Running seems to be getting more and more popular all the time. We all want to find effective ways to get into shape and running is a quick and effective way to add cardio to any workout program. As we all know however, running can be tough on the joints, so the key is to do everything possible to ensure your runs are injury free. Here is a great article that discusses some of the elements to pain-free running.
5 Elements of Chi Running
Danny Dreyer, As told to Kristin Harrison
Most of us are never taught how to run; we just do it. So why is running technique important?
The biggest reason why you should pay attention to running form and technique is a simple one: so you can be a runner for many more years. I've been a runner or 35 years and have completed 40 ultra marathons. Focusing on my running technique is what has allowed me to keep going for so many years.
If you run in a way that hurts your body, you won't be able to keep running very long. Focusing on form and technique can help you stay injury-free. Also, improving your form can help you become a more efficient runner, which allows you to go farther and faster with less effort.
So what is ChiRunning and how does it improve running efficiency?
In ultra running, efficiency is the name of the game. I experimented with my form for years to try and find the most efficient way to run to become more competitive. A light bulb went off when I took a tai chi class in 1997, and I learned to move from my body's core and let my arms and legs follow. Tai chi is all about learning to relax your body's moving parts to be efficient. When I applied these concepts to a run, I was completely blown away by the difference.
In 2004, I wrote a book about what I'd discovered and it explains the technique I use. ChiRunning is designed to address the two vital reasons for focusing on form: injury prevention and energy efficiency. It works because it reduces the impact on your joints and allows your leg muscles to work less when you run.
The Basics of Chi Running
ChiRunning focuses on posture, leg swing, the position of the pelvis and a forward lean. It's not a fluffy, hippie theory--it's based on the physics of body mechanics. Here are the basics:
Run Tall. Think about this: When you're standing straight, your joints are in alignment and your skeleton is supporting your weight. When you run, you want to keep this alignment so your skeleton continues to be involved.
It's common, however, for runners to slump the shoulders or bend at the waist, which then requires the leg muscles to support most of the body weight, instead of the stronger skeleton. By maintaining good posture, you lessen the amount of work your legs have to do and move more efficiently.
Lean Forward. One of the biggest forces we have to fight every day is gravity. Why not make it work for us instead of against us? By adding a slight forward lean when you run, your body falls forward and you use gravity for your propulsion instead of your legs. This lean also helps keep your body in alignment, with your foot landing under you.
To do this, lean from your ankles, not your waist, and keep your spine straight. The lean is subtle; don't lean so far forward you are out of control or actually falling.
Land on the Mid-Foot. To keep your posture in alignment--which helps reduce injuries--while you're leaning forward, land with a mid-foot strike when you run. You want your foot to land underneath or slightly behind you, in line with your hips and shoulders.
Run from Your Core. Many women I work with suffer from hip problems while running. Often this is caused by weak core muscles, which aren't strong enough to keep the hips and pelvis aligned. To reduce injuries, it's vital to keep your pelvis level. You do this by engaging your core muscles while you run.
To level your pelvis, try this simple exercise: Stand against the wall and try to press your lower back into the wall. Watch what happens to your pelvis. You have to engage your lower abdominal muscles in a vertical crunch movement. Remember that feeling in your body and try to maintain it as you run.
Relax, Relax, Relax. It's common for runners to tighten up their shoulders or other muscles as they get tired. But all that stiffness and tension wastes energy and makes you less efficient. When you feel your technique slipping, ask yourself: Where am I tense, and what can I do about it?
Sense and respond with the correct adjustments, which might be as simple as straightening your arms and shaking them out or reminding yourself to lower your shoulders. In my book, I recommend a series of pre-run body looseners--such as shaking out your arms and legs, ankle rolls and hip and pelvis circles--to help your muscles learn to stay relaxed when you are running and throughout the day.
How hard is it to change your running technique?
Some coaches say you can't change your running form, but I don't believe that for a second. But it does take time to break inefficient habits. So, you'll need to slow down your pace at first to focus on the basics. Practice makes perfect. The more you practice, the quicker you'll learn it. For the average person, it takes one to three months for his or her muscles to learn something new.
