Why do I tense my hands while running?

[Bintang]

Does anyone else find it hard to relax their hands while running? I seem to clench my hand and only realise a few minutes into a run that I am holding my hand kind of pincer-style. I shake it off but then later in the run realise I am doing it again. I doubt that is the proper technique!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well.. the advice is..pretend you are holding a bag of crisps and don't want to crush them..so you could try that...! Even try holding bags of crisps maybe!Seriously, just try to relax...start at your head..relax your face , shoulders and shake out your arms and hands as you go...with practice , it will hopefully help.x

[Bintang Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Oldfloss, sounds sensible advice. I'll start with crisp flavours I don't like so won't be tempted to eat them en route! I will try to relax more next week (wk8) - will need to be relaxed to get through it. Thanks xx

[MrsShrek]

I do exactly the same so I asked my running club buddies for advice and a similar suggestion to OldFloss’s one was pretend you are holding a pringle or crisp between one finger and your thumb and try not to break it’!’ I tried it and it worked for me! 😀

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to MrsShrek]

Great stuff... no crisps were eaten or harmed during these runs x

[MrsShrek in reply to Oldfloss]

🤣🤣🤣

[Bintang Graduate in reply to MrsShrek]

Thanks MrsShrek, I looking forward to my next run and trying the patented crisp-method!

[Beach_runner Graduate]

I don't tense my hands but find myself running with my thumbs up 👍👍 Very odd and every time I correct it I look about 10mins later and find I'm doing it again! At least I look positive when I run, it could be worse 😂

[Bintang Graduate in reply to Beach_runner]

Thumbs up sounds rather lovely. Your hands are telling the world how much you enjoy running😀

[JulieByf Graduate]

I always clench my hands into a fist. When I realise I loosen my hands but eventually they fist up again. I never quite know what to do with my hands when running.

[Bintang Graduate in reply to JulieByf]

Based on the replies it appears we are not alone, so I find that comforting. When I did my last run I took Oldfloss's advice and tried to loosen my shoulders and neck and shook my hands a few times - whenever I remembered! I think I was more relaxed but as I was focusing on being more relaxed it's hard to know if that actually made me more tense! I'm onto week 8 run 2 tomorrow and if focusing on my hands make me think less about my legs maybe that's a good thing!

[JulieByf Graduate in reply to Bintang]

I get that the concentration on the hands detracts from the legs and anything else that might seem hard at the time. Maybe that's a good way forward when you get one of those struggle runs.🥵I'll give Oldfloss's advice a try too and see what happens. 👍

[nowster Graduate]

Sometimes I find either the blood has drained from my hands, or my hands feel like they're swelling. Weird, isn't it?

[Bintang Graduate in reply to nowster]

Sorry for such a late reply nowster. Blood draining from your hands or swelling sounds alarming, do you think the weather is a factor? I wonder if that's why some people run in gloves . To stop myself clenching my hands I try to shake them out a few times during the run which seems to be working 🤞

[nowster Graduate in reply to Bintang]

I do run in gloves in colder weather (like now).