How Symmetrical Is Your Running Form? Understanding Left / Right Balance | Strength Running - StrengthRunning

Intro: This is a quick summary of How Symmetrical Is Your Running Form? Understanding Left / Right Balance from StrengthRunning. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

• Use a foot‑contact sensor (e.g., Coros Pod 2) to measure the percentage of time each foot is on the ground. Aim for a left‑right imbalance of 2 % or less (≈ 52 % / 48 %).
• Faster running tends to increase asymmetry, so monitor form especially on speed work.
• When imbalance exceeds 2 %, focus on single‑leg strength and form drills to bring the legs back into balance.
• A simple routine (the Mace Single‑Leg Routine) can be used to target weaknesses on each side.

Workout Example

1. Uphill Strides – 15 repeats of a 5‑second uphill sprint at ~98 % of max speed (focus on even foot strike).
2. Threshold Run – 10 minutes at lactate‑threshold effort (comfortably hard), keeping the same cadence on both legs.
3. Single‑Leg Strength Circuit (repeat 3 ×):
   • 8 single‑leg dead‑lifts per side
   • 10 step‑ups onto a low box per side
   • 12 single‑leg glute bridges per side Rest 60 seconds between sets.

Practical Tips

• Record your left/right contact percentages after each run; if you see >2 % drift, add the single‑leg circuit 2‑3 times per week.
• Incorporate form drills (high‑knees, butt‑kicks, A‑skips) that force you to land with the same ground‑contact time on each leg.
• When adding speed work, start with shorter intervals and monitor asymmetry before extending the effort.

Closing Note: Try the symmetry check and the single‑leg routine today—adjust the paces to match your own training using the Pacing app. Keeping your legs balanced will help you stay stronger, faster, and injury‑free. Happy running!

References

• How Symmetrical Is Your Running Form? Understanding Left / Right Balance | Strength Running - YouTube (YouTube Video)

Workout - Symmetry Check Workout

• 10min @ 5'30''/km
• 15 lots of:
  • 5s @ 3'00''/km
  • 1min rest
• 2min @ 5'30''/km
• 10min @ 5'10''/km
• 10min @ 6'00''/km

Ready to start training?

If you already having the Pacing app, click try to import this workout:

Try in App Now

workout/symmetry-check-workout-c38693b0

Don’t have the app? Copy the reference above,
to import the workout after you install it.