Devote at least one run a week to technique. Don't listen to music or talk to a friend; instead, think about your body position and alignment and make adjustments throughout your run to stay relaxed and move efficiently.
Learning ChiRunning is like learning to ride a bike--once you get it, your muscles remember the movement, and it becomes intuitive. You'll feel a difference in your body once you get it. Many women have told me they suffer less hip, back and knee pain once they switch to this technique, in addition to increasing their endurance and speed. Hopefully, you'll be able to run for years to come.
Danny Dreyer is a running coach and author of ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running. For a schedule of ChiRunning workshops or more info, visit chirunning.com.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Fitness Advantage Tip of the Day 8/26/09 -- Find Time for Fitness
One of the biggest challenges to getting in shape is finding the time -- especially when your day's filled with work and family responsibilities that seem to never end. Here is an interesting article about how one mom copes.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Fitness Advantage Tip of the Day 8/25/09
Now that summer's winding down, many folks are looking to get rid of the ice cream-beer-barbecue pounds that crept on over the past couple of months. Here are some tips to help:
1. Eat Healthier Fats -the latest research shows that it’s not so much fat itself that is the problem when it comes to health and weight loss, but the kind of fat. In general, avoid trans fats, which are found in many junk foods, margarine, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and commercial sweets such as cakes, cookies and donuts (you can find healthier, organic versions of these products).
Saturated fats, which are found in animal products are fine to eat in small quantities, especially if they are natural or organic.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are now called “healthy fats” contain essential fatty acids, especially Omega-3. These are found in almonds and other nuts, avocados, coconut and olive oils and flaxseed oil.
2. Exercise Intelligently - Find a routine that works for you and be consistent. Beachbody products are great for recognizing that everyone has different needs and desires when it comes to exercise. Send me an email and I'd love to help you figure out what will work best for you.
3. Pay Attention to What You Drink -beverage consumption can be at least as important as food when it comes to your weight. The best thing to drink is pure water. After that, stick to green tea, which has antioxidants that may help with weight loss, herbal teas and pure juices in moderation (many juices like apple are healthy, but contain lots of sugar; even natural sugar can be fattening in large quantities).
Avoid soda as much as possible, even diet sodas –most artificial sweeteners have potential health risks. One glass of wine or beer every day is fine for most people and may actually have health benefits. Beyond this, however, alcohol can be fattening, can contribute to other health problems and can also weaken our resolve to avoid fattening foods (ever have a couple of glasses of wine and then find yourself completely going overboard on appetizers or dessert? You know what I mean).
4. Get Some Sleep! -while we all know that you need exercise to lose weight, oddly enough, sleep can also help. Recent research has shown a correlation between sleep deprivation and obesity. Apparently lack of sleep causes an imbalance in the body which inhibits the burning of fat. So if you have sleeping problems, you should address this. Regular exercise can help with this. Avoid caffeine or stimulants beyond the mid-afternoon. Certain herbal teas, such as chamomile and skullcap can also help with sleep.
5. Reduce Stress -stress also makes it difficult to lose weight. This is probably related to the issue of sleep deprivation contributing to obesity. While we tend to think of sleep and relaxation as the opposite of what we need to lose weight, the fact is we need b oth activity and rest to be at our best and for our body to burn fat. So we don’t only need to get enough sleep, but we also need to be able to deal with stress throughout the day. If you have a problem with stress, try yoga or meditation. These also teach proper breathing, which is crucial for overall health, stress reduction and losing weight.
6. Try tracking your food intake - even for a couple of days. Write down everything you eat and drink including little bites and tastes. You might be surprised at the number of calories you're taking in. If you don't want to write everything down, there are a number of free on-line trackers that will automatically calculate the nutrients in your foods. Fitday and Sparkpeople are two good options.
1. Eat Healthier Fats -the latest research shows that it’s not so much fat itself that is the problem when it comes to health and weight loss, but the kind of fat. In general, avoid trans fats, which are found in many junk foods, margarine, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and commercial sweets such as cakes, cookies and donuts (you can find healthier, organic versions of these products).
