Many recommendations for improving your run relate to improving your posture. In this regard we hear coaches tell a runner to be more upright. But how does one get more upright?
You are often told to straighten up and to maintain your head and shoulders in alignment. This typically means that the head should be directly above the shoulders which should be directly above the hips. However, this alignment is only seen momentarily in certain phases of the running stride.
Running posture is not static. You do not maintain the same position throughout the entire stride. Your posture when your foot is in contact with the ground is different than your posture when you are pushing off and when you are airborne.
Thus it is necessary to look at the changes that occur in posture and to enable the body to go through these changes in relation to what the legs are doing. In essence, the upper body compensates for the lower body actions.
To learn more about the changes and to see them in pictures taken from live digital film see Explosive Running and Build a Better Athlete.