1. The band last night consisted of a banjo player, a bassist, a guitarist, and a drummer. Once during each song, I would concentrate on trying to hear each instrument individually, singling it out from the other instruments playing at the same moment: for someone who has no musical talent, it’s a slightly difficult exercise.

   I realized as I was doing this exercise, that it’s very much like doing a Body Scan and listening to my body as I am walking or running: taking a moment to do a Scan, sense any tightness, recognizing it and letting it go.

   I am extraordinarily grateful for the knowledge of Body Scanning: every time something in my body needs attention when I am running or walking (or standing or sitting or washing dishes), I now have the skills to listen, to respond and to learn.

2. The venue where we saw music last night has very few seats. As a result, like most musical venues, we stood for the entire show, about 4 hours.

   Partway through the show, I realized that my back didn’t hurt at all, that my knees were soft, my core engaged and my feet felt perfectly normal. I can distinctly remember in years past, going to see shows, or walking through cities, or going to a museum and feeling absolutely wiped out after only a few hours.

   Thanks to Chi Running and Chi Walking, I have learned to pay attention to my body all the time and am always prepared to listen and respond in order to keep my body happy, moving painlessly and without injury.

Over Thanksgiving, I have spent time on my feet in the kitchen, at parties, shopping, talking to friends. I have spend a lot of time walking as well, talking strolls with Oliver and Ivan. I can say that the entire holiday has been spent blissfully, listening to my body, learning what it needed, and responding with an appropriate Form Focus right in the moment.

What a gift! There are many of you who know what I am talking about. There are some of you who are learning… Just imagine how many people out there have yet to learn about the gift of pain-free movement!

The day before, I had gone running in the mountains, so today I wanted a recovery run. I had a twinge of an old injury in my right medial tibia, and did not want to push it. So instead of trying to stay with most of the gang, I hung at the back of the pack with one of the slower runners, and ended up enjoying my run immensely. The slower pace allowed me to focus better on keeping a solid center and relaxed arms and lower legs. I noticed so much more at this slower running pace, as if my body was coming alive, like the Everglades! I could keep my posture and form in check much easier, and my leg actually felt better, which was amazing in itself, considering the wet and muddy conditions. With each hill, I got a chance to practice the new uphill technique, and really feel it in my body. It was all so effortless, I felt like I never got beyond the easy relaxed feeling of first gear, even on the steepest hills. My perceived rate of exertion remained low throughout the run.

In his blog, Danny spoke about the process of learning the ChiRunning technique requiring effort, and that the effortless feeling might not happen immediately.  Many people (especially in our instant gratification-based society) don’t take the time to slow down and really feel it in their body. In the end, they get frustrated, possibly injured, and give up trying to get to that point where running can feel so effortless. One of my favorite phrases is “our bodies learn best by repetition.” This can be a double edged sword – if your running pace is too fast for where you are, form falls apart, you start repeating destructive habits, and the pain or injury that led you to seek out a better way, may return.

In some ways, for some of us, it takes effort to slow down and listen. When you do, as you practice your running focuses, you can feel your body come alive, and reap the benefits of good running form – less effort and increased relaxation. In addition, when the old habits do arise (and they may), they can be heard much easier, and you can make adjustments that are constructive, rather than destructive. As you become more adept in practicing the focuses and adjusting your form, your effort decreases even more, and speed becomes a natural by-product.  In the end, running is no longer boring or something you have to slog through, because slowing down and learning to listen makes your body sensing come alive!

Back home, it’s week 3 of marathon training so what did the Marathon Training Program have in store for me.  Still in the form phase of training, a 45 minute form interval run with the 2 form focuses being the one-legged posture stance and the “C” Shape.  I set my watch to beep at one-minute intervals and the plan was to practise focus 1 for one minute on/one minute off for the first third of the run; then practice focus 2 for one minute on/one minute off for the second third of the run.  Then practise both focuses together for the remainder of the run.

The weather back in London wasn’t as kind as in North Carolina and so a little jetlagged I headed out for my run into strong swirling winds.

Before I started out I practised engaging my lean from a standing position for a few minutes.  Once I was running, the importance of the two focuses became clear.  As long as I stayed aligned in the one-legged posture stance, then I could allow the wind to catch my fall when it was in front of me.  When the wind was behind me, I relaxed and let it push me forward picking up speed until the wind direction changed again.

