pushing off the ground harder by engaging your calves more.
If you feel that your calves are weak, then you may want to include additional strength training. Calf strengthening exercises could include straight leg calf raises and bent knee calf raises.
Here are some tips to help you correct foot shuffling while running:
- Increase Your Stride Length: If you’re shuffling or dragging your feet, your stride is likely too short. To correct this, focus on lengthening your stride slightly by pushing off more forcefully with each step. A more forceful push-off helps propel you forward, reducing your shuffling.
- Lift Your Feet: Focus on lifting your feet higher off the ground with each stride. Focus on making your foot clear the ground before your next step.
- Improve Ankle Flexibility: If you have limited ankle flexibility, it likely is playing a role in shuffling or dragging your feet. Incorporate mobility moves such as ankle circles, calf stretches, and ankle dorsiflexion exercises into your routine to increase ankle flexibility.
- Focus On Where Your Foot Lands: As you tune into your foot landing, you may notice that your instinctual form is to reach your feet out in front of your body, which can cause dragging or shuffling. Instead, focus on having your foot land directly underneath your center of gravity with every stride.
- Increase Your Cadence: Increasing the number of steps you take per minute (also referred to as cadence) can help you avoid shuffling or dragging your feet. Start by counting your natural cadence to see how many steps per minute you’re taking. Now, target a cadence of anywhere from 170-180 steps per minute by taking shorter, more powerful steps. This range will help your stride become smoother and more efficient while eliminating foot shuffling.
- Incorporate Running Drills: Drills that emphasize lifting and driving your knees upward can help train you to pick up your feet when running. Some good drills include high knees, butt kicks, and skipping drills.
4. Do Your Legs Feel Tense?
Too much tension in your legs can cause too much vertical bounce.
Tight legs occur because tension in the quads and calves prevents your ankles and knees from properly flexing and extending in their full range of motion, resulting in vertical bouncing and less efficient strides.
This 2015 study found that stiff leg muscles increased vertical oscillation, which exacerbated the impact of each foot strike on the bones and joints of the leg, leading to a greater chance of injury.
The study also found that the increase in vertical oscillation resulted in shorter strides and a rise in energy expenditure.
This increase in energy expenditure was higher than when the participants ran at the same speed with less vertical oscillation.
To fix tense leg muscles when running:
- Focus on relaxing your leg muscles, ankles, and knees while running to allow them to absorb the impact of each stride.
- It may be helpful to shake your body out or slow your pace down until you feel relaxed.
- If you unintentionally tense up when running, check in with yourself regularly throughout your run to ensure you haven’t re-tensed.
5. Is your Stride Too Short?
Shortening your stride will help improve your running form, but be wary of shortening your stride too much as it can eliminate the force you need to propel forward.
This issue is similar to shuffling, but if you are taking overly short strides while running, your vertical oscillation is likely too low.
Low vertical bounce can also place strain on your hamstrings, so it’s important not to shorten your stride too significantly.
Overly short strides are often a result of stiffness in the leg muscles, particularly the hip flexors or quads.
To counteract this stiffness, work on improving your hip strength, quads, and overall leg flexibility. Here are some great exercises to strengthen your hips, glutes, and hamstrings.
In addition, many of the tips we discussed for addressing foot shuffling will also help you correct an overly short stride.
Vertical Oscillation Takeaways
Vertical oscillation plays a significant role in determining how efficient and effective your running form is. The ideal vertical oscillation range falls between 5 cm to 10 cm.
By understanding and optimizing your vertical bounce, you’ll run faster, further, and more efficiently, all while minimizing your injury risk.
And, as you work to improve your running form, remember that it takes time to alter the way you run.
Identify your problem areas using the questions and self-tracking suggestions featured in this article, and then begin incorporating the recommendations and training tips we discussed to help you improve your vertical bounce range.
