Nike’s 2-minute test that could change how you run

Over the past three years, Nike has been quietly revolutionizing how runners understand their movement patterns. What started as a prototype tested in a Portland garage has evolved into the Nike Sport Research Lab’s (NSRL) Form, a sophisticated movement analysis tool now available in select Nike retail locations worldwide, including Shanghai, where it’s won two national innovation summit awards.

The NSRL Form tool uses 10 high-speed cameras to capture your biomechanical “fingerprint” while you jog on a treadmill. “We can bring the insights of the NSRL outside of our walls, to all athletes,” explains Kathleen Poe, Sr. Director of Field Services at NSRL.

Nike’s NRSL Form Tech is helping runners to move better.

Breaking down the data, the system analyzes six key variables of your running form, with three related to force generation and three focused on body control. After just 15 seconds of processing 150 data points across your body, you receive a personalized report including movement analysis, form improvement suggestions, targeted workout recommendations, and shoe suggestions based on your unique pattern.

Game-changing insight

“Runners craved more self-awareness of how they moved,” says Blaise Williams, PhD, MPT, Principal Sport Scientist at NSRL and creator of NSRL Form. Whether for enhancing performance or preventing injury, understanding your movement pattern is like having a biomechanist in your corner.

Testing has revealed something crucial: Without guidance, runners often choose shoes that don’t match their movement patterns. For example, someone with a longer stride might need more cushioning to absorb impact. When shown their NSRL Form data, runners make better-informed choices aligned with their unique running style.

Looking ahead, Nike is exploring several potential expansions of the technology. The team envisions a future where you could upload treadmill videos to a phone app for instant analysis, adapt the system for other sports like basketball and football, and even apply it to gear like sports bras that need to account for individual body types and movement patterns.

The bottom line

Understanding how you move is the first step to moving better. As Williams puts it, “NSRL Form isn’t just a runner’s tool. It’s a running tool, designed to study your whole body.”

Sure, Nike is using it to sell more shoes, but the Form’s analysis could genuinely help runners identify and fix form issues that might be holding them back or increasing injury risk. That’s a win-win that brings lab-grade movement analysis to everyday athletes.