I noticed from the many photos taken over the weekend that I have a tendency to look down so my focus on the “C” Shape really helped with this.  Lengthening the back of my neck lengthens my whole spine, stops me from decompressing and helps me to breathe more easily.

A run that could have felt difficult in the conditions, turned out to be relatively effortless and the result was that I finished the run with more energy than I started.

Every time you are on your feet is an opportunity to practise the one-legged posture stance and the “C” Shape. The more often you practise when you are not running the easier it will be to feel what it feels like when you are running. Get aligned and stay aligned, all the other focuses depend on it.

Michelle

The principle of Gradual Progress is a key principle for any change, not just your posture or your running/walking technique.  It is a key principle of nature itself.  Everything in nature transitions from state to state incrementally.  When something in nature attempts to skip a step, and is inefficient or out of balance for too long, it is usually reminded of this principle with impact to its longevity.

Here is another way to look at it.  If you had a choice, which set of steps below would you rather climb? Orange or Blue?

Perhaps most of us have never thought about it, but steps are designed specifically to allow humans to make Gradual Progress balancing effort with efficiency.  Too little a step means too little effort and lower efficiency.  Too big a step means too much effort and lower efficiency.  Steps have a height (rise) and depth (run) based on their purpose.

If you have ever run or walked a hill and it felt much like a lot a additional effort, it could be that you were taking too big of a step.  If you ever added too many running or walking upgrades (long, total miles, hills, intervals, etc) to your training program, you may have been asking your body to take too big a step forward.

When we take too big a ‘step’, we can get out of balance.  When we get out of balance, all kinds of compensations take over for the primary goal of survival (or the survival of the goal).  We use more ‘muscle’, or other muscles not designed to handle the task; and maybe we sacrifice the long term to support the short term. Out of balance for too long, say in the repetitive stress motions of life which include running and walking, we can create resistance in the form of tension, fatigue, discomfort, aches/pains and eventually injury and/or dis-ease.

The question again comes back to, “On average, what kind of steps are you taking as you move through the many aspects of your life?” … both physically and mentally. Are they steps balancing effort and efficiency, maximizing forward momentum and minimizing resistance or are they steps which skip steps and/or pull you out of balance?

I experienced the negative effects of this concept a few years ago through my running.  At one point, I struggled to run consistently due to nagging injuries for almost two years.  That was almost four years ago and I have been running injury-free ever since.  What changed?  I did.  I was introduced to ChiRunning and realized that both my running technique and my running program was out of balance.  Both were asking my body to move in a state of in-balance and against simple principles of nature.

As I changed my approach to my running(*) through ChiRunning for effortless, injury-free running, I never expected its simple principles of nature to also teach me so much about the rest of life in nature.  At first I thought this the bonus, but now realize it was clearly the prize.

[* and later my walking through ChiWalking so I can apply the principles all day long.]

Please share your thoughts and any questions in a comment below.

Enjoy,
David Stretanski
ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Certified Instructor
NJ/Northeast USA

From there, we moved outside and went through the body looseners, led by Danny. Again, this is an essential part of running mindfully, as it loosens up the joints and ligaments, and warms the body up to begin running. The weather was cool, but by the end of the looseners, I was warmed and ready to go. We started running in first gear, keeping it light and easy. By moving that slowly and easily, you can feel if you’re not relaxed and if your running form is out of alignment. And by feeling what it feels like, you can make necessary corrections while running. For instance, if my feet are aligned when standing still, they might not be when I go to run, since my focus isn’t directly on them. But by going easy and feeling (and looking) I can notice more and make the adjustments.

Soon we were on trails and by a beautiful waterfall. As I picked up speed, I focused on keeping my pelvis level, stride length short, and feet landing behind my hips. One habit I have going uphill is not leaning enough. Fortunately, I now have Danny’s voice stuck in my head when I go uphill telling me to lean more into it. When I do that the running becomes more effortless. As we ran over grass fields and up small hills, I felt like I was dancing! It became such a pleasure to turn my running into playing, all because I was feeling what good form felt like – aligned and relaxed!  That was the first day.

