People who decide to start running often worry about getting the perfect stride, but a new study suggests that your natural, habitual stride is most effective for the body, even if you're inexperienced.
The scientists gathered 33 runners, both experienced and inexperienced, to participate in a 20-minute race on a treadmill. The participants tried five different step speeds, and during the run they wore masks that measured the amount of oxygen their bodies were using. It turned out that the body used oxygen in the most efficient way when people "naturally" ran.
The results were published in the International Journal of Exercise Science, which is being worked on by scientists and professors from Brigham Young University who are runners themselves.
The participants included 19 experienced runners who ran an average of 32 kilometers per week and 14 inexperienced runners who never ran more than eight kilometers per week. The scientists examined five different types of steps using a metronome that rang each time the foot hit the ground. Among the steps were the natural steps of runners, as well as those eight or 16 percent faster or slower, reports klix.ba.
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