With proper resistance training and uphill training days worked into your training schedule, you’ll notice a solid improvement on your uphill running efficiency. In order to minimize the amount of wasted energy when running uphill, focus on keeping as close to a normal running posture as possible. Fight the tendency to lean forward excessively when battling the inclines, and allow your stride to naturally shorten to a length that fits the gradient. Leaning too far forwardmakes breathing more difficult and overworks the back and hamstrings. As you begin to fatigue you may also notice arm swing will shift to more of a lateral motion and the torso develops a twisting motion with each stride. This is often a sign that you’re wasting a great deal of energy and putting strain on your back and hips. Shorten up that stride and focus on keeping an erect torso supported with a good front/back arm swing. With proper conditioning you should be able to maintain your stride and form on grades up to 6% with very little variation.