The second day, after the morning exerises and body looseners, we ran on roads. Danny had taught us some new tricks to apply when running up and down hills, and we headed out to a deserted road to try them out. For me, those tricks will come in handy as I go running in the mountains near my home. We ran up and down the hills several times, and then headed back to a field near the lodge. We ended the run with a grounding exercise – so beautiful to do and watch in the early morning sunlight! From there, Danny asked us to walk silently towards breakfast. Either not all heard him or monkey minds took over and chatter began. Holding back from the group and feeling what that peacefulness felt like was its own reward.

Back home, I’ve gone running twice and enjoyed feeling what it feels like. My favorite is the hill climbing. As I ran home from work tonight, I purposely left the trail, headed up some stairs and took my running up a long hill to reach my street. I tried out using my obliques more and tried to neutralize my legs as much as possible. Once I got into the rhythm, I felt as if I was floating instead of running. As I ran the last downhill towards my house, I relaxed as much as I was comfortable with and floated easily in the front door. I was grinning ear to ear feeling what it felt like.

On the surface, ChiRunning is about adjusting running technique to improve efficiency and prevent injury.  Underneath, ChiRunning in rooted in simple principles of nature that if applied can dramatically change your running experience.  The same is true for ChiWalking and your walking experience.

The first three chapters of the ChiRunning Book are all about these principles.  It is not until chapter four that the elements of the technique are presented.  Looking back, the first three chapters were critical to my understanding and all of the incremental and consistent progress that has followed.  I am grateful that patience allowed the process of learning to unfold as it did.

[Again, the same is true for the ChiWalking Book with the first three chapters all about principles and chapter four begins the walking technique.]

Recently the following quote came across my desk.  I think it sums it up quite nicely.

The principle without the technique is useless, the technique without the principle is dangerous.
— George Ohsawa

When someone asks about ChiRunning, I am sure to introduce the principles first, then the benefits and then finally specific elements of the technique.  The principle provides the ‘why’ that can motivate the ‘how’.  ChiRunning is about changing habits to improve the quality of your running experience.  Sometimes our existing habits form slowly over time; as if we drift into them with subtle life influences.

Which leads me to another great quote: “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything” which is attributed to many on the internet.  Consider that when you do stand for something, it is almost always based on a principle by which you live.

So, happy running and walking; and considering embracing the ‘why’ so when you stand and move in a new direction you can be rooted in simple principles of nature that apply to us all.

Please share your thoughts and any questions in a comment below.

Enjoy,
David Stretanski
ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Certified Instructor
NJ/Northeast USA

The new paradigm of ChiRunning is helping thousands of runners move away from power running and experience more relaxation and less pain and injury. Yoga is a similar path to relaxation and pain reduction. Power running can cause adrenal burnout, fatigue, and injury. What is needed in this situation is not another workout, it is deep relaxation, which allows the body to recover and restore itself to natural harmony.

Those who practice ChiRunning attempt to minimize the amount of stress they place on the body. Those who practice power running purposely place stress on the body in order to get stronger. The idea is that if you stress the body, and then recover, the body will rebuild itself stronger. Most runners train far beyond their ability to recover and do not get the full benefits distance running can offer.

The recovery process stems from deep relaxation. It goes far beyond taking an easy day, going for a recovery run, and eating protein. Learning to recover properly will aid your distance running practice tremendously. Below is a list of my five best yoga poses for runners. Mastering these poses will allow you to access the deep relaxation that is needed for recovery. I suggest finding a good teacher to work with you on these postures as well as researching the postures on your own.

1. Savasana – This is where the recovery really takes place.  The corpse pose is where your ego dies down and the Chi is allowed to nurture and heal.

2. Childs pose (garbasana) – Deeply relaxing for the body and mind and a great stretch for the hips, lower back and glutes.

3. Meditation posture – Meditation is a way to develop your focus, which is an integral part of your ChiRunning practice. For most runners I suggest starting in a chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor.  For those of you who have done Katherine and Danny’s morning exercise you know how powerful this can be.

4. Legs up the wall pose – See page 214 in the ChiRunning book for a description of this wonderful recovery pose.

5. Mountain pose (tadasana) – Also known as your ChiRunning posture.

ChiRunning will lessen the need for recovery, while Yoga will help maximize any recovery that is needed. This combination is a powerful way to become an efficient, pain free, joyful runner. Any distance running program could benefit greatly from a supplemental Yoga practice.

