A correct arm swing (elbows at 90°, forward-and-back motion) isn’t a detail, but a fundamental biomechanical element that stabilizes the core, counterbalances the hips, and sets the rhythm for your cadence, making your run faster and more efficient.
- Why they’re important: Your arms balance your hips’ rotation. If your arms don’t work, your core has to work overtime to keep you from twisting, wasting energy.
- How to move them: Relaxed, with elbows bent at about 90 degrees. The movement starts from the shoulder, not the elbow, and goes “from pocket to cheek” (forward and back), not “side to side.”
- Common Mistake #1 (Crossing over): Moving your arms across your chest. This rotates your shoulders and brakes your forward momentum.
- Common Mistake #2 (Tense Shoulders): Holding your shoulders glued to your ears. This is a huge waste of energy and creates tension. Relax them!
- Drills: They can be trained while standing still, focusing on the correct movement to build the habit.
Your Arms Aren’t Cargo to Be Carried: They Are the Metronome for Your Run.
When you think about how to run faster, what do you think of? Your legs, obviously. Your breath, your heart rate, your shoes. You think of everything except your arms.
For many runners, arms are just an accessory. Cargo to be carried, something that’s just… there… moving “just because.” This is a mistake. A mistake that costs you effort, stability, and, ultimately, speed.
Your arms aren’t unwanted passengers: they are the conductor, the rudder, the metronome for your run. Ignoring them means running with the “brakes on,” wasting energy with every single step. If you want to run better, you have to learn to “drive” with your upper body.
Biomechanics in 30 Seconds: Why Your Arms Are the Counterweight to Your Hips
Running is a matter of balance and rotation. When your right leg moves forward, the right side of your pelvis rotates forward. To avoid twisting yourself like a corkscrew, your body needs a counterbalance.
That counterbalance is your left arm swinging forward.
A correct arm swing (forward and back, opposite the legs) cancels out the torso’s rotation. This allows your core to stay stable, compact, and transfer all the force generated by your legs directly into the pavement, in the direction you want to go: forward.
Furthermore, your arms set the rhythm. Try running fast while moving your arms slowly: it’s impossible. The frequency at which you move your arms (your “arm cadence”) directly influences your foot turnover (your running cadence). It’s no coincidence that if you want to increase your steps per minute, the best method is to move your arms faster.
The Most Common Mistakes That Waste Your Energy (and How to Spot Them)
Next time you run, or watch other runners, look out for these two mistakes. They are the main energy “handbrakes.”
- The Crossover (“Closing the gate”)
This is the most common mistake. Instead of swinging straight (forward and back), the arms cross the body’s midline. The hands move toward the chest, the elbows flare out. This movement rotates the shoulders and torso. You are using your arms to “brake” your forward momentum, forcing your core to overwork to stabilize you. It’s a huge waste of energy. - Shoulders “in Your Ears”
You run tense. Your shoulders are high, tight, glued to your ears. Your elbows are locked. In this position, you not only limit your swing’s range of motion, but you are also holding constant tension in your traps, neck, and shoulder muscles. This useless isometric contraction burns oxygen and energy that should be going to your legs.
In both cases, you are using your upper body against your run, not for your run.
3 Practical Drills to Train a Perfect Arm Swing (Even While Standing Still)
Arm technique can (and should) be trained. The best part is that you can do it standing still, in your living room, to build muscle memory.
1. Seated Drill (Focus on Movement)
- Come si fa: Sit on the floor cross-legged or on a chair, back straight. This locks your pelvis and forces you to focus only on your upper body. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, hands relaxed (not clenched fists!). Start swinging, initiating from the shoulder. The movement must be forward and back. Your hand comes up to your cheek, then goes down to your pocket.
- Focus: Your elbows must stay in, close to your sides. They shouldn’t flare out. Do 3 sets of 30-45 seconds, first slowly and then increasing the frequency.
2. Standing Drill (The Rhythm)
- Come si fa: Same thing, but standing, in a running stance (one foot slightly forward). Swing your arms as in step 1, but this time, feel how the arm movement sets a rhythm.
- Focus: Your shoulders must be down and relaxed. You should feel the movement starting from the shoulder, not from the elbow “flapping.” Your torso is still, stabilized by your core.
3. Running in Place with Focus (The Transfer)
- Come si fa: Start running in place. For the first 30 seconds, run “poorly” on purpose (tense shoulders, crossing your arms). Then, for the next 30 seconds, apply the correct technique: relax your shoulders, bring your elbows to 90°, swing straight.
- Focus: Feel the immediate difference. Feel how, by moving your arms correctly, your cadence in place becomes easier, lighter, and faster.
Less Effort, More Speed: The Immediate Benefits of a Correct Arm Swing
When you start using your arms the right way, two things happen.
First, you save energy. Your core no longer has to fight against rotation, freeing up precious resources for your legs. You run more efficiently.
Second, you drive the rhythm. When you’re tired, at the end of a long run or a race, the first thing to go isn’t your legs; it’s your posture. Your shoulders hunch, your arms stop moving correctly. That’s the moment you need to think: “Shoulders down, elbows back!” Actively starting to move your arms again will force your legs to follow that rhythm.
Your arms are the steering wheel and the accelerator for your run. Learn to use them.