When running, should your arms stay straight at a 90o angle and not cross your chest?

Question

When running, should your hands be free and loose or tight? Is having your arms not cross your chest make you go faster or what exactly happens?

Answer 1

i really agree with most of the stuff the other answer says. your body has a natural pace and form already programmed in. but if you want to run faster,you have to change that program to be more efficient. the ideal form is to have your head straight,looking up ahead.you want your shoulders not to move and your arms to be low.a good rule of thumb is for your hands to be able to touch your hips.the only thing you have to remember is that you DON'T want your arms to cross your chest,that's really bad. it tires you out faster,so don't do it!!!

Answer 2

Your arms should be at like a 70 degree angle when you run. When you sprint, they should be at a 90 degree angle. Really it doesn't matter if your arms cross your chest or not when you're doing long distance running, though in races and sprinting it is probably better to have them not cross your chest so they can propel you more. Just do whatever feels comfortable with your hands. Some people like their hands to be very loose, while others ball them into fists. Just make sure you're not creating tension in your hands, because that usually leads to tension in other parts of your body.

There is no one way to run. People tend to copy the styles of fast runners, but that can ignore what could be a more effective technique for each individual. Your body can decide what feels best.