Basic Racewalking Form

Niagara Walkers

Although there is not "one perfect racewalking form," most racewalkers incorporate the following concepts:

Stand erect, but not stiff, with neck/shoulders relaxed.
Keep your head erect, using your eyes to look down at the ground 12-20 feet ahead.
Bend your elbows at a 90 degree angle, holding each hand in a relaxed fist -- thumb on top.
Swing your arms with elbow close to your side, and with your fists defining an arc from your waistband to a point just outside and below the sternum.
Tilt your pelvis forward to reduce any swayback.
Let your hips rotate the asix of the spine -- rather than swaying the hips from side to side.
Do not plant your heel too far in front of your body - planing too far forward causes a braking action that slows you down and jolt the body.
Plant each heel with the forefoot elevated at a 30 to 45 degree angle to the ground, then roll over the supporting foot.
Left and right footprints should track a line no more than 4 inches wide (like walking on a balance beam).
Push off with the center toes of the trailing foot.

Comments: Web Coordinator
http://www.niagarawalkers.org/news/basic.html
Last updated: January 19, 2004