This is the 5th entry in our series on Running Form (Excerpts from my book "Second Wind: the running coach you never had but always needed") and details information on our arms.
Arms:
You are an object in motion. As such, you want
every part of your body to be moving in the same
direction.
It might sound obvious, but consider your
arms:
what do you do with your arms when you run?
Have you ever really paid attention?
A huge number of people swing their arms across their body
(right hand swinging towards the left hip or even left
shoulder and vice versa).
Every movement across your body is wasted and creating directional energy
contrary to your goal: straight ahead.
So think of it like bowling. When you attempt to bowl a straight
ball, your arm has to go straight back and return
straight forward or else the ball, when thrown, will
veer off to one side or the other. Same concept,
only we’re talking about the energy and direction of
your body.
Since for every action there has to be an
equal and opposite reaction, for every bit of energy
you expend moving your arms to the side instead of
straight ahead, your body has to then also counter
that wasted energy (by wasting even more) to keep
your body aligned correctly.
Also on arms, even if you are moving them straight
back and straight forward, you can still be expending
valuable energy unnecessarily.
You want your arms to be loose and relaxed - your hands as well.
If you are clinching your fists, that’s costing you energy.
If you are rigidly swinging your arms in large arcs,
that’s costing you energy that you could be using
more efficiently elsewhere (like your legs).
Keep your hands open and loose, let your arms almost
flop, straight ahead, straight back, just enough to
assist in kinetic energy.
*Note: If you are holding to much energy in your arms
(clinching your fists, holding your shoulders or elbows tight)
this will cause your back to be sore after running! If you are
suffering from soreness in your back/shoulder blades - loosen up!
Finally, always focus on using small motions; you are
not a locomotive and, as such, you do not want to be
“pumping” your arms! Relaxation is the key.
The less energy you expend on all the “other” stuff, the
more your body has available for the essential
muscles utilized in running (heart, hamstrings,
quadriceps, and calves, ).
Second Wind
"Run With Purpose!"
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Zensah Compression Giveaway
Hey guys, just a quick note: my friends over at Zensah Compression are giving away one of their new Racerback Tanks on their facebook page.
Just jump on over to www.facebook.com/zensahsports, 'like' their page, and & then click on the red star in the left info column "Dare to Win-Racerback Tank"
Just jump on over to www.facebook.com/zensahsports, 'like' their page, and & then click on the red star in the left info column "Dare to Win-Racerback Tank"
Running form 4: Knees, Waist/Hips, and Center of Gravity
Knees
Your knees play a Huge part in your running (big shock, right?)!
Your knees are the pivot point for your God given leaf springs!
Run with your knees bent! Your leg should never fully straighten out, not when landing, not when lifting, not when moving your foot out for your next stride - always, always keep bend in your knees and that will Save your knees! It allows your legs to become springs/shocks, absorbing all the impact of your body! Bend your knees to the point where you feel a little funny, and then bend them a little more (you can't ever bend your knees too much).
Waist/hips
Very basically - keep them pointing in the direction you are going! Don't torque your body one way or the other. Remember, chest, hips, belly button, knees, toes, shoulders, everything points straight forward.
Center of Gravity
As I mentioned earlier, in order for your foot to land
flat, it must be underneath your center of gravity.
You cannot possibly have your foot stretched way
out in front of you (over-striding) and land as
intended.
-Stand and march in place, that's how (and where) your feet
should land. Look down, you can't see where your shoes are tied
(you can't see the knot), that's correct. So, if you ever look down
and can see your shoe string knot when your foot lands, it means
you are over-striding too far and need to shorten your stride-
The “form” that has you over-stride was created by
heel striking, which was created by the invention of
“Jogging” (coined by Bill Bowerman – founder of
Nike and father of the modern running shoe).
It is virtually impossible to heel strike barefoot. Try
it. Once. You’ll never do it again.
So your strides are actually quite short, and in order
to compensate for using a shorter stride (as
intended), you turn your feet over faster.
As soon as one foot lands, you are lifting the other
off, you simply speed up that process (think of your
feet like a wheel) by turning them over at an even
faster rate. Think of it as running quicker, not harder
– it’s light, nimble, and natural vs. heavy and forced.
Read this article from Harvard University:
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/01/different-strokes/
Your knees play a Huge part in your running (big shock, right?)!
Your knees are the pivot point for your God given leaf springs!