Saturated fats, which are found in animal products are fine to eat in small quantities, especially if they are natural or organic.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are now called “healthy fats” contain essential fatty acids, especially Omega-3. These are found in almonds and other nuts, avocados, coconut and olive oils and flaxseed oil.
2. Exercise Intelligently - Find a routine that works for you and be consistent. Beachbody products are great for recognizing that everyone has different needs and desires when it comes to exercise. Send me an email and I'd love to help you figure out what will work best for you.
3. Pay Attention to What You Drink -beverage consumption can be at least as important as food when it comes to your weight. The best thing to drink is pure water. After that, stick to green tea, which has antioxidants that may help with weight loss, herbal teas and pure juices in moderation (many juices like apple are healthy, but contain lots of sugar; even natural sugar can be fattening in large quantities).
Avoid soda as much as possible, even diet sodas –most artificial sweeteners have potential health risks. One glass of wine or beer every day is fine for most people and may actually have health benefits. Beyond this, however, alcohol can be fattening, can contribute to other health problems and can also weaken our resolve to avoid fattening foods (ever have a couple of glasses of wine and then find yourself completely going overboard on appetizers or dessert? You know what I mean).
4. Get Some Sleep! -while we all know that you need exercise to lose weight, oddly enough, sleep can also help. Recent research has shown a correlation between sleep deprivation and obesity. Apparently lack of sleep causes an imbalance in the body which inhibits the burning of fat. So if you have sleeping problems, you should address this. Regular exercise can help with this. Avoid caffeine or stimulants beyond the mid-afternoon. Certain herbal teas, such as chamomile and skullcap can also help with sleep.
5. Reduce Stress -stress also makes it difficult to lose weight. This is probably related to the issue of sleep deprivation contributing to obesity. While we tend to think of sleep and relaxation as the opposite of what we need to lose weight, the fact is we need b oth activity and rest to be at our best and for our body to burn fat. So we don’t only need to get enough sleep, but we also need to be able to deal with stress throughout the day. If you have a problem with stress, try yoga or meditation. These also teach proper breathing, which is crucial for overall health, stress reduction and losing weight.
6. Try tracking your food intake - even for a couple of days. Write down everything you eat and drink including little bites and tastes. You might be surprised at the number of calories you're taking in. If you don't want to write everything down, there are a number of free on-line trackers that will automatically calculate the nutrients in your foods. Fitday and Sparkpeople are two good options.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Exercise Not Important to Weightloss?
I'm sure many of you have heard the results of this study, which too often have been edited down to "Exercise is not important". The article makes a lot of good points. I was a great example of how you can exercise all you want and still carry around extra pounds. I gained weight while training for my first marathon and no, it wasn't all muscle.
Let's take an example: a 150-pound person will burn around 100 calories/mile, whether walking, running, crawling, skipping, whatever. So, if like many folks, you go out and jog 3 miles you've burned about 300 calories. Not bad, right? The problem is that 300 calories is the amount in a couple of cans of soda, an average protein bar, or 1/2 cup of coffee ice cream (and really, who stops at 1/2 cup). So, will exercise alone lead to weight loss? Not likely, but here are my top 5 reasons to exercise anyway:
1. It's great for managing stress.
We are all way too stressed out. Really. Want to feel better? Get out there and sweat. Works every time.
2. It's a great social outlet.
Some of my best friends are the women I run with. We solve all the world's problems during our long Sunday runs. It's a blast -- and a lot healthier than going out for drinks! (Not that I would suggest that one should never go out for drinks).
3. It's empowering.
Ever have one of those days where you're lacking a little confidence? Knock out some push ups. Flex your hard-earned muscles. Or go for a walk or run in the rain while everyone drives by you with their Venti Frappuccino's. Sometimes it's nice to feel a little smug...
4. There are other health benefits -- it's not all about losing weight!
While you may not drop those last 10 pounds automatically from exercise alone, but the benefits are enormous -- lower blood pressure, lower bad cholesterol and higher good cholesterol, increased energy, deeper sleep, increased heart capacity, and on and on.
