"The debate around shoes or barefoot comes down to not much of a real argument when you look to the predominant cause of injuries.

The bottom line is that it pretty much doesn't matter what you have, or don't have, on your feet. If you're running in a way that is inefficient, overworks any of your muscles, creates undue impact... or in other words, is hard on your body, you'll get injured. How much you push off with your toes will determine how much you overuse your lower leg muscles and create everything from muscle or tendon pulls to metatarsil stress fractures. Your rate of impact is the determiner of how many impact-related lower-leg, knee, upper leg and lower back injuries you incur. Running technique is what comes from paying attention to HOW you run... not just what you have on your feet. Lower profile shoes help to at least give your body a more accurate sense of proprioception, but changing shoes is never a guarantee that your running form will get better... or even get good enough to prevent injuries."

Whether you are new to running or a seasoned veteran, using a metronome can help you in many ways. As Danny Dreyer says, “Start out focusing on your form to build a strong running foundation.” Well, your running form is partially dependent on your cadence. Unless you have perfect rhythm, let a metronome set your cadence (how many times your feet hit the ground per minute).

A metronome is objective. It doesn’t lie and doesn’t get tired.

For the beginning runner, the metronome can help set up good running form. Using a metronome usually helps a new runner keep their strides shorter, making it less likely that the stride will lengthen in front of their bodies setting up a heel strike. The metronome can also have cardio-respiratory benefits. When you move your feet and legs faster your heart rate tends to rise. If a beginner can be patient and work in the 170 – 180 strides per minute (SPM) range , after several week the body tends to adapt to the legs and feet moving at that speed and the heart rate and breath rate begin to adjust downward. In the adaptation phase, the new runner should expect to take frequent walk breaks when heart/breath rates rises. A benefit with be breaking a sweat and burning more calories. As the beginner adapts to the metronome they will enjoy the benefits of less braking, better form, and will burn a bunch of calories.

For the seasoned runners a metronome can make you faster. Remember speed is a mathematical formula: 

Stride Length x Cadence = Speed.

Read any long distance running book and almost everyone agrees that 180 SPM is the gold standard. But running at 180 SPM for hours takes training. It took me almost a year to run an entire marathon at 180 SPM. The fact is, most people run at much lower/slower cadences. Imagine if each of your strides were 3 feet long, taking just 3 more strides per minutes would add 9 extra feet of road covered each minute. In 10 minutes you would cover an additional 90 feet, and in 1 hour 540 additional feet. This translates into speed, and by only taking 3 extra steps per minute.

Improve your personal practice with Danny's metronome of choice

Plus, the metronome helps you pay attention. I know it sounds tedious and many of you would rather run with music but remember, each song has a different tempo or cadence.  Yes, there are websites that say they mix their music so each song has the same tempo but it is pretty difficult to keep the songs sounding good as the pitch is increased or decreased.

Every race that I have set a personal record has been while I was using a metronome. When I get tired it reminds me to keep my feet moving to it’s exact cadence, rather than my foot turnover slowing down . It also reminds me to check in with my body and focus. It is a great tool to help you with your ChiRunning®. Give it a try.

In March of 2013, Runner’s World published its first-ever article about ChiRunning. Read it here and you’ll get a beautifully described sense of what ChiRunning has to offer.

Since the start of ChiRunning in 1999 the running landscape has changed dramatically. The midfoot strike, and flexible, low-profile shoes we recommended back then are becoming more and more the norm; and the Kenyans have proven without a doubt that a forward-leaning running stride is faster than running upright. The idea that your running can be improved with technique training is no longer considered “out there” as Runner’s World once dubbed it.

And yet, ChiRunning is stilled labeled as “alternative” by Runner’s World. Alternative to what? I think the alternative we offer is a way for 65% or more of runners, getting injured every year, to experience injury-free running. Our alternative approach should be the norm because it simply teaches your body to run as it did when you were young, flexible, and energized by fun.