Run with your knees bent! Your leg should never fully straighten out, not when landing, not when lifting, not when moving your foot out for your next stride - always, always keep bend in your knees and that will Save your knees! It allows your legs to become springs/shocks, absorbing all the impact of your body! Bend your knees to the point where you feel a little funny, and then bend them a little more (you can't ever bend your knees too much).
Waist/hips
Very basically - keep them pointing in the direction you are going! Don't torque your body one way or the other. Remember, chest, hips, belly button, knees, toes, shoulders, everything points straight forward.
Center of Gravity
As I mentioned earlier, in order for your foot to land
flat, it must be underneath your center of gravity.
You cannot possibly have your foot stretched way
out in front of you (over-striding) and land as
intended.
-Stand and march in place, that's how (and where) your feet
should land. Look down, you can't see where your shoes are tied
(you can't see the knot), that's correct. So, if you ever look down
and can see your shoe string knot when your foot lands, it means
you are over-striding too far and need to shorten your stride-
The “form” that has you over-stride was created by
heel striking, which was created by the invention of
“Jogging” (coined by Bill Bowerman – founder of
Nike and father of the modern running shoe).
It is virtually impossible to heel strike barefoot. Try
it. Once. You’ll never do it again.
So your strides are actually quite short, and in order
to compensate for using a shorter stride (as
intended), you turn your feet over faster.
As soon as one foot lands, you are lifting the other
off, you simply speed up that process (think of your
feet like a wheel) by turning them over at an even
faster rate. Think of it as running quicker, not harder
– it’s light, nimble, and natural vs. heavy and forced.
Read this article from Harvard University:
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/01/different-strokes/
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Opedix R1 "Knee Saver" Running Tights Review
Levi Dodd
August 2011
I'm nearing the end of my summer section of the reviews of various products and brands.
At the end (close now), I will publish all of the reviews in a PDF and make that available to anyone who wishes.
Note that I am reviewing products that I have done a good bit of research on First before including them in my list of products to review so I am anticipating most all of the products will receive favorable feedback (these are not 'blind' tests).
Also, all reviews will be posted on my blog and on my facebook page as well (The blog will include all the pictures)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPEDIX
Opedix is one of those companies you just Want to do well. Their story is something out of Runner’s World special report – The company was founded by a businessman who had a vested interest in his own products and we he decided to step out and create a company to help him and others like him, the saying “Go big or go home” simply falls short.
Opedix labels themselves as “Evidence Based Apparel” and they strive (and achieve) to move the advantages of their compression based “Knee Saver” tights (designed to “unload” the pressure from your knees while running or skiing) from the anecdotal to the scientifically proven. Kim Gustafson didn’t only want top athletes to swear his products were helping, he wanted proof. So he “went big”. Opedix partnered with Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation and Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic; 2 world renowned institutions leading the way in preventative research and diagnosis and prevention respectively. These institutions have played critical roles in the research, design, testing, and evaluation of the Opedix R1 and R2 Tights. Dr. Decker (Michael J. Decker is an Applied Biomechanist Scientist interested in neuromuscular coordination, rehabilitation and sport performance. Mike was a post-doctoral research fellow at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado and was previously an Instructor at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Mike is now working in a new orthopedic research facility at the University of Denver. Over the past decade, Mike has presented at several national and international meetings, published 16 manuscripts and been involved in 18 awards for research, academic and teaching excellence) extensively tested Opedix’s Tights and a Power Point Presentation summarizing his findings can be found Here.
OPEDIX R1 “Knee Saver” Running Tights
I wasn’t sure these tights would mean, but I was certainly intrigued by the premise! With everyone touting how they can “Save your knees!” my skepticism is always on high alert. However, when I spoke to Kim and Dr. Decker on the phone, I found myself getting wrapped up in their passion and found myself getting more and more hopeful about… could this thing really work??
On first look when I unboxed the tights, they look good… really, as in, aesthetically speaking, I didn’t feel like I was wearing ballerina tights. Does that help my knee? No… but certainly doesn’t hurt, now does it?
The tights are marketed as “year round”, but here at home, most of the summer had heat indexes in excess of 110 degrees, so I kept putting off my review, fearful of the heat. That said, I finally broke down and ran in them when our cold front moved in (91 degrees) and I was extremely impressed! They were, in fact, quite cool – to the point that I honestly didn’t notice them, A+ on that front.
