Running Technique Options

I know this is NOT occult at all but falls under "body"

I have started a martial arts training program for myself

stretch
pushup/crunch
form (Techniques and such)
run/jog

I usually skip the "Form" part since i am tired by that point because i lack endurance

I jog to work up endurance, however i am never able to do so for longer than one minute.

I pick my feet up halfway to, or up to, my knee.
I have a straight back.
My feet are flat
(I have been told) my feet tend to go off to the side a little.
(I dont know why) I have been compared to a running duck
I get tired quickly.
I have never been too good at running, long OR short distances.

Maybe it's running form?

I have been told it's best to keep a straight back, but my friend runs like lightning and his back is always slanted foreward when he sprints.
I have also been told to land on the middle of the foot, but that doesn't really help at all.

so i'm wondering, WHAT IS PROPER RUNNING FORM? (short and long distance)

[I've been athletic from an early age, so I'll just add a little personal experience to see if it helps you any. As far as endurance goes, the one thing that'll help you more than running is ab work. A strong midsection gives you more energy than running, no matter your body type. i went out with a boxer in highschool and she told me she would do over 1000 crunches a day. I figured hey, I can do that too, so I set a goal and went for it. After about a month, I managed to hit 3 reps of 350 over the course of an hour. It took a lot of willpower to get there, I started off with 3 sets of 50, but it's doable.

As far as running, form helps a lot, but practice pays off the most. I was a fat kid, toppng off at 320 in highschool, but dropped 100 pounds by running. i set a goal of running a mile straight without stopping. By the time I reached it, I had already lost 60 pounds. It took a few months and was sooo worth it.

Now running with your feet out to the side is kinda like waddling, just like a duck. Focus on keeping your feet and legs moving in a straight line until it becomes habit and it should come much easier. Heel to toe is a good rule of thumb for running. It reduces impact on your legs and lets you really work your hamstrings into the motion. You also want to bend slightly at the knee. Running is like falling forward and catching yourself in a jump to propel onward.

Hope that helps.

Another thing that may cause your feet to turn out to the side like that is the rotation of your legs at the hip. Due to any number of things, most likely tension as this is a very common cause, your hips may be rotated ever so slightly inward (look down at your right leg and imagine the whole thing turned just a little bit counter clockwise). To stretch the muscles that can cause this, spend around 30-60 seconds in horse stance, then lay down on your belly with your legs splayed out perpendicular to your torso, or as close as you can get. This is sometimes called the 'frog stretch' and it will stretch out the muscles on the inside of your legs.

You should be stretching before every jog/workout already, of course.

If you were older I would suggest visiting a sports massage therapist. If there is one at your school for the sports team, etc., you might consider approaching them and letting them know of your issue.

Form is another factor though, and if it were the only one, the best way to counteract bad form is awareness. Like insight says, focus on it till it's a habit. However I would say practice walking first, with your total attention on the act of walking - try to focus so much that you are aware of every muscle involved (that's just a target, walking involves every muscle in your body) and focus on keeping your hips level, your torso balanced and relaxed, your feet in parallel lines, walking heel to toe and rolling your feet when you walk (that means contacting the ground with your heal, rolling forward instead of dropping the ball of your foot, flexing your toes upwards will help do this), picking up your feet, bending your knees, etc, so that your walk 'flows'. Then upgrade to jogging and do the same thing, while of course focusing on your breathing. It always helped me to jog rhythmically and breathe in rhythm with my feet (10 steps inhale, 10 steps exhale, etc.). Learning to walk consciously first will reflect naturally into running consciously.

The more focused you are, the farther you can push your body. The more aware you are of your body's form, the easier it will be to train it into a new form. With proper form, you will have more endurance from the beginning. Bad running form wears you out; your body has to use more strength and less finesse to accomplish the task. If you learn to use your body's structure to its maximum potential you can exert and sustain greater force with less physical strength/endurance - which means enhanced strength and endurance will consequently be magnified with proper form. Thus (Proper focus) + (proper form) = Natural Power. Old martial arts equation. SHeer physical prowess is less important in martial arts than the development of focus and form (awareness of form), achieved through training consciously.

peace

... actually. All of the above information has helped me because I've decided to get into running for health mystical reasons. Thanks a lot for posting.

How is your breathing?

in through the nose, out through the mouth.

Practice to gain endurance, and eat properly- consistently.

[I think you should read the book Chi Running

It has great advice and info on physical techniques and using your energy more efficiently.