I started thinking about running faster and smarter after watching some videos by Kenny Smith online. You know, that guy who played in the NBA and now talks a lot about sports techniques. I was just tired of feeling slow and out of breath every time I went for a jog, so I figured why not give his tips a shot? It all sounded simple enough in the clips – stuff like how you move your arms or where you land your feet. But honestly, trying it out was a whole different story.
Getting the Basics Down
First off, I dug up all the videos I could find. You can search everywhere these days, right? I watched Kenny explain the posture part. He said you gotta keep your back straight and your eyes forward, not down at the ground. So one morning, I laced up my old sneakers and headed to the park. I told myself, just try this for five minutes. But right away, it felt weird. My body was used to slouching, like I was dragging myself along. I kept catching myself looking down, then snapping back up. It was annoying, like trying to unlearn a bad habit overnight.
Next up was the arm movement. Kenny emphasized swinging your arms at a 90-degree angle, elbow bent, and driving them back and forth to help with speed. I practiced in front of a mirror at home – man, I must have looked ridiculous. My arms kept flailing all over the place. Some days, I’d get frustrated and just quit early. But then I started doing it while walking around the house, thinking it might sink in better. After a week or so, it started feeling a bit more natural. I wasn’t thinking too hard about it, just focusing on one step at a time.
Dealing with the Challenges
Then came the foot strike part. Kenny talked about landing on the mid-foot instead of your heel to avoid injuries and go faster. I had to slow down my runs to practice this. At first, my calves screamed at me. Seriously, they were sore for days, and I was hobbling around like an old man. I remember thinking, this is supposed to make running easier? But I stuck with short bursts, like 100-meter repeats, to get used to it. I also added some of his quick drills:
- Butt kicks for warming up: basically jogging and kicking your heels toward your behind, which felt silly but helped with the rhythm.
- High knees: lifting those legs way up, like marching on the spot, to build power in my quads.
Breathing was another tough bit. Kenny said to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, staying calm even when tired. I’d be gasping like a fish out of water halfway through a run. One time, I even got dizzy and had to sit down for a minute. That’s when I learned to start slow – no rushing into long distances right off the bat.
Seeing the Changes and Results
After about two weeks of daily mini-sessions, I finally put it all together on a longer run. I picked my usual trail, which usually takes me 30 minutes. This time, I paid attention to:
- Posture: head up, shoulders relaxed.
- Arm swing: steady and controlled.
- Foot landing: soft and light on the middle.
- Breathing: slow and deep to keep the energy flowing.
Surprisingly, I finished in 25 minutes, with way less huffing and puffing. It was like my body was just gliding along, smarter not harder. I felt like a whole new runner – not lightning fast, but definitely smoother and more efficient. Plus, my muscles weren’t as sore afterwards, so I could recover faster.
Overall, Kenny Smith’s tips taught me that little tweaks can make a big difference. It wasn’t about pushing myself to the max; it was about working smarter. I’m still not perfect – some days, I slip back into old habits. But now I keep practicing those basics, and it’s paying off. Next step? Maybe run a local 5k and see how it goes without dying halfway through. It’s all about building it into my routine, step by step.