Arm Carriage

Why this matters

The arms counterbalance the legs — they cancel the rotational momentum the swinging legs create so the torso doesn't twist. An elbow held near a right angle keeps the arm swing compact and efficient:

• Too straight (>110°) lengthens the arm's pendulum, wastes energy, and tends to pull the shoulders down and back — a long, low, loping swing.
• Optimal (≈80°–100°) lets the arms swing quickly and cheaply, matching leg turnover.
• Too bent (<70°) cramps the swing and can hike the shoulders, adding upper-body tension.

Because the arms drive symmetry, a left–right difference in elbow angle is worth watching — it often mirrors an asymmetry lower down.

What good looks like

Lateral view at midstance. The elbow sits near 90°, hands relaxed, shoulders down. The swing is driven from the shoulder, not the elbow, and stays roughly fore-aft.

Common faults

• Straight, low arms — a long pendulum that wastes energy; cue a bend toward 90°.
• Over-bent, high arms — cramped swing with raised, tense shoulders.
• Left–right asymmetry — one arm noticeably more bent or swinging differently; often shadows a lower-body asymmetry.

Coaching cues

• "Ninety degrees, hands relaxed" — the core arm-carriage cue.
• "Drive from the shoulder" — keeps the swing compact rather than flapping at the elbow.
• Shoulders down and loose — releases the upper-trap tension that comes with over-bent arms.

Related measurements

• Pelvic Drop and Trunk Bend — arm asymmetry often accompanies lateral instability lower down.