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  • The only way that helps me is to just start leaning forward, and the rest pretty much falls into place. I try to focus on making my stride push backwards as opposed to pulling backwards from the front if that makes sense. It works for me with no injuries anymore on those longer runs.

  • All you need to do is take off the shoes that are messing up your natural gait. Get Vibrams or sack up and take you old man cushion shoes off and heal yourself

  • using this technique the foot lands midsole to forefoot and over time if you are over weight it can cause damage to the foot and leg. I know I tried this method for a few months and wound up at the podiatrist getting custom orthodic made to relieve the stress on my foot

  • You have to be in good shape and a storng runner to beginwith in order to use this method, because running this way is very difficult to do slowly. As youlean the body moves forward and continues to increase in speed so you must have good running ability to begin with. try being a bit over weight and running to lose weight usingthis method and you will see its hard to do slowly

  • I have a hard time doing this technique while going downhill. Even a slight down grade feels awkward. Any advice?

  • Thanks! Now to actually run like that...

  • buy some vibram 5 fingers, thats how

  • Danny. The most striking aspect of your technique to me is that amazingly graceful quality of your movement. The fluidness when you demonstrate the "wheel" is subtle but powerful. It makes me want to learn T'ai Chi even more than running!

  • I'm not saying that heel striking is best, but I don't see how your method could give any solid running times. Your form cuts the stride length by almost 50% so I would have to increase my stride cadence by twice as much. Doesn't seem possible.

  • @cicirunner The secret is pelvic rotation, and letting the legs lengthen behind you. We have thousands of testimonials from folks pr'ign on their events. Many of our Instructors win lots of races. Speed comes after you get the technique down... it's part of perfecting your form. Try it out and see what happens. We bet you'll increase your times.

  • @cicirunner You probably do need to increase your cadence.

  • @cicirunner Well, your stride shouldn't really matter all that much. Research has shown that the fastest runners don't accomplish their speed because they make long strides - rather, they push off with more power, covering more distance over time. It is far more efficient to have your feet land under your hips and focusing on the power you put into your push-off rather than making long strides which force you to use more power in your entire lower body to pull yourself forward.

  • @lespaul862 I could see the truth to this. I do notice that professional runners have a strong push off. It's so hard working on running form, especially when I've gotten pretty good results with the incorrect way. I think it's human nature to not question the good and only seek answers when problems are encountered. At least that's how I am which isn't good. A few months ago I was in pain and looking for answers. Now I feel better magically and I have stopped trying to work on form.

  • @cicirunner I agree, I've only recently begun trying to seriously decrease my heel striking and it's been a lot harder than I have anticipated. The primary reason I'm trying to strike properly is that I have lower back problems and my back would appreciate the decreased force from heel striking!

  • @cicirunner every top-tier runner runs with this form. Just look at Galen Rupp, Ryan Hall, all the fast Kenyans and Ethiopians.

  • @cicirunner I'm the fastest runner at my school and my cadence is almost twice as fast as most people's

  • this actually helped me A LOT! had lower back pain while running. ever since I adjusted, I've had little back pain. so, thanks for the post.

  • really awesome video :) Thank you. The only reason I'm dissuaded from running a lot is due to the shin splits.

  • @jackolanternsoup Try swimming before your runs

  • I'm finding that chi running is easier to learn and perform than pose method.

  • all i wanted 2 know. thanks!

  • i agree with the idea of not allowing your foot to travel infront of your BOS but not sure about the changing of the posture or the changing of the biomechanics at the hip. It sounds like you are just getting rid of one problem by creating another one

  • Thank you so much i was wondering why i was pulling out my groin when i ran and now i can see it was becouse i was putting my foot foward

  • brilliantly explained ,clear and easy to understand

  • this is soo much harder than it looks...

  • Thanks for sharing!

  • I would say the error of heel-striking is from current society of wearing shoes. Children show minimal heel-striking (too young to be used to shoes), as well as runners from underdeveloped countries (shoes not worn often). All the padding makes it comfortable to heel strike, however without shoes it is impossible (instant pain).

    I also suggest to others that when the foot is in the air returning to the ground it is ok if it is ahead of the hips. However, it should not be when it hits the ground

  • Thanks for the great video. How much of this applies to walking?

  • Great videos. Thanks. So much of what people consider helpful in exercise really is just destroying their health. Chi Walking is a great activity and one we preach in the clinic everyday. just because it looks simple... It is not. Practice. Dr.SS

  • Thank you for posting this. Going out on my first 26.2 this afternoon, and this was a great reminder of the concepts from the ChiRunning book.

  • how can one apply these techniques while trying to run? Should I hire a trainer? Its hard to watch yourself when your outside ha ha and not all gyms have mirrors in front of treadmills...