As people who have tried ChiRunning find, it is first and foremost a physical technique and a great toolkit to make running faster, easier and injury-free.  Called ChiRunning to be true to its source (the ancient martial art, T’ai Chi), it is based on the philosophy that the body works most efficiently when directed by an educated and attentive mind. We call it intelligent movement, and we are seeing that this ancient, yet fresh approach to running, is becoming more widely trusted and accepted every day - and that the ideas we’ve put forward over the past 14 years are helping to create the new “mainstream.”

AHA moment #2
Walking/Running Lesson:
Conserving energy works and helped me tremendously with my recovery time! During my training and on the marathon, I focused on relaxing my body and conserving my energy as much as possible. Tension (physical and mental) is resistance and uses up unnecessary energy.  ChiRunning teaches us how to go with the flow and relax the mind and body as much as possible.
Life Lesson:
Did you ever notice how much energy it takes out of you when you are stressed?  On the other hand when you are relaxed, things always seem easier?   For example, when driving I used to let other drivers get to me.  I would get irritated and I could feel the extra stress. When I realized I had no control over them but I had control over me and my stress level, I chose to remove this tension and go with the flow.  And my drives are much more enjoyable and relaxing.  So next time you are feeling stressed, think about how you can eliminate it and then,  just go with the flow.

ChiHugs,
Lisa Pozzoni, Senior Instructor

www.EasyFitnessSolutions.com

Find me on Facebook
 

It takes a leap of faith. You have to believe that there is value and something to be gained from what looks like a set back.

It starts with paying attention. If you get injured, you might look at what warning signals you may have ignored. Those early warnings often contain the antidote to what ails you.  I have a good example. A sharp pain in my right foot began to make it impossible for me to even walk, much less run. I did not pay attention soon enough. When the pain started, I thought I had a pebble in my shoe. I asked Danny to take a look and he thought the wear pattern on my shoe was unusual; the wear being in the middle of the ball of the foot. We cleaned out the ground in dirt and pebbles in the sole and I continued walking and running. I kept feeling something and thought it was my shoes.

Then one day I hiked in old, worn-out  shoes. I threw them on to drive Journey to school and a friend suggested a hike. I thought, “What the heck, these shoes will do.” Big mistake. We hiked some pretty steep trails and I was not paying attention. The next day the pain was severe and did not let up. I could not take a step without pain.

The fear that I had really hurt my foot was pouring through me. And memories of similar pain began to flash through me. When I was much younger and working in New York City I sometimes wore high heels, and my right foot was always the one that would tweak with a warning. 

I realized that my foot problem was a long, long time in the making.

I went and saw Robyn Hughes, a naturopathic podiatrist, here in Asheville, NC. She is a protegee of Dr. Ray McClanahan of Portland, the inventor of Correct Toes®. Dr. Hughes calmed my fears that I would never walk without pain again, explained the physical issues and gave me some exercises to do. With this knowledge and advice, I have since set about to correct the problem with:  zero drop shoes with a really wide toe box, Correct Toes, Dr. Hughes’ exercises, my own online research and most importantly, Body Sensing every step I take. It has been and continues to be a fascinating adventure in which my every step is giving me loud and clear feedback.

If you've experienced an injury or want to prevent injuries, our 5K-Made-Easy Webinar and Training Program is a great way to get started. With an 8-week program and personal training, you'll become more aware of your body and how to move it in the best way possible. 

Because of this painful injury I am now doing everything we advise in Chi Walking and Chi Running, only more assiduously than ever before. I have to be faithful to: engaging my core, taking small steps, pointing my right foot forward (it splays out too much, despite the progress I have made over the years), and the big one has simply been relaxing. Every time my body is tense, I can feel the ball of my foot remind me that holding tension is doing me no favors. If my shoulders are tense and my core lax, my foot lands in a way that causes pain. If I’m relaxed and my core in engaged, I have no pain. It’s eye-opening to learn that my foot pain is linked to how I move my upper body, and it reminds me to treat my body as one whole entity and not as parts moving independently.