The sizing was right (just the guidelines on their site and remember that women’s and men’s can be interchanged based on size if necessary) and that was another great concern of mine. I was a bit nervous about finding a pair that would accurately fit my famously towering presence of 5’ 6”, but I was pleased to see it fit great, compression level was Perfect, and (my biggest concern) the “unloading” knee portions lined up just right.
I really can’t stress how these tights completely disappeared once I put them on. The compression level was just right, no bunching anywhere, no riding, I never once had to tug or readjust anything, stayed perfectly in place, and (a huge plus for me) they were amazingly cool, temperature wise.
Now the big test: it’s all well and good that these tights are good compression running tights, but that’s not their claim to fame:
“’Save the Knees’ campaign – Knees take a pounding from running, but now you do something about it. The Opedix Knee Support System is scientifically proven to reduce an average 16% of the load stress exerted on knees while running”
THIS is what I wanted to see! So I decided to put them through a torture test with the idea that if they worked, I would Definitely know it, and if they didn’t, my 6 surgery knees wouldn’t work for days. I set off on a 10 ½ mile “Hill” run, on old, uneven concrete sidewalks with the most elevation change you can get here. I felt… great. Now, don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t some miracle where I got home and the next day my knees didn’t feel a thing, my knees are still shot, but there was Certainly a real and measurable difference for me – and I Loved it! The great thing is, in a normal review I would have to point out that my “feelings” were anecdotal, but with these, we actually have scientific evidence to point to where I merely have to confirm that they are, in fact, doing what biomechanical testing has already proven.
August 2011
I'm nearing the end of my summer section of the reviews of various products and brands.
At the end (close now), I will publish all of the reviews in a PDF and make that available to anyone who wishes.
Note that I am reviewing products that I have done a good bit of research on First before including them in my list of products to review so I am anticipating most all of the products will receive favorable feedback (these are not 'blind' tests).
Also, all reviews will be posted on my blog and on my facebook page as well (The blog will include all the pictures)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPEDIX
Opedix is one of those companies you just Want to do well. Their story is something out of Runner’s World special report – The company was founded by a businessman who had a vested interest in his own products and we he decided to step out and create a company to help him and others like him, the saying “Go big or go home” simply falls short.
Opedix labels themselves as “Evidence Based Apparel” and they strive (and achieve) to move the advantages of their compression based “Knee Saver” tights (designed to “unload” the pressure from your knees while running or skiing) from the anecdotal to the scientifically proven. Kim Gustafson didn’t only want top athletes to swear his products were helping, he wanted proof. So he “went big”. Opedix partnered with Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation and Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic; 2 world renowned institutions leading the way in preventative research and diagnosis and prevention respectively. These institutions have played critical roles in the research, design, testing, and evaluation of the Opedix R1 and R2 Tights. Dr. Decker (Michael J. Decker is an Applied Biomechanist Scientist interested in neuromuscular coordination, rehabilitation and sport performance. Mike was a post-doctoral research fellow at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado and was previously an Instructor at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Mike is now working in a new orthopedic research facility at the University of Denver. Over the past decade, Mike has presented at several national and international meetings, published 16 manuscripts and been involved in 18 awards for research, academic and teaching excellence) extensively tested Opedix’s Tights and a Power Point Presentation summarizing his findings can be found Here.
OPEDIX R1 “Knee Saver” Running Tights
I wasn’t sure these tights would mean, but I was certainly intrigued by the premise! With everyone touting how they can “Save your knees!” my skepticism is always on high alert. However, when I spoke to Kim and Dr. Decker on the phone, I found myself getting wrapped up in their passion and found myself getting more and more hopeful about… could this thing really work??
On first look when I unboxed the tights, they look good… really, as in, aesthetically speaking, I didn’t feel like I was wearing ballerina tights. Does that help my knee? No… but certainly doesn’t hurt, now does it?
The tights are marketed as “year round”, but here at home, most of the summer had heat indexes in excess of 110 degrees, so I kept putting off my review, fearful of the heat. That said, I finally broke down and ran in them when our cold front moved in (91 degrees) and I was extremely impressed! They were, in fact, quite cool – to the point that I honestly didn’t notice them, A+ on that front.
The sizing was right (just the guidelines on their site and remember that women’s and men’s can be interchanged based on size if necessary) and that was another great concern of mine. I was a bit nervous about finding a pair that would accurately fit my famously towering presence of 5’ 6”, but I was pleased to see it fit great, compression level was Perfect, and (my biggest concern) the “unloading” knee portions lined up just right.