  • @pamperedgurl An Instructor really helps. Like you said, it's hard to see if you're doing it correctly. Although, you can feel a lot less effort and your runs should feel easier if you are doing it correctly. We would recommend getting the DVD or checking out a Chi Running Instructor in your area on chirunningdotcom

  • @pamperedgurl count your steps. try to get your stride rate up to 180 steps/min. imagine you are running over ice (across the ground). Don't pound down into the pavement...you want your leg moving back before it hits the ground. Check out my video "Natural Running Form" in the Brooks Pure Project Shoes. For a mind-body (neuromuscular connection) adaptation to occur you can do drills and also visualize a more forefoot strike, legs rolling like wheels.

  • @pamperedgurl Count your steps. Try to get your stride rate up to 180 steps/minute. Check out my video on "Natural Running Form" in the Brooks Pure Project shoes. If you visualize running across the ground (having your foot coming back with a forefoot strike) and being light and quick on your feet you can improve your stride rate and decrease your impact force. It is a neuromuscular connection, so it takes time and practice. There are also some drills you can do to help with this adaptation.

  • @pamperedgurl If you run barefoot I quess you feel your foot? Right? So run at hard base, so you really going to feel if you land on heel! And when you do that you start naturally stop doing heel strike, because barefoot at hard base heel strike really hurst.

  • @pamperedgurl Or run barefoot you learn QUICK ;)

  • this is what i needed! thanks!

  • very useful video, thumbs up for that

  • How to you run faster or get anywhere if your stride is only going to your hip ?

  • @elegancebg07

    speed is all about how much force u can apply to the ground. if you keep ur legs closer to the center of mass, ull be able to apply more force to the ground and ull be able to move faster. u keep ur foot underneath u cuz if it were too far in front of u, u have too much ground contact and ur forward motion slows down/stops. and u dont keep ur foot behind u cuz ud fall..

    watch usain bolt run, itll make alot more sense

    and if u were just being a smart ass, fuck off

  • @elegancebg07 When you lean, your stride gets longer behind you, not in front of you. Check out our video on the 4 gears. It will explain a good bit to you.

  • Excellent instructions. Thank you.

  • awesome video, thank you so much!! this should be on the vibram website....

  • That's a whole lot of broscience watch videos of Usain Bolt and Haile Gebrselassie run the best sprinter and distance runners in the world. They both strike with their leg extended beyond their hips. Usain bolt does strike behind his hip during the start of his races but it is only because of the position his body is coming off the blocks.

  • @DixieNormas07

    I don´t think so. Look at /watch?v=tPtXIGJ6yOY&feature=r­elated (from 0:35) . When you zoom in and use pause/play you can see that in one moment it looks like his foot is going to strike beyond his hips, but just before foot strikes, the body get directly above it.

  • @Syselmasta That's not what I see but you can keep running like that I'm pretty sure its true that running like this reduced stress on the knees but I would rather be good

  • @DixieNormas07 You realize that by running correctly you reduce injury and therefore run better and faster...

  • @KamikazePretzelEater Cool story bro the video posted by syselmasta is hard to discern where Gebrselassie strikes which is looks like his heel is 2-3 inches in front of his hips but if you watch Usain after about the 50m mark there is no question his heel is in front of his hips. I am not arguing that it wont help prevent injury but I'm pretty sure walking would be an even better way to prevent injury.

  • Wow. Very insightful. I always have problems with this when I'm running uphills...

  • From the title I though this was about martial arts :(

  • @SoyElta ...You thought chiRUNNING was about martial arts?........

  • @KamikazePretzelEater No I read it as "How to avoid heel strike" by -ChiRunning.

    As in this fellow is filled with Chi all day and he runs on it all day like poor college students "Run on Ramen noodles" ^^

  • Very helpful

  • I've developed a severe pain on the outside of my left knee and it totally stops me from running after a few miles. i did run heel toe and i'm trying to improve this but it feels very weird and off balance. I've been running in 5-fingers for 2 years (heel toe and now i know its wrong.) I hope i can reverse the damage and get rid of this pain.

  • This is totally perfect. I'm just starting to learn midfoot running and I'm having a problem on my form; this video showed just what I need to be doing! Thanks for the great instructions! 

  • I improved my mile time from 13:30 per mile to 4:63 per mile using this technique. That's almost 10 minutes and counting! Thanks a million!

  • tank you for your advice which come in a clear & simple way

  • wow!

  • interesante

    

  • @MrDsigman Great! Heel striking almost always causes knee problems. Thanks for the support.

  • You are amazing!!!! this is going to help me a lot! thanks for the video

  • Thanks for that advice - i will bear in mind a gradual progression to minimilist footwear. Just slightly diverging off topic - do you have an opinion as to whether over / underpronation is something that develops from the foot upward or the hip downwards or by a combination of factors ? Perhaps it's the footwear ?

  • @Thorfinn19 We know that overpronation or supination can often be fixed with a leveling of the pelvis. We can't really say if it's caused by footwear or not, but we believe that this is something that can be fixed without the use of footwear to correct it. With core strengthening exercises and a leveling of the pelvis, you can fix this issue in minimal shoes. Hope this helps!