5. It does help manage weight.
Can you out-eat your workout? Of course! BUT, exercise still does burn calories and importantly, it makes you feel good -- so maybe you'll be less likely to over-indulge in ice cream later.
So -- no more excuses! Go get your workout on!
Let's take an example: a 150-pound person will burn around 100 calories/mile, whether walking, running, crawling, skipping, whatever. So, if like many folks, you go out and jog 3 miles you've burned about 300 calories. Not bad, right? The problem is that 300 calories is the amount in a couple of cans of soda, an average protein bar, or 1/2 cup of coffee ice cream (and really, who stops at 1/2 cup). So, will exercise alone lead to weight loss? Not likely, but here are my top 5 reasons to exercise anyway:
1. It's great for managing stress.
We are all way too stressed out. Really. Want to feel better? Get out there and sweat. Works every time.
2. It's a great social outlet.
Some of my best friends are the women I run with. We solve all the world's problems during our long Sunday runs. It's a blast -- and a lot healthier than going out for drinks! (Not that I would suggest that one should never go out for drinks).
3. It's empowering.
Ever have one of those days where you're lacking a little confidence? Knock out some push ups. Flex your hard-earned muscles. Or go for a walk or run in the rain while everyone drives by you with their Venti Frappuccino's. Sometimes it's nice to feel a little smug...
4. There are other health benefits -- it's not all about losing weight!
While you may not drop those last 10 pounds automatically from exercise alone, but the benefits are enormous -- lower blood pressure, lower bad cholesterol and higher good cholesterol, increased energy, deeper sleep, increased heart capacity, and on and on.
5. It does help manage weight.
Can you out-eat your workout? Of course! BUT, exercise still does burn calories and importantly, it makes you feel good -- so maybe you'll be less likely to over-indulge in ice cream later.
So -- no more excuses! Go get your workout on!
Fitness Advantage Tip of the Day 8/24/09
Ditch the car. If you have errands to run, and your destination is within two miles from home, walk or bike to get there. Enjoy the great outdoors and slower pace while you mix fitness and function. An added bonus? Get some Vitamin D from the exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D has many benefits including contributing to joint and bone health by helping the body absorb calcium. But what's very cool is that Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that Vitamin D levels in the body at the start of a low-calorie diet predicted weight loss success, suggesting a possible role for vitamin D in weight loss. So get outside!
Monday, August 17, 2009
I've been pretty active all my life. I played national level softball and competitive volleyball from a very young age and discovered a love of running while in my late teens. While in my 20's I became a certified trainer and taught step class (it was the 90's!!) Unfortunately, I also discovered an ability to out-eat any level of training, even while running 50 miles per week training for marathons! (Key learning: no matter how many miles you run, handfuls of M&M's and mini-Heath bars will cause you to gain weight!). While I've never been obese, I have decided that now is the time to get "super fit" once and for all, building muscle and improving my flexibility (I'm doing yoga!!) while continuing to train for marathons. Beachbody products appealed to me because they focus on exactly what everyone needs -- a variety of well rounded workouts that focus on strength, cardio, and flexibility. No false promises, just results through hard work. I chose P90X to start and have been blown away by the results. I have muscles I've never seen before, and my strength and flexibility has resulted in significantly improved and pain-free running!
Besides being an Independent Beachbody Coach, I'm also studying to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association so that I can train people and teams in my area to maximize their performance through improved physical fitness and nutrition. I'm extremely excited to share my experiences and help to motivate others as we all move through this journey.
Follow me as I workout with Beachbody products, train for the Santa Barbara Marathon Demeber 7th, 2009, study for my CSCS (I have a MASSIVE textbook! yikes!) and attempt to keep my sanity while managing family life with my husband and two kids!
Besides being an Independent Beachbody Coach, I'm also studying to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association so that I can train people and teams in my area to maximize their performance through improved physical fitness and nutrition. I'm extremely excited to share my experiences and help to motivate others as we all move through this journey.
Follow me as I workout with Beachbody products, train for the Santa Barbara Marathon Demeber 7th, 2009, study for my CSCS (I have a MASSIVE textbook! yikes!) and attempt to keep my sanity while managing family life with my husband and two kids!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
