Overstriding: is taking longer steps in front of your body in an attempt to increase speed. This is potentially harmful and is inefficient. Have someone observe you from the side. Work first on eliminating the overstriding.

• Keep your natural stride length, but learn to use it powerfully
• Your stride should be longer behind your body, where your toe is pushing off, rather than out in front of your body
• Think of keeping your rear foot on the ground the maximum amount of time, to really roll through the step and give a good push off with the toes
• The rear foot then passes under your body, knee flexing and driving forward but not up
• After the foot passes by the other leg, the ankle then flexes and knee straightens (still think of driving forward, not up with the knee) to present the heel to the ground
• The heel should strike the ground close to the front of the body, as it strikes the rear leg is rolling through the step and preparing to toe off powerfully and come forward
• Take more, smaller steps.
• Fast walkers train themselves to increase the number of steps they take per second and to get full use out of the back part of the stride
• Open up your stride behind your body by concentrating on getting a full roll through the rear foot and good push off with the rear toes
• If you find your feet slapping the ground in front, you likely have too stiff of shoes and/or weak shins. The shins will build with practice. But you will want to look into getting some more flexible shoes

Hips:

• Your hips should rotate with each stride front to back, not side-to-side.
• Do not concentrate on adding hip motion at first, it should come naturally as part of a good stride and push off

Warm-up

Start out at a slow, easy pace for each walking session Allow your muscles to warm up before you stretch, add speed or hills. Warm up for 5 minutes at this easy pace

Stretching

Stretching will add flexibility and can make your walking more comfortable.

Warm up for 5 minutes at an easy walking pace before stretching, never stretch cold muscles or you risk tearing them. Incorporate mobility exercises designed to take a muscle and joint through its range of motion.

Calf Stretches

Race walking uses calf muscles considerably more than other sports. Stretching the calves helps technique while preventing injuries. Calves are a complex muscle group, so a single stretch is not sufficient. If time permits, executing each of the four stretches presented is not overkill

• Place both hands at shoulder height on a wall or pole in front of your body.
• Keep your arms fairly straight and your lead leg bent under your body.
• Now, place the heel of your rear leg 1½ to 2 feet behind your body.
• Keeping your rear leg fairly straight but not locked in position, place the heel of this foot on the ground.  You should feel a stretch down the outer part of your rear-leg calf muscle. If you don’t, try moving your rear foot back a little farther (remember to place your heel back on the ground after you move your foot back).
• Throughout the stretch, your upper body should remain vertical and straight; do not bend forward.
• Alternate legs when finished.

Shin Stretches

When race walking with any form approximating proper technique, the first muscle group to feel in need of a stretch is the shins. Your shin muscles are taxed more in walking than in almost any other sport.

Since race walking forces you to land on your heel with toe pointed, it strains your shin. The body is clearly unaccustomed to this work and reacts by communicating its displeasure. Good stretching helps combat the discomfort. Both shin stretches below provide excellent benefits after walking and can also be executed while working out if your shins begin to burn or become otherwise bothersome.

When your shins hurt, you will find it almost impossible to walk with your toe pointed at heel strike and achieve a proper roll through to your toes. If your shins bother you enough, they may lead you to land flat footed. Most flat-footed walkers have difficulty straightening their knees and must stretch their shins

• Start by sitting on the grass or soft carpet with your legs folded directly under your thighs. (Note  foot position: shoe laces against the ground.)
• Use one hand to support your weight and the other to lift your knee.
• This lifting should send a stretch down your shin.
• Hold it 20 to 30 seconds, then switch legs.

Hamstring Stretches

Huge muscles that can get extremely tight, the hamstrings need to be stretched every day. This is especially true if you race walk in hilly areas that stress your hamstrings more than level-ground walking.

The most traditional hamstring stretch starts in a seated position.

• Place one leg in front you.
• Bend your other leg with the sole of your foot facing towards your straight leg and knee pointed out.
• Keeping your back straight, lean forward from the hips, reaching towards your toes.
• Ideally, you should reach past your toes, but remember not to overstretch or bounce while trying to touch them; just stay within your comfort zone

Quadriceps Stretch

The most common quadriceps stretch is actually the most effective for our needs.

• Standing next to a pole or wall for balance, raise the first leg behind the body, grabbing your foot.
• The upper part of the leg remains in a vertical position as you pull the leg upward.
• Pull your leg back.
• Be careful not to pull your leg laterally; this puts unneeded stress on the knee.
• Alternate legs.

Hip Stretches

It’s all in the hips. (Or should I say, race walkers do it with more hip action!) Proficient race walking technique requires excellent range of motion in the hips. Stretching properly increases this range, thereby enhancing hip-motion effectiveness. Of course, stretching also helps reduce injuries—in this case, to an essential component of a powerful stride.

The first hip stretch, though simple, requires a reasonably high curb.

• Stand at the curb with one leg on and the other hanging over it.
• Now, lower the hanging leg while keeping both legs straight and your foot parallel to the ground; feel the stretch in the hip opposite the curb.
• Repeat the exercise for the other hip.

While the second hip stretch presented is actually more effective, this hip stretch is excellent for wet days or in the middle of a workout or race.

Piriformis/Iliotibial Band Stretching

The Piriformis and Iliotibial (IT) Band are two little-known hard to spell body parts that can remain obscure until they begin causing great discomfort. The Piriformis is a small muscle in the buttocks; when tight, it stresses the sciatic nerve. The IT Band is made up of fibers that run along the outside of the thigh, attaching in the gluteal muscles and connecting below the knee. The IT Band gets irritated from either overuse or anatomical abnormalities.

The following positions provide excellent stretches for this often-inaccessible area. You may find them a bit complicated, but if you follow the instructions carefully, you’ll find the effort worthwhile.

• Using your arms to balance and sustain your body weight, reach one leg behind you for support while bending the stretching leg across and in front of your body.
• Slowly transfer your body weight to the front leg until you feel a stretch emanating from your buttocks.
• Take care not to lower your front leg onto the ground.

Seated Groin Stretch

At times race walking produces tightness in the groin.  Regularly practicing this stretch reduces such discomfort while keeping this important area loose.

• Start by sitting with feet turned inwards and legs bent.
• Notice the knees fall as close to the ground as possible.
• As a mental reminder to lower your knees, place your arms atop your lower legs.
• Now lean forward from your midsection, keeping your back as straight as possible.
• Avoid lazy stretching, neither lowering the knees nor leaning forward. While this may produce a minimal groin stretch, the position is ineffective.

Shoulder Stretches

Race walkers move their arms through a greater range of motion than runners or pedestrian walkers. By keeping your shoulders stretched and relaxed, you race walk more comfortably and efficiently.

Many people face challenges with this stretch, which is executed from a standing position.

• Attempt to clasp your hands behind your back, one from above and one from below.
• If you can reach, hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds; then reverse arms to stretch the other shoulder.
• If your hands remain a few inches apart from each other use a towel to complete the stretch.
• Walk your hands up the towel, positioning them as close together as possible, then reverse arms.