The effects of video feedback on running form
A simple nine-item video checklist gives adult runners perfect form in under five sessions.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three adult runners filmed themselves on an outdoor track.
A BCBA scored each clip with a 9-step checklist: foot strike, knee lift, arm swing, etc.
After every run the coach showed the video, praised correct steps, and cued the next fix.
What they found
All runners hit 100 % correct form within five feedback sessions.
The perfect scores stayed high two weeks later with no extra coaching.
How this fits with other research
Cochrane et al. (2022) got the same result in the gym. They taught lifters to give peer video feedback and every deadlift reached textbook form.
Hemayattalab et al. (2010) worked with teens who had intellectual disability. They added two minutes of mental rehearsal before free-throws and saw the biggest jump in shots made. Morante skipped imagery and still hit mastery, so video alone may be enough for neurotypical adults.
Danforth et al. (1990) taught menstrual care by chaining small steps on the learner’s own body. Morante copies that chaining logic, but moves it from adaptive skills to sport.
Why it matters
You can borrow the 9-step checklist tomorrow. Film a client’s sprint, mark the checklist, show the clip, and watch form clean up in a week. No peers, no imagery, just brief video feedback and praise.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractCorrect running form is important for injury prevention; as such, correct form promotes continued engagement in running as a long‐term form of exercise. Researchers have shown video feedback to be an effective strategy to improve athletic form for a variety of sports, but it has not been evaluated in any behavior analytic research as a method for improving running form. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of video feedback to improve running form for regular runners. During baseline, each participant was video recorded while running without any feedback (verbal or video). During intervention, the researcher recorded the participant, then showed them the video and provided feedback on correct or incorrect form, according to a 9‐step task analysis. Results show that all three participants achieved 100% correct steps on the task analysis when video feedback was used to maintain their form during follow‐up.
Behavioral Interventions, 2024 · doi:10.1002/bin.1990