why do people run with their hands moving/swinging?

Question

why do people run with their hands moving/swinging?

Answer 1

because they're running scared.

Answer 2

Here is a hint - BALANCE IS ONE THING SIDE SWING IS ANOTHER. A good stride will have an equal balanced arm swing. People who bring the arms across the body are wasting a lot of energy that they should be putting into their stride. A trick I use to use with my runners was to tie string to their shorts to try and reduce the amount of arms swing. I wish that there was a way to put video along with this answer to show you the true effects of a good balanced arm swing.



Watch some of the most effective runners and see the arm is along the side of the body not across the chest.



Best of luck and have a great season.

Answer 3

Everybody moves their arms to a certain degree.



If you are asking why some people really seem to be purposely exagerating swinging, i.e. vigorously, it could be several things. When running up a hill, some coaches preach pumping your arms to generate extra momentum. Some people pump their arms to simply try to burn a few extra calories.



Some people just run goofy. Your are not missing out on anything if you don't do this. You are best running as smoothly and efficiently as possible, wasting as little energy as possible. Fluid...

Answer 4

To balance our body especially when running, it's like the function of tail in cheetah. When cheetah run a very high speed, the tail will move balancing the body.

Answer 5

People move their hands when running to keep their balance. Try to run with your hands tied to your sides and you'll find that it is really hard to run. You may even fall.

Answer 6

There are 2 reasons for this. Either they are super relaxed, so they aren't really controlling their arms. Or they are concentrating so hard that they are tensing up their arms and then swing them :)

Answer 7

I'll postulate it goes back to our moving on all fours and we still keep some vestiges of it in our current running form.



A friend of mine told me he had someone in his US Marine unit who could not march with swinging arms. They just hung by his side. His drill instructor finally marched behind him with two broomsticks until his arms got co-ordinated with his feet.

Answer 8

to guide you,for balance, they are used to propel you forward. If you don’t have proper arm swing, your legs will slow down and so will your performance. fast arms equal fast feet, .

Answer 9

try running with your hands at your side or straight out to the side or straight ahead... then ask this question again.

Answer 10

for some people it keeps there balance, for others its habit

Answer 11

if you say its to keep yourself balanced, your wrong. when you move your arms, it makes your legs move faster the faster you move your arms, the faster you will.

Answer 12

my dad always told me that it was to help you run against the wind. also i think it helps pull you forward...

Answer 13

balance

Answer 14

because u would fall over if u didn't try it

Answer 15

to keep their balance

Answer 16

have you ever tried not to? seriously...its more work keeping them motionless