Is Kylie Jenner’s Puma Ad a Lesson in Running Form?
Updated: Jul. 16, 2019
People are freaking out over Puma’s latest ad, where the reality star and makeup mogul sports running gear mid stride. Their main complaint: Her form is off. Let’s set the record straight.
You could never accuse Kylie Jenner of not being a proper ambassador for athleisure – she’s often seen wearing sweats and sneakers. So when it was announced last year that the 19-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star and owner of Kylie Cosmetics would be the face of Puma, it looked to be a fit for their lifestyle fashions. But the most recent Kylie Jenner Puma ad has many up in arms.
According to the Daily Mail, the ad ” shows off her fantastic physique in a photoshoot where she is made to look like she was floating in the air. She was all decked out in the German brand’s athleticwear including a sports bra which showed off her toned stomach. Kylie also sported a pair of pink patterned tiny shorts worn over branded compression bottoms which peeked over. The shoes she had been promoting seemed to be an afterthought as she rocked the Fierce Strap Flocking trainers in the peacoat colorway along with matching over-the-knee socks.”
So what’s the big deal? W writes that “The images depict Jenner, airborne, one in a pose that vaguely resembles a running stride, the other in a mid-leap that might have been a favorite move of your xarly-2010s Zumba teacher.”
And the International Business Times wonders if her father (Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner) was a better fit: “Caitlyn used to be an Olympic runner, so the ads would have been perfect for her, whereas Kylie isn’t really athletic.” The brand sponsors many professional track athletes from around the globe.
So what should the photo really look like? What can we learn from this? Proper form, according to our story Running 101.
As a rule, stay upright, and keep your head, hips and shoulders aligned over your feet so that you move as one unit.
Good posture is very important. Many runners let their chest sag into a slouch, which doesn’t maximize the lungs’ efficiency.
Let your arms swing naturally and loosely from your shoulders: not too high, not too low, and relaxed.
Breathe deeply, and relax through your body and hips.
Strike the ground first with your heel, then roll to the ball of the foot, pushing off from the toes.