This has opened a whole world of Body Sensing where I hold tension and relaxing whenever I feel it, even when I’m not running or walking. This practice is making me much more aware of the thoughts that trigger tension. This injury has the potential to improve my life pretty dramatically by practicing relaxation and all the other Chi Form Focuses.  My core is stronger, my posture better, and my general outlook is more positive. 

We read amazing stories about people overcoming terrible health issues, but the truth is, it does not have to be life-threatening to learn a lot and have an injury become one of the best things that ever happened to you. By paying attention to warning signals early on, injury, pain, or illness can serve as timely reminders that there is a better way.

Definition:
Good running form is running in a way that is injury-free; allows you to run the most efficiently given all your speed, distance and performance goals (both immediate and long-term) for the span of your lifetime; promotes overall physical health and wellness; and is not dependent on what you’re wearing on your feet.

The article focuses on foot strike, which is just one aspect of good running technique, but hardly the whole or the big picture. The big picture is about including all the terms mentioned in the definition above. At ChiRunning, we have built our programs to accomplish our mission of providing everything in that definition.

The article is misleading in asking about a right way to run, when all that is addressed is footstrike. In studies, it is important to limit the focus so as to get definitive results. However, for the average runner it is important, to feel what works best for you, keeping in mind the definition above.
 

This is the first peer-reviewed, scientific study showing what our clients have told us all along; ChiRunning creates less impact than other running styles which translates into a lesser potential for injury. See Danny's full explanation of the study here.

This study confirms our previous, peer-reviewed anecdotal studies of our clients and what some doctors have already known. “The recent UNC study scientifically confirms years of our clinical experience.” says Dr. William Mullins at the Center for Rheumatic Diseases and Osteoporosis in Bethesda, Maryland. “ChiRunning is a unique running style that causes less stress for lower extremity joints and supporting structures than any other running technique. Chi Running reduces the risk of running injuries, and increases the chance that we can continue running into our 80s. I routinely recommend the ChiRunning workshops or DVDs for my patients who run for exercise.”

Additionally, and contrary to some running experts’ beliefs, this study also shows that low-impact, more efficient running technique can be learned, and that runners can improve their technique to reduce the potential for injury.

See the complete scientific study here.

See Danny's explanation of the study here.

See our 2011 Survey of 3500 ChiRunning clients.

In January 2013, the New York Times, LA Times, and NPR all reported on the pointed new study that shows that American health is in trouble…deeper trouble than most people knew – we’re at the bottom of the barrel compared to most countries with whom we should be on par.

American men had the lowest life expectancy and women the second lowest out of 17 wealthy countries. And, we’re sicker and have poorer health in general. Obesity and cardiovascular disease were two of the many culprits, claiming the lives of the poor and the wealthy in the U.S.

An analysis of the data can be found here. 

If this is not a wake up call, I’m not sure what is. 

A related study (International Difference in Mortality at Older Ages) states: Regular physical activity is thought to be among the most important lifestyle factors for the maintenance of health and prevention of premature disease and mortality.

The problem is obvious and so is the solution: we have to get people moving (too much time in our cars was one of the many concerns brought out in the study). Sitting is the new smoking; lack of movement means that you die younger and drastically lessens the quality of your life.

We know what to do: put on your running or walking shoes and go out the door. And bring your partner or neighbor along with you. However, it is not a one shot deal. You have to get out that door 3-6 times a week, year in and year out. The consistency required to get and stay healthy becomes derailed if you’re in pain or get injured. Learning to optimize the way you walk or run will help you stay on track. It is not about going fast or far, but about consistent, gentle exercise.

Tips to get moving:

• Choose a 20 minute walk over doing nothing. Once you choose to get up and get out the door, you may want to walk a little more and eventually you might want to run.
• Beginning runners: Run for 1 minute and walk for 2-3 minutes to start a safe running program. Over weeks increase the overall workout time, increase the time you run and decrease the time you walk.
• Never workout until you are exhausted or in pain. Your workouts should energize you, not deplete you.
• Practice the Chi focuses of relaxation, good posture and a strong core all day long.
• Make exercise a priority in your life.

