Relax and Run Like a Wolf

Relax and Run Like a Wolf

A lot of my quotes are taken from the Pose Running discusssion thread on Fetcheveryone.com if you keep wondering. Fetch is a great place to log your training and talk about running. It is also a place you can have a bit of a laugh and if you want to you can end up seeing other runners from all over the country at different races.

Here are some responses to Dipper(Mark) who posted a video of his recent efforts to improve his running style and asked for feed back. Although there is some improvement in overall style there are several trademark style errors made by everyone who starts trying to alter their style.

The main two problems are that you tend to run with a lot of tension which makes everything feel very difficult and you tend to try far too hard, trying to control everything and make the running happen rather than letting it.

To put things into context here are Mark’s videos below…

This is one I took of him before he tried to change his style…

And this is the one taken after a week or two of trying to alter style for the better…

On the face of it some changes in the right direction although still with the same thought processes which immediately translate to the running style. I did eactly the same. A step in the right direction is landing with bent knee, this alone will reduce chances of injury. There is a slight K-bend which can be fixed by projecting hips forward slightly -- easiest way of doing this is by standing with tall body and bent knees. Look i the mirror and watch the hips level (belt of trousers) as you bend the knees. Stand side on to mirror. MMake sure you walk, drill and run like this. It will feel odd until you are used to it. Don’t bend them too much though!

Here are some comments on the video which I believe are helpful to anyone trying to get into changing their style.

AA:

“Watched your newer ‘improved’ one frame by frame. Why it feels like you’re slamming down is because you actually are. Your legs aren’t going in a cyclic motion on their own and instead you’re actively landing, this is primarily from your overkill attempt to control the pull and rest of the muscle tension you have going on there. You are landing a tad ahead too which goes hand in hand with the aforementioned.

The only thing you should feel you’re doing is a small quickfire pull directly upwards, enough to get the foot off the ground and nothing more. The perception of the pull is exactly the same as if standing in place and just pulling your ankle straight up primarily with the hamstring. Just a quick pop, that’s all there is to it.

ROM comes at a higher speed but is of no concern to you, as said it happens with speed not by your additional efforts.”

Cabletow:

“Dipper

You are there or nearly there with what you say.

There is a fundamental thing you are missing though -- you still see running as an active process -- something you have to do rather than something that can just happen -- running is muscular for you. Rather than just a lean

Read all the above posts about low amplitude change of support -- gentle running on the spot and then close your etyesd -- lean BACKwards -- yes BACK wards and see what happens -- you start to move backwards -- actually quite fast - lean sideways -- yes you move sideways.

Now -- keeping your eyes closed forwards -- can you feel how it changes -- you suddenly want to push -- Why?

Just lean forwards the same a backwards -- your pace will pick up as you lean -- focus entirely on pinging the foot up under you -- not lifting it behind you (as you are when running)

Look at Jon’s wolf video -- when he trots he just pings the foot up under him that is all.”

Here is are a couple of videos showing how wolves move. They walk just the same as they run with high cadence, picking their feet up as soon as their centre of gravity has gone over their foot. This is how to run in a relaxed and extremely energy efficient manner.

Me:

“Yes the message to all newcomers to Pose and efficient running is that you don’t MAKE running happen, you just LET it happen. When you realise that then you will find out what running really feels like -- I was shocked the difference was so marked. That being said, it doesn’t mean like AA said you will become a legend over night, you will still make mistakes -- look at me, read my blog, learn from MY mistakes if that helps.”

You’ve all seen this before but this is an example of MAKING running happen and being very tense about it…

MJB:

“Dipper, Had a look at both vids and it looks like you have added an active pull on top of your old style resulting in the foot coming up towards the bum. As a result of the speed you are running you have to actively swing it back to the ground. In effect the pull is coming too late in the cycle since you are pulling when you think you need to pull rather than when you are starting to reduce bodyweight on the ball of foot. I would suggest you need to get a feeling for bodyweight by doing the types of running drill CT has mentioned, together with the Pose stance, and totally forget about the pull when running. I would also suggest that you need to get your hips further forward, by a small amount, to help sort out your alignment and RELAX.”

The message for today is relax and when you run try not to think about running. Trust in doing the drills and that they will re program your subconscious so you will make the correct movements when you run. If you try to control the way you run while you run then you will slow everything down and running will feel very much like hard work!