I really can’t stress how these tights completely disappeared once I put them on. The compression level was just right, no bunching anywhere, no riding, I never once had to tug or readjust anything, stayed perfectly in place, and (a huge plus for me) they were amazingly cool, temperature wise.
Now the big test: it’s all well and good that these tights are good compression running tights, but that’s not their claim to fame:
“’Save the Knees’ campaign – Knees take a pounding from running, but now you do something about it. The Opedix Knee Support System is scientifically proven to reduce an average 16% of the load stress exerted on knees while running”
THIS is what I wanted to see! So I decided to put them through a torture test with the idea that if they worked, I would Definitely know it, and if they didn’t, my 6 surgery knees wouldn’t work for days. I set off on a 10 ½ mile “Hill” run, on old, uneven concrete sidewalks with the most elevation change you can get here. I felt… great. Now, don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t some miracle where I got home and the next day my knees didn’t feel a thing, my knees are still shot, but there was Certainly a real and measurable difference for me – and I Loved it! The great thing is, in a normal review I would have to point out that my “feelings” were anecdotal, but with these, we actually have scientific evidence to point to where I merely have to confirm that they are, in fact, doing what biomechanical testing has already proven.
Running form 3: Lift Off
This is the 3rd entry in the 7 week series on Running Form. Today's post is moving up into your stride and focuses on your lift off - a Huge component in efficiency (and one that is a bit harder to grasp for many).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lift Off
Now, after your foot has landed nearly flat on the
ground (please note here that in order for your foot
to land flat it must land underneath your center of
gravity), how do you pick it back up?
You roll through your foot:
your flat on your heel
and then you roll, as if you are walking, through your
mid-foot, forefoot, and then almost to your toes.
You must remember though, that when you get to
your toes, you do not “push” back off with
your toes.
As you reach your toes you simply lift
your foot back off the ground. So as one foot
touches the ground, your other foot lifts off, and you
as soon as that foot touches the ground, your first
foot immediately lifts off. This action creates a quick
cadence (how you can produce speed, increase efficiency,
and maximize your forward momentum).
Also, on the lift off, remember that you are barely
lifting your foot off the ground. You are not bringing
it high up in the air (what purpose does that serve in
going forward?), instead, the sole of your foot is
never more than an inch or two off the ground. You
aren’t high-stepping, you aren’t marching, you’re
gliding, with your soles just above the surface.
This method of lifting (the “pull” as it is known in
Pose Running) your foot off the ground instead of
pushing your entire body off the ground focuses on
utilizing your hamstrings and then quads more so than your
calves if you are one who pushes
off with your toes. Therefore, you are using your biggest
muscles (hamstrings, quads, and butt) instead of your smallest muscles
(your calves).
In the gym, you way do calf raises with 45 pounds. You may squat 450
pounds. You want to move your running muscles away from the the 45 pound
calves into the 450 pound hamstrings and quads.
Additionally, by lifting your foot off the ground
instead of pushing off you help create that soft run
while eliminating headbob.
(*)Disclaimer:
As I said, this is arguably the most complicated part and truly
requires demonstration for most people to fully
grasp.
For the rest of the chapter and more information, please check out the book,
"Second Wind: the running coach you never had but always needed"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lift Off
Now, after your foot has landed nearly flat on the
ground (please note here that in order for your foot
to land flat it must land underneath your center of
gravity), how do you pick it back up?
You roll through your foot:
your flat on your heel
and then you roll, as if you are walking, through your
mid-foot, forefoot, and then almost to your toes.
You must remember though, that when you get to
your toes, you do not “push” back off with
your toes.
As you reach your toes you simply lift
your foot back off the ground. So as one foot
touches the ground, your other foot lifts off, and you
as soon as that foot touches the ground, your first
foot immediately lifts off. This action creates a quick
cadence (how you can produce speed, increase efficiency,
and maximize your forward momentum).
Also, on the lift off, remember that you are barely
lifting your foot off the ground. You are not bringing
it high up in the air (what purpose does that serve in
going forward?), instead, the sole of your foot is
never more than an inch or two off the ground. You
aren’t high-stepping, you aren’t marching, you’re
gliding, with your soles just above the surface.
This method of lifting (the “pull” as it is known in
Pose Running) your foot off the ground instead of
pushing your entire body off the ground focuses on
utilizing your hamstrings and then quads more so than your
calves if you are one who pushes
off with your toes. Therefore, you are using your biggest
muscles (hamstrings, quads, and butt) instead of your smallest muscles
(your calves).
