How do you run downhill with confidence?

Going downhill should be the reward for coming up. For a lot of runners it is the scary bit instead: brakes on, heels digging in, arms flailing, every step a small negotiation with gravity. With a few cues and some practice, downhills become the part of the route you look forward to.

The instinct to fight

When the ground drops away, the natural response is to lean back and brake with every step. It feels safe, but it makes downhills jarring and tiring, and on loose ground it can make you more likely to slip, because your weight is behind your feet. The aim is not to run downhill fast. It is to run downhill relaxed.

The cues that help

• Stand tall and lean a touch forward with the slope. Not a dive, just enough that your body stays roughly at right angles to the ground rather than to the horizon.
• Shorter, quicker steps. Small steps keep your feet under you and give you more chances to adjust. Think "light and busy", not "long and heavy".
• Land softly. Let your knees stay slightly bent and quiet. If your footsteps are slapping, you are braking too hard.
• Arms out a little. Slightly wider arms work like a tightrope walker's pole. It looks theatrical; it works.
• Eyes ahead. Look a few metres down the path, not at your toes. Your feet will follow the line your eyes have already chosen.
• Breathe out and relax your shoulders. Tension travels down the body. Loose shoulders make for looser legs.

Controlling the speed

You do not have to let the hill decide your pace. Ways to stay in charge:

• Shorten the steps further rather than leaning back.
• Zigzag on wide paths or grass, which turns a steep slope into a gentler one.
• Walk the steep, loose or technical bits. Plenty of experienced trail runners walk sections that are not worth the risk.
• Pick your moment to let go a little: a smooth, straight stretch with a clear run-out at the bottom.

Surfaces change everything

• Road and smooth paths: the easiest place to learn. Watch for wet leaves, drain covers and painted lines in the rain.
• Grass: soft and forgiving, but can be slippery when damp and hides holes.
• Gravel and loose stones: shorter steps still, feet under your hips, and let your shoes do the gripping. Trail shoes help; see our guide to choosing running shoes.
• Rocks and roots: look for the flat bits to land on, and accept walking as a perfectly good technique. Our guide to getting into trail running covers this terrain.
• Steps and stairs: hold the rail if there is one and take it steadily.

How to practise

Find a gentle, smooth slope, long enough to settle into but short enough to repeat. A park hill is perfect.

1. Run down it easily a few times, focusing only on quick, light steps.
2. Next time, add the slight forward lean and looser arms.
3. Then practise looking further ahead.
4. Walk back up each time and enjoy the view.

Over time, move to slightly steeper or slightly rougher slopes. Confidence downhill grows from lots of easy repetitions, not from one brave descent.

Ups and downs together

Hilly routes are a pleasure once both directions feel manageable. Our guide to running up hills is the natural partner to this one.