Lets take a look at the features of running shoes, how they exist in your body, and how ChiRunning will help you develop these features.

1. Cushioning – The first feature running shoes contain is cushioning. Cushioning is designed to help lessen the impact running can cause on the body. As you start running with good form, utilizing a midfoot strike your body will be able to absorb impact through the arch of the foot, rotation of the pelvis, excellent posture, and relaxed muscles. Many ChiRunners start running with thick, heavily cushioned shoes and gradually progress to very minimal shoes. Their bodies become much better at absorbing the impact of the road. Many instructors are even able to practice barefoot running.

2. Stability – The next feature of running shoes is stability, which takes the form of medial posts. The idea behind this is preventing excessive pronation to help keep your body in alignment. With ChiRunning, excellent posture, a level pelvis and a focused mind become the stability. Just by leveling the pelvis you can gradually work to strengthen your arch and gain more stability in your running practice.

3. Flexibility – Running shoes have varying degrees of flexibility.  Runners practicing power running often use a very stiff shoe.  They are using the muscles of the lower legs which become very stiff. A stiff running may aid the toe off motion of power running, but it is not ideal for ChiRunning.  As you practice your running form, you will gradually progress to a more flexible shoe that will work in harmony with your body.

4. Comfort – Power running can cause so much physical and emotional trauma on the body, that for many power runners their shoes are the most comfortable thing on their body. ChiRunning is a holistic practice similar to Yoga. This involves becoming more comfortable in your body.  As you practice ChiRunning you will become more comfortable with your body. You will begin to look inside your body for a deep sense of comfort, rather than searching externally for a product to make you feel comfortable.

5. Aesthetics – Lets face it, people want to look good. If a shoe doesn’t look good many people will not wear it. Conversely, if a shoe looks great, people will wear it, whether the features it contains are in line with their needs or not. As you practice ChiRunning your stride will become more graceful and you will begin to move through life with a sense of ease and joy. In the shoe industry they talk about “design language,” similar to “body language.” Practicing ChiRunning will improve your posture and relaxation, so your body language will tell people you are relaxed, comfortable and stable.

The takeaway from this post is to asses your features.  Ask yourself these questions:

How soft is my foot strike?

How stable do I feel when running?

How flexible am I?

How comfortable am I with my body?

What does my body language say to myself and to others?

If you have any questions about running shoes I would be happy to help.

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 I prefer not to use this word.  As a runner and a student of both the physical and mental aspects of running, I immediately applied this quote to running.  A few years ago when I ran tense it was about all about “should”, the watch, the miles; all about external expectations.  I was uncomfortable, in pain and injured often.

Four years ago, almost to the day I was introduced to ChiRunning® and its simple principles applied to movement.

As I learn running (and life) lessons, I run more and more relaxed for a number of reasons; primarily because I have created my own internal running ‘practice’.  I run for my reasons; for my health and to enjoy the process of discovery.  My running is consistent with who I am.  I have not been injured since.  Yet I am faster than I have ever been.

Interesting how that happens … which can be summed up nicely in my favorite three words in the whole ChiRunning® book: “Less is more” (right up front on page 4).

Enjoy,
David Stretanski
ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Certified Instructor
NJ/Northeast USA

I feel unequivocally confident in stating that Chi Running can be effortless and injury-free, BUT the process of learning is distinctly not effortless. If it were, it wouldn’t be called a mindful practice. If anything in your life feels effortless, it means that you have already attained some level of mastery with it. And, it follows that if you want to master anything you must take the time to put a lot of practice and concentration into all aspects of it…mind, body and feelings…everything in your power to do the best with it that you can. We are all surrounded by a result-oriented, instant gratification society. But, if someone wants effortless running to come easy they’re missing the whole point of what we’re trying to teach.

Everyone’s body responds to learning something new in a very individual way. Some folks find it easy to feel the correct leg swing, while others find it easier to feel what good posture feels like. Are all of my runs effortless? Hardly. But the more I use the Chi Running focuses the higher the odds are that my runs will feel effortless.

Mindful work takes immersion, concentration, surrender…and sometimes even a good dose of “suspended disbelief.” It’s not a path for lazy people and nothing that is truly life-changing happens overnight. There are exceptions to every rule, but we’re not marketing exceptions.

“The Practice becomes the goal.”

Danny