In the gym, you way do calf raises with 45 pounds. You may squat 450
pounds. You want to move your running muscles away from the the 45 pound
calves into the 450 pound hamstrings and quads.
Additionally, by lifting your foot off the ground
instead of pushing off you help create that soft run
while eliminating headbob.
(*)Disclaimer:
As I said, this is arguably the most complicated part and truly
requires demonstration for most people to fully
grasp.
For the rest of the chapter and more information, please check out the book,
"Second Wind: the running coach you never had but always needed"
10.5 miles of church
This week looks to be a busy week on this blog! I have a 1/2 dozen posts that I 'need' to get on here (including this one), a few of which should (and may...) go up today.
I often tell my trainees to ditch the watch, leave the GPS in the car, and just go... don't worry about times, forget splits, have the distance and maybe even your route unknown, throw on some good tunes (for complete distraction - so you can even forget to focus on your breathing) and let your muscles do what you've trained them to do and just... run.
Yesterday I took my own advice and for the first time in a Long time, I ran alone (all my runs of late have been with a training group, or training an individual, or pacing a friend, etc.). I left my watch at the house, left my phone on the counter, stuck my earbuds in, and very intentionally made sure I didn't know what time it was when I left the house so I couldn't even guess at how long the miles took me or attempt to worry about a pace. I didn't drive anywhere, I just took off from my house.
As I ran, the trees, the hills, the water, the breeze, everything was new again. It was running for why we all run - the pure Joy of it. I found the number one thing that was present on this run that is, at times, absent was this ridiculous grin that I simply couldn't shake - the earbuds filling my head with sounds of joy, hope, and love in motion (Mat Kearney, Sidewalk Prophets, Need to Breathe, and a dozen others) and I just ran.
In the end, I went back and drove the route (can't help it ;)
and the run came out to 10 1/2 miles - which for me and my knees is a very long run on a Monday morning! It was 10.5 miles of church. Me, alone with my thoughts, my music, my prayers, and the priceless stares from other runners looking at me like I was the most insane thing they'd ever seen in my VFFs and that ridiculous grin!
So remember, sometimes you HAVE to ditch the watch, forget the GPS, ignore your time, run a completely new route, and just run to run. Remind yourself why you're Really doing this. If running isn't a vacation, a stress relief, an escape, and a joy... you're just not doing it right.
I often tell my trainees to ditch the watch, leave the GPS in the car, and just go... don't worry about times, forget splits, have the distance and maybe even your route unknown, throw on some good tunes (for complete distraction - so you can even forget to focus on your breathing) and let your muscles do what you've trained them to do and just... run.
Yesterday I took my own advice and for the first time in a Long time, I ran alone (all my runs of late have been with a training group, or training an individual, or pacing a friend, etc.). I left my watch at the house, left my phone on the counter, stuck my earbuds in, and very intentionally made sure I didn't know what time it was when I left the house so I couldn't even guess at how long the miles took me or attempt to worry about a pace. I didn't drive anywhere, I just took off from my house.
As I ran, the trees, the hills, the water, the breeze, everything was new again. It was running for why we all run - the pure Joy of it. I found the number one thing that was present on this run that is, at times, absent was this ridiculous grin that I simply couldn't shake - the earbuds filling my head with sounds of joy, hope, and love in motion (Mat Kearney, Sidewalk Prophets, Need to Breathe, and a dozen others) and I just ran.
In the end, I went back and drove the route (can't help it ;)
and the run came out to 10 1/2 miles - which for me and my knees is a very long run on a Monday morning! It was 10.5 miles of church. Me, alone with my thoughts, my music, my prayers, and the priceless stares from other runners looking at me like I was the most insane thing they'd ever seen in my VFFs and that ridiculous grin!
So remember, sometimes you HAVE to ditch the watch, forget the GPS, ignore your time, run a completely new route, and just run to run. Remind yourself why you're Really doing this. If running isn't a vacation, a stress relief, an escape, and a joy... you're just not doing it right.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Running form 2: Stride Mechanics
As promised, here is the 2nd entry in our 7 week study on running form. Today (as we move up from the feet to the head) we have an entry on Stride Mechanics. This is an excerpt from my book 'Second Wind: the running coach you never had but always needed'
-------------------------
Stride Mechanics
The stride is one of the most important aspects of
running (after, you know….breathing) and also the
most complicated.
