Recently there has been much discussion and debate about how to run with respect to foot strike. The advice ranges but it is in general focused to how to land the foot. Much of the advice is also purist in nature – meaning a position that there is only one ‘right’ way to land properly for all people and all running situations.
My only advice to you if you come across positions like this is to run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. The position is not intended to serve you, it is intended to serve the source. A true coach or advocate, in my opinion, would share options so you can make your own decision.
As mentioned above, most of the advice I see is on what part of the foot touches the ground (first or in total). There is probably more to it than that; for example the position of the leg/foot when it touches the ground and the direction the foot is moving when it touches the ground may also be important factors.
But Foot “Landing” is still only one component of foot strike. A second important component is
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Alignment is a key element for running form efficiency and injury prevention. When you are aligned a higher level of relaxation is possible. These are the two primary concepts in ChiRunning® – Alignment and Relaxation and the balance between them. The more you are aligned, the less you need your muscles. The less you use your muscles, the easier it is to stay aligned. But too much alignment without relaxation and you may be too stiff to move. Or too much relaxation without alignment and you may be too loose to maintain your position.
Here are 4 Components of Running Form
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At the beginning of the ChiRunning book one of my favorite concepts is introduced: “Your biography becomes your biology” [1]. We all have a biography that shapes our present moment, both physically and mentally. The good news is that “with a little patience and perseverance” we have the ability to add new choices and habits to our biography, providing far-reaching benefits to our health, fitness and well-being.
I was a very active kid and enjoyed a lot of different sports and activities. But as a teenager, running was one activity I did not enjoy. It was only a necessary means of
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If you have been practicing ChiRunning or ChiWalking for awhile, you may have started to notice the mental benefits of focus and using visualizations. I tend to find myself in a ‘zone’ more and more often. I tend to have answers and realizations pop into my head often when out running or walking.
Recently I was out on a run and the concept that ‘Everything is Energy’ popped into my head. This has been the subtitle to my blog since the beginning. When you get right down to it, everything is simply energy rearranged differently. For some reason on this day I was reminded of it. I started to think about this concept as I was running along a single track trail. I decided to consider everything around me, including the air, was
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A very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to all. Thank you all for being a part of life’s unique experiences. Grateful. Period.
At the beginning of the year my goals were (from 2008 Running Year in Review):
- Continue running with a primary emphasis on health goals and not time goals.
- Continue to run happy, healthy, injury-free, and empowered with the tools to help me stay that way.
- Deepen my [ChiRunning] ‘practice’ by working on my breath, my relaxation level and my
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As in a previous post (ChiRunning® … Land, Peel and Lift), the ChiRunning motion of the heel/foot creates a wheel or circle as we move forward.
Another key to this running motion is a Relaxed Midfoot Strike. Running with a relaxed midfoot (full-foot) strike allows a subtle forward lean (fall) from the ankles with no resistance. It also removes a significant amount of stress from the lower legs and feet. The statistics indicate that 65-80% of all runners get injured every year in some way. And most of those injuries are at the knee and below. Could it be that we are asking a relatively small part of our body to
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Looking for a true gift, one to give or receive? There may be no gift more valuable than a few simple ideas for lifelong health.
“The first wealth is health.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Most people are passionate about sharing ideas about healthy living. An important piece of the healthy living puzzle is fitness; also simply called ‘motion’. We are all designed for motion; our health depends on it. The challenge is getting moving and staying moving through repetitive motions that can sometimes result in
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The 47th Annual JFK 50 Mile Ultramarathon was held this past Saturday November 21, 2009. It is the oldest 50 Mile Ultra in the USA. It was my third 50 Mile Ultra Marathon and my 2nd JFK50 (see last year’s JFK50 Mile Ultra Marathon Summary here). Some new thoughts on the prep and then road, trail, towpath, and road to the finish …
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A quick post today referencing the embedded video which shows the elements of running technique utilized by children. Note the running technique used for efficiency and fun!; a mid-foot (full-foot) landing and a subtle lean(*) for propulsion. This is very similar to so many other examples of how running ‘naturally’ instinctively utilizes these elements of
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Many of us have heard the concept of “running is a metaphor [or mirror] for life”.
There have been many ways to apply and learn from this concept. Just Google the phrase and you will see many posts on the subject.
A few days ago a great quote came across my path:
“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are” ~ Chinese proverb
There is that ’should’ word again. I think this quote finally describes the reason why
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