See the new peer-reviewed Chi Running study that shows that Chi Running reduces impact and therefore the potential for injury. (Read about the study here)

What is Chi Running?
Chi Running is perspective on running that incorporates principles of Tai Chi meshed with running. Chi Running is much different from the common perspective on running which is “no pain, no gain”. Instead, it involves a method of running that revolves around using your body’s core to run rather than individual muscles pushing you towards the finish line; a holistic approach if you will. The major differentiation is that Chi Running is an injury free method of running. With its holistic approach to running, the possibility of getting injured decreases dramatically.

Danny Dreyer, an ultra-distance runner, developed this method to teach runners how to relax their bodies while running long distances. The basic premise of Chi Running is to use the force of gravity to drive your forward.

To help implement Chi Running, there are basic principles and skills that will aid in the relaxation of the body and will allow a runner’s body to run longer distances without discomfort.

Chi Running Foundation Principles
There are three concepts that Danny prescribes runners to live by:

The first principle is called “Needle and Cotton” which illustrates the importance of centering a runner’s energy and relieving the rest of your body of stress and placing it in a state of relaxation; this makes the muscles soft as “cotton”. This principle emphasizes the proper posture and technique when running.
The second principle is “Gradual Process” which promotes the adaptation of dynamic training stages for a race. As the weekly mileage progressively increases, your body will be challenged in ways that it has never been challenged before; this principle makes that transition smoother.
The third principle is “Balance in Motion” which stems from the concept of yin and yang. This principle sheds light on why you must balance your body’s physical movements. While running, the body moves up and down, left and right and may sway in awkward directions because of weak/tired muscles. This principle helps teach why maintaining balance while running is important.

Chi Running’s Four Chi Skills
With the foundation now built, the four Chi Running skills build on that foundation to hone your skills as a marathoner and as a runner.

The first Chi Running skills in “Focusing Your Mind”. There are different perspectives on this topic as there are runners that prefer to doze off and think about “nothing”. Danny believes that your mind should be focused on your body to detect the hundreds, if not thousands of signals it sends out throughout your runs.
The second Chi Running skill is “Body Sensing”. Once your mind is focused on your running, you can direct that focus to sense the alerts your body springs up. Without being able to sense sensations in your body as you’re running, you won’t be able to make the necessary adjustments when they count most.
The third Chi Running skill is “Breathing”. You might be thinking, “Really?? This chapter is probably just a section to make the book look thicker.” I believe that this topic alone has helped me overcome a lot of moments during my runs that I felt I was just going to give up. Learning to breathe efficiently will aid in helping managing your energy while running and conserve that extra willpower to run that extra mile when it counts most.
The last Chi Running skill is “Relaxing”. Once you are physically and mentally focused on running, you will actually enjoy running more. There are parts of your runs that just feel like a chore. As you learn to relax, running becomes more of a therapeutic event rather than just another run.

I wanted to get to the bottom of why runners aren’t running injury free marathons so I went to the experts. I found Danny Dreyer through his best-selling ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running
book to get to the bottom of it.

I wanted to ask these questions while sharing them with you. So, I interviewed him!

Interview with Danny Dreyer
In the 39 minute and 40 seconds interview with Danny Dreyer, I grill him on these revealing questions:

• The first and MOST important component to focus on when running your marathon.
• If you miss out on learning the key to mastering this component of your training, that little ache in your knee could become a surgery you wish you could’ve wished you prevented earlier.
• Why you need to become more aware of your body through Danny’s concept of “body sensing”
• Spending hundreds of dollars on shoes and expecting to be injury free is a ­­­­­myth! Listen to Danny’s opinion on shoes and if it’s all a load of bull.
• Much, much more!

Listening to the passion in Danny’s voice really gives you an idea of how much he really cares about helping runners run without injuries and live a healthy life.