ThinkRunning

This is a very good description of what running really is and it describes very accurately how I am progressing and finding different pieces of the jigsaw along the way…

 Submitted to me on 13/05/2009 by Bharat aka NRG. Bharat is a certified level one Pose Instructor.

 Thanks Bharat!

Pose Jigsaw Analogy

Pose is simple to explain (Pose/Fall/Pull) but I just want to emphasize it is not easy to learn. Lets use a jigsaw as an analogy. Imagine your running is like a jigsaw puzzle. The pieces are like: posture, foot landing, arm-movement etc etc – you catch my drift.

The pieces are already placed together however, some pieces are missing and some are incorrectly connected and/or in the wrong place. This is because perhaps your vision of what the final picture to be is perhaps not well understood but from 10ft away it does look like a picture of running – and godammit there are races and club-rivals to beat! The picture will do.

So, in this rough analogy, the final picture is Dr R’s Pose Theory of Movement. And Pose Method of Running is all about the precise placement of each jigsaw piece to implement the final picture.

When learning Pose, you can do one of two things:

1. Move each piece one at a time until the picture is clear. This takes time since you may still make mistakes with your pieces but Hey! at least your overall “picture” is intact and looks roughly right – for better or for worse.
2. Clear all pieces, spend enough time to understand what the final picture should be like, and then start placing the pieces one at a time. You will hopefully have a better understanding and can place each jigsaw piece with greater accuracy in its correct place.

In either case, each correctly placed piece will then work in synergy with the rest making the final picture even clearer! This is the elation that people can often feel.

In my experience of my own running, reading the forums and talking to people – the reality is that I’ve not met anyone who suddenly got and understood pose immediately (ie within a few days). People think that they do but it is only a fleeting understanding of what the final picture could be – it is not the sudden completion of all their jigsaw pieces.

As used on the Runner’s World Pose Thread, I coined the phrase “Pose Rites of Passage” – a journey that can be joyful yet can be frustrating.

So how long does it take to “Get Jiggy wiv it” ? Anecdotally and very very arguably, I reckon depending on what state your initial Jigsaw was in, it takes:

2-4 weeks at the very least to complete 60-70% of the Pose Jigsaw. You will have a lower heart rate when running and/or better pace. Most importantly, you will hopefully be enjoying your running.

3-6months to get to ~80-90%. Things are going well, but your jigsaw might be fragile. One knock and some pieces are messed up – aaaarrrgghhh! You will face inner pressure to get the pieces installed into the right places again ASAP to get back to your “Happy Place”.

12months+ to reach 100% if that is ever possible. I’ve not reached 100% yet but its been enough for mara pbs and an ultra.

So why does it take so long? I think there are three reasons:

1. People have to unlearn and then relearn. Unlearning means accepting that your current understanding of the jigsaw pieces and how they connect is perhaps flawed – you have to reconnect the pieces.
2. Everyone makes mistakes and correcting those mistakes adds to the overall understanding of what each piece does and why it connects to its neighbour in the way it does.
3. Most controversial of all, I feel the final picture ought to be specific to you and your unique makeup of lifestyle and physiology. Knowing (2) helps you get a final picture which fits your constraints – rather then something enforced by others.

There is a high chance that something will come along and upset your jigsaw pieces eg injury, and you then have to start again. Understanding point (b) above will help you rebuild the jigsaw quickly.
Jigsaw Further Explained

Please note that my analogy contained two parts:

1. The complete jigsaw picture of how we all run. This is Pose Theory which covers ALL movement (eg tennis, football etc) let alone just running.
2. The way the jigsaw pieces are put together. This is the way you run to implement the theoretical concepts.

From this, there is only one theory but many different ways to implement. Pose Method of Running is one way (ie Pose/Fall/Pull). Chi can be viewed as another way, Stride Mechanics, BK and even your own unique style of running. It can be easily shown that all these methods (whether they like it or not!) implement Pose Theory – some better then others – as they all go through the Pose mid-stance, the point at which we’re on support and gravity can be best used to generate forward movement. There are other theories about how we move e.g. PushOff – but I think Pose Theory explains movement the best.

The above point is really crucial so forgive me for restating it: Pose Theory is a general theory of how we run (and move). We all exhibit the concepts behind Pose Theory IRRESPECTIVE of how we run.

So please bear in mind, there is Pose Theory (of Movement) and then there is Pose Method of Running. On the Forums people often use the word Pose without explaining the context (Theory or Method). Oh well.

In my humble opinion (nothing to do with PoseTech) I think of running as made up of three components:

1. Skill of running: eg Pose Method of Running, Chi-Running, Stride Mechanics, Your own unique style.
2.  Training ie application of skill.
3. Personality eg determination, discipline, understanding of how you move eg Pose Theory etc.

For me, point 3 is the most important.

Arguable Rules of Running

1. Run without fear
2. Slow is the new Fast
3. Just PULL goddam your foot from the Ground!
4. If you think in circles then it’ll all go pear-shaped.
5. Running – it’s all Mental!
6. If you’re going through Hell….keep going (Winston Churchill).
7. Practice what you preach!!!
8. Its NOT about the shoe, its about YOU!
9. Do not Fall into Analysis-Paralysis, Pull-lease!
10. What you think you’re doing and what you’re actually doing can be quite different
11. Looks are deceiving.
12. Train consistently easy but race HARD.
13. Train your perception to gain confidence.

And finally the most important…

14. If you enjoy your running/training then don’t worry about your style.