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What muscles make you run faster?

Hamstrings Located in the back of the thigh, the hamstrings are a two-joint muscle that extend the hip and control the leg. They are responsible for force production in the push-off phase. If you want to run faster or sprint efficiently, strong hamstrings are a necessity.

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There’s nothing like the feeling of finishing a run. Your body has worked hard, and the surge of endorphins is giving you the famed runner’s high. But which muscles specifically have been switched on throughout your run? Is it all lower body as your feet strike out to carry you forward? Or is it more upper body, with your arms driving you? Let’s take a look.

Our Bodies Are Born to Run

Humans are the only primates who are bipedal. That is, we stand upright on two legs. Running is in our DNA. We evolved to run. In fact, due to how our bodies evolved, many scientists believe we’re the best long distance runners on the planet. Not necessarily sprinters — we can't outrun a cheetah. But the mechanics of our running stride, combined with our ability to thermoregulate through sweat, make us adapted to handle long distances.

So what are the biomechanics of our running stride that make us such effective runners? What muscle groups does running work? And how many muscles are used in running?

The Biomechanics of Running

As per the landmark study published in 1998 by Gait & Posture, there are two main phases of a runner’s gait: Stance, or the time your foot is on the ground Swing, or the time your foot is in the air This is known as the gait cycle. The stance phase is when your foot makes contact with the ground. As you lift your foot up from the ground and it travels forward, you enter the swing phase. Your body is aerial, or in float phase — both feet are off the ground. This cycle repeats throughout the run, carrying you forward. Different muscles are activated during different phases of the swing cycle. To run faster or to improve your technique, it’s helpful to understand which important muscles are involved in running.

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