3 Easy Tips to Fix Your Run Form in 7 Minutes | Overstriding

[00:00:00] You don’t need new shoes or a new watch or to fix your form overnight, you need to stop overriding, here’s what actually causes overstriding and how to fix it for good. In this video, I’ll be going over what overstriding really is. Hint, it is not heel striking. Why it’s slows you down based on science, how to spot it instantly on video.

[00:00:21] The three step fix that actually works. I’m gonna give you it so you can sort it out yourself, and how Overstriding absolutely exposes a deeper problem in my training. A free download training plan so that you can fix your overstriding and a bunch more. I’m Darren D Lake. 30 years ago I was a sprinter, but now I’m turned a sub three hour marathoner and 10 hour Ironman finisher.

[00:00:42] I teach self-coach runners using science, my own experience, and I talk to all the experts because Overstriding was one of those mistakes. I fixed it and I want to help 10,000 more self-coach runners fix it too. Let’s get into the episode. What most runners get wrong about running form. When most runners think about run form, they obsess either about higher cadence or about foot strike, heel midfoot, four foot strike, et cetera.

[00:01:07] But the real problem, it isn’t where your foot lands, it’s how far out your landing overstriding means that your foot is landing too far out in front of the center of your mass, so the middle of your body, and that creates a braking force. Think of it like every step is hitting the accelerator in a car.

[00:01:23] But you’re also, your foot’s tapping the brake at the same time, so you’re slowing down your stride with every single step. Quick run science nerd. Break studies show that runners who land closer to the middle of their body create less impact force and run more efficiently. What does that mean? Less pounding, less injury risk, more efficiency so you can go forward with less energy.

[00:01:44] So what does fixing your overstriding actually look like in practice and how do we do it? The three step overriding fix. Here’s what’s worked for me and a whole bunch of other runners that I coach. Step one, feel it. Do barefoot strides on grass or use minimalist shoes if you can. It’s not for performance.

[00:02:02] You’re not trying to go fast. Just feel where your foot lands Most runners overstride because they’ve never felt the difference. ’cause they have shoes with a whole lot of technology, a whole lot of cushioning in between, and that doesn’t allow you to feel where to step properly under your body, under your center of mass.

[00:02:16] Step two, film it. You can prop your phone up somewhere, make sure you want it level to your hips and your head. You don’t want it on the ground. Use a tripod if you can or something else at the track or at some level field if you know that it’s level. And make sure you film in slow motion. Go into camera settings, put it at 60 frames per second or higher.

[00:02:35] That’s slow motion. The higher the frame. So we’re gonna slow it down. You can use any app, just Google any app on your app store, play store or whatever. And you can get that. And then you can slow it down. You can draw lines from your hips and see where you step frame by frame. And if your foot is landing in front of that line, boom, that’s overstriding.

[00:02:51] A little bit of overstride. Is okay, but you don’t want excessive overstriding. Step three, increase your cadence. So now with all this information, we can use quick feet shorter strides by doing hills. Quick science nerd break A 2025 study in nature Scientific reports found that uphill running naturally makes you take faster steps, spend less time in the air, and stay on the ground longer compared to flat running.

[00:03:15] So what does this mean? When you run uphill, your body automatically uses the exact movements that fix overriding shorter, quicker steps. And foot landing closer to the middle of your body. It’s like having a running form coach that forces perfect technique without you having to think about it. Here’s the asterisk about cadence that a lot of people might not tell you.

[00:03:33] There’s no magic number that works for everyone. Elite runners might hit 190 steps per minute, Elliot Oggi world class marathoner, but while recreational and amateur runners might find in their sweet spot between 160 and 175 steps per minute, your height. Leg length, running speed and experience all play a role.

[00:03:50] Even choose, instead of chasing a specific number, focus on this. Gradually increase your current cadence by one to 2% per month. If you’re at 160 steps per minute and you wanna go up, aim for a hundred sixty two, a hundred sixty three next month. This gradual approach naturally shortens your stride and reduces overstriding without forcing unnatural rhythm.

[00:04:10] If you change your form too quickly, you can get. Injured. So you can use a metronome app during strides to feel a difference or music. I did a whole episode on using Music and Metronomes. You could check that out up here or in your podcast player show notes or in the video description below. Get that link.

[00:04:25] But you’ll notice your feet start landing closer to under your hips instead of out front. When you shorten that stride, the key. Is patience. Small, consistent increases over months. Create lasting changes in your running mechanics. So now here’s where running advice gets it wrong. Again, they give you the what, but skip the how.

[00:04:44] When your body isn’t ready, some of you might try increasing your cadence and you feel awkward, or you find your calves or Achilles are absolutely on fire or burning hurts or et cetera. After a few runs. That is normal. Your hip flexors, glutes, calf, muscles, tendons, ligaments, they all need to adapt slowly to this new movement pattern.

[00:05:03] That’s exactly why I created my six month cadence builder. It doesn’t just tell you to run with faster feet. It includes the strength work, plyometrics. Form drills and progressive buildup, your body needs to make these changes stick. Download my free six month cadence builder at the QR code here, the link below, or in the show notes of your podcast players app.

[00:05:25] It will teach you patience and consistency and build it over time, not just fix it once. So if we can increase overriding with shorter steps, what’s really causing the overreaching of your stride, the real problem is patience. Overstriding is a form issue, right? But I think it’s actually a fitness mismatch issue.

[00:05:43] So when you run faster than you earn, your brain panics. You reach with your stride instead of pulling from behind, because in your head you’re chasing a pace, not matching your fitness. Overstriding became a signal for me, not that I needed drills, but I needed. Patience. We all need patience. Quick run science nerve break.

[00:06:01] A 2021 study looked at 68 different research papers on running and tiredness. They found something important. When runners get tired, they spend more time touching the ground. With each step, the knee bends more when their foot hits the ground and they start leaning forward. What’s happening here? So when you get tired, your calf muscles don’t fire up as quickly before your foot hits the ground.

[00:06:22] This means you can’t handle the shock of landing as well. Your body tries to fix this by staying on the ground longer and changing how you stand. But this usually makes you over stride. It’s your body trying to protect itself, but it’s exactly when you’re running form gets worse and you waste a whole lot of energy and why you need.

[00:06:37] Patience with the six month cadence plan. So now you know everything about overstriding and how to stop it, but even if you stop overstriding, you’re probably still wondering where should my foot land? But before we go over where your foot should land, again, if you wanna fix your overstriding, make sure to get that six month free Cadence Building plan.

[00:06:54] Huge bonus. You’ll automatically get signed up to my five minutes or less per week email newsletter. Where I’ll send you tools and tactics around VO two max, low heart rate training, mental fitness, and a whole bunch more. I do some deep dives. It’s kind of fun. Download it at the QR code, the link below. So again, we understand overriding. [00:07:10] But here’s the problem. You’ll still need to know exactly how your foot should land. Check out the video on heel strike versus midfoot versus four foot strike next to find out which is best because that’s where we solve the complete form drill puzzle basis.