Though many people will point to
the differences in runner’s stride length as a function
of height, the mechanics don’t actually change.
There are toe runners, forefoot runners, and even
heel strikers (ouch!).
There are “twinkle-toe”
runners (a minority yes, I was one of them for a long
time, knowing to go against the shoe companies and
not let their heels touch the ground, but not
understanding why and, therefore, never letting
their heels touch at all),
“gazelles” (stretching their
legs as far as possible, overstriding to the max and
destroying their joints with every counterproductive
breaktorque stride),
“ballerinas” (pressing off at the
toes and bounding up in the air into their next stride,
heads vaulting with ½ a foot of vertical movement) ,
and “elephants” (clop clop clop, pound pound
pound).
There are also specific adaptations of each
making varying amounts of splash on the
mainstream including: Chi Running, Evolutionary
Running, Pose Running, Barefoot Running, and all
kinds of variations/combinations found therein.
With all of the approaches, all of the hype, and all of
the research and sponsorships from yoga classes to
University of Stanford marathoners, to CrossFit, to
the United States Military running programs, to the
myriad of conflicting, and self-serving, opinions from
the shoe companies, how in the world is anyone
supposed to actually “learn” anything??
Well, here goes: many of them are right, and many
of them (often the same ones) are wrong. Make
sense? Yeah, thought so… See, you have to take
bits and pieces from several different ones in order
to make something that “works for you” and is still
built upon efficiency and true injury prevention.
My personal form I suppose you could say is a hybrid of Pose, Chi, and
barefoot styles.
Over the next few weeks (Tuesdays and Thursdays), I'll be adding to this information and expanding on the notion of stride mechanics (what this series is all about). The next Tuesday will elaborate on this a lot with an entry on Lift Off.
Remember the principles: straight body posture, everything (toes, knees, hips, chest, shoulders, arms, and head) pointing and moving in the direction you want to be going, loose, loose, loose, lift your foot off the ground using your big muscles (the "Pull" in Pose) instead of springing into your next stride with just the use of your calves, land lightly on the ball of your foot and roll flat, breathe In the mouth and out the mouth, smile ;)
-------------------------
Stride Mechanics
The stride is one of the most important aspects of
running (after, you know….breathing) and also the
most complicated.
Though many people will point to
the differences in runner’s stride length as a function
of height, the mechanics don’t actually change.
There are toe runners, forefoot runners, and even
heel strikers (ouch!).
There are “twinkle-toe”
runners (a minority yes, I was one of them for a long
time, knowing to go against the shoe companies and
not let their heels touch the ground, but not
understanding why and, therefore, never letting
their heels touch at all),
“gazelles” (stretching their
legs as far as possible, overstriding to the max and
destroying their joints with every counterproductive
breaktorque stride),
“ballerinas” (pressing off at the
toes and bounding up in the air into their next stride,
heads vaulting with ½ a foot of vertical movement) ,
and “elephants” (clop clop clop, pound pound
pound).
There are also specific adaptations of each
making varying amounts of splash on the
mainstream including: Chi Running, Evolutionary
Running, Pose Running, Barefoot Running, and all
kinds of variations/combinations found therein.
With all of the approaches, all of the hype, and all of
the research and sponsorships from yoga classes to
University of Stanford marathoners, to CrossFit, to
the United States Military running programs, to the
myriad of conflicting, and self-serving, opinions from
the shoe companies, how in the world is anyone
supposed to actually “learn” anything??
Well, here goes: many of them are right, and many
of them (often the same ones) are wrong. Make
sense? Yeah, thought so… See, you have to take
bits and pieces from several different ones in order
to make something that “works for you” and is still
built upon efficiency and true injury prevention.
My personal form I suppose you could say is a hybrid of Pose, Chi, and
barefoot styles.
Over the next few weeks (Tuesdays and Thursdays), I'll be adding to this information and expanding on the notion of stride mechanics (what this series is all about). The next Tuesday will elaborate on this a lot with an entry on Lift Off.
Remember the principles: straight body posture, everything (toes, knees, hips, chest, shoulders, arms, and head) pointing and moving in the direction you want to be going, loose, loose, loose, lift your foot off the ground using your big muscles (the "Pull" in Pose) instead of springing into your next stride with just the use of your calves, land lightly on the ball of your foot and roll flat, breathe In the mouth and out the mouth, smile ;)
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