“Take ownership of our movement”

Develop efficient running technique, start now!

Aims

• Learn patience – to develop efficient running technique requires patience
• Develop a mindset of “doing” not must do, but want to do, therefore, finding time to achieve 
• Create more efficient and beautiful, natural fluid movement 
• Explore our 6th sense, proprioception, foot strike, balancing landing across the 3 points of the foot and learning the importance of impact and height in strides
• Squats! Learning to squat well opens the hip joints and creates flexibility in the lower limbs
• Development of core leading to better balance, stability and making running easier
• Work on small fast strides, circling under the hips, remaining tall, slight bend in the knees, learning efficient arm swing

Note

The fascia system is flexible and fluid, it’s renewable, therefore, trainable.

Our bodies are used to sitting at a desk, hunched over, looking at our mobiles, sitting at a piano, in the same positions day in, and day out, it takes on these shapes. 

It responds by stiffening.  We can change it, and encourage it.  If we can do this, we can optimise our elastic system.  If we don’t,  our bodies work harder than they need to.

Playing the piano for instance, or any musical instrument for that matter requires muscle memory. Muscle memory = fascia memory?! 

Desired Result

We want to run longer, stronger (and faster) with less fatigue and more efficiency 

Ultimate Goal

Endurance – we want to endure

Method & Activity

• Examine – how do we stand naturally? 
• Balancing techniques – runner lunges! Practice! This will help with the proprioception
• Go to an athletics track, or use an open area where we can video our starting movements and latterly, see improvements 
• Do run specific S&C (Strength and Conditioning) – to gain overall body strength
• Cadence repeater sessions where we can learn to explore paces, naturally and easily
• Learning breathing and tall posture to create bounce that takes us upwards (creating space for our legs to move) but at the same time, forwards for stride length (to maximise forward travel)
• Practice gentle lean from the top of the chest rather than the waist, and stand tall
• Use parkrun in training to develop and challenge the natural lean. Ease into a parkrun, reel in runners by adding a slight lean from the chest (quickening your pace) then practice letting them go by decreasing the lean, notice the difference, and play with it, make training fun! 

Note

Learn to feel natural and comfortable with any changes takes time, commitment, consistency, and patience. Developing efficient running technique takes time

We need to improve cadence/ stride length together as one fluid movement. Similarly, we need to create bounce and rebound to create space under the body for which the legs can then cycle efficiently.

Therefore whilst minimising movement, conserving effort, and staying close to the ground are looked at as efficient, they aren’t. 

“Be in the moment, in tune with what the body is doing and you will notice the difference“

Credits/ Resources

Alexandra Oliver Study with:

Open University – Dynamics for Endurance Runners 2021

EA Coaching in Athletics 2020 License Web qualification 

EA Coach in Running Fitness

EA Coach in Running Fitness Event Group Endurance Level 4 2023

UK Coaching – qualification 2020 How to Coach: Plan, do, review 

Lost Art Of Running – Shane Benzie