What is running? What movements are involved when one runs? Running is different from walking because of the flight phase (or time when you are in the air, and your feet are not on the ground). Instead of a flight phase, walking has a double stance phase, where both feet are making contact with the ground. At no time while you are running, do you have both feet on the ground at once.
You take off from one leg, fly through the air, land on the other, and repeat. Over and over again for step after step, mile after mile. Since running is the process of jumping from one foot to another to cover a distance, being able to balance on one leg is incredibly important.
Try standing on one leg. Can you do it?
Can you maintain your balance for 30 seconds? Can you maintain your balance for longer? Now try standing on one leg and turn your head from side to side.
Are you able to keep your balance When you try to balance on one leg, does your foot claw at the floor? Is your knee diving in towards your other knee? Are you moving your hips from side to side? Or are you able to stand relatively still, and only have to make some minor adjustments to your stature?
Now imagine that you are running, and with every footfall you have to make the same adjustments to your foot, knee and hips that you do when trying to statically balance on one leg. If you find that you are moving around quite a bit, then that is a lot of energy lost. Additionally, these extraneous movements can put a strain on joints such as your hips, knees and ankles leading to overuse injuries in those areas.
Being able to maintain a single leg stance can be important in helping to prevent injuries from running. So go ahead, practice it. Stand on one foot and go up on your toes. Stand on one foot and start to bend forward at your hips while bringing the other leg behind you. Do not bend at your back (Yogis, think warrior III).
Stand on one foot while inside, and outside on the grass. Now try standing on one foot on the BOSU ball with the flat side up.
Practicing single leg stance is one of the easiest ways to work on your balance, and therefore running form. You can stand on one leg while reading your email on your smartphone, while waiting for the bus, or while waiting in line at the grocery store. When you go to put on your socks and shoes before heading out to run, don’t sit down. Instead, stand on your other foot while trying to put on your sock and shoe. Being able to balance on one leg is an important skill to master in order to be a better runner.