  • That was the best advice I have ever seen.  Thanks for the information

  • @olgoldboots8 Glad you like it. Thanks for the support!

  • FINALLY I understood why my tibialis is always busted.

  • Thanks for this excellent video. Can you tell me if you would advocate the use of minimalist footwear for a foot that underpronates / oversuppinates ?

  • @Thorfinn19 Anyone can move to minimalist shoes, but for someone with over/under pronation the progression to minimal shoes needs to be very gradual and slow. So, answer is yes, we advocate it but please just take it slow. Move to a shoe one level down from what you're wearing, not down to bare, and wear the new shoes while walking around the house first for a few weeks, then maybe a mile in them, etc. Good luck!

  • Thank you very much for this education. It makes so much sense... yet, 90% of use do it wrong. I think thick heeled shoes are one of the problem. They promote heel strike. I may be wrong... but that's what I think.

  • @cooker4000 we agree that shoes are a big problem, but we've also seen people who have excellent technique and can run with big, bulky shoes. Minimal shoes definitely help, but proper form/technique is also a huge help!

  • Thank you very much for this education. It makes so much sense... yet, 90% of use do it wrong. I think thick heeled shoes are one of the problem. The promote heel strike. I may be wrong... but that's what I think.

  • Do you have any shoe-recommendations for a normal overpronating foot? I recently bought Kayanos, but it feels like those work against forefoot running (now that I've become aware of it)

  • @DemandTheMan We don't really condone shoes that offer support. We believe that minimal is best, and in order to achieve a midfoot (full foot, not forefoot) strike you need to wear shoes that a light, flexible and with minimal support. Practicing Chi Running, leveling your pelvis, and focusing on your foot landing will help you fix your overpronation. Moving into a minimal shoe, should be done gradually though. Hope this helps a

    bit!

  • I have tractus iliotibialis, this might do the trick :-)

    Thank you.

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  • @fearmycomments Hey there - knee issues can arise from a number of different things. Most likely, you are heel striking or running with your feet splayed outwards. Make sure that your feet are always pointing forward, in the same direction as yoursure can do damage!). Also, make sure you're running with a midfoot strike. Keep your kn knees (otherwise the torque pressure soft and bent - not locked. Remember, knees down... heels up. The book could help, it has a whole trouble-shooting guide!

  • I just want to say thanks, I searched youtube for a while till I found this video. It made sense, I now know the important factors to keep in mind when I go running.

    Thanks for taking the time to put this together!

  • @madvk308 So glad you got some thing from it. Thanks for the support!

  • thank you

  • Look forward to trying this out. Well explained!

  • THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO!! I just watched this before running and it went really well. I didn't run for a couple of weeks because of my exams and wasn't looking forward for the first run because of my lowered stamina but this made it so easy, fun and great! The tempo and the movement felt so natural. Thank you mr. Dreyer

  • Thank you...My left knee has been hurting today after I went running. I really haven't went out for a run in months and my form has been all jacked up. Thanks for reminding me to focus on my running technique.

  • Thank you! - A fellow runner.

  • Exquisite video. I always wondered why I always leaned forward when I ran and standing up felt so unnatural... I thought I was doing something wrong.

  • Awesome! I'm going for a run as soon as the thunder and lightening stops! I'm eager to run without knee pain. Thanks so much for the video!

  • I've been running barefoot for almost a year now. I'm still in high school competing in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. I am recently started having pain in my shins, called shin splints. I dont know what im doing wrong because im running the way all these marathoners are, landing on my midfoot. I want to get close to a 4 minute mile but i cant with these shin splints, how do i get rid of them?

  • @SterlingXC Hey there. Sorry to hear about your shin splints. It's important to remember that just because you're not heel striking, doesn't necessarily mean there's no dorsiflexion or tension in the lower legs. It is hard to keep lower legs relaxed at high speeds. There's a great article on our website all about shin splints. Search for it on the homepage and give it a good read, and maybe work with an Instructor in your area. Good luck!!

  • does this also apply to walking? thanks!

  • @nancyflo Yes! ChiWalking is slightly different in that when your foot hits the ground, it should be landing at the front of the heel. Pelvic rotation, leaning with the chest, and shortening your stride all help.

  • @chilivinginc is the front of the heel right behind the arch of the foot? thanks, again.

  • @nancyflo i think he has a chiwalking book too

  • @betzaleldaniel thanks!

  • I was one of the fortunate souls to go through German sport development camps as a young athlete and have never been injured.

    This informations is rarely taught well at schools or by coaches so praise the lord for youtube and Mr Dreyer!

  • Very true! Started running recently and this approach has eased past body pains.

  • Great video!!!! Perfectly explained... I like the movements :)

  • @PshycologicalBrain Thank you to all for the supportive, positive comments!! We appreciate your feedback!

  • I am very excited to try this...and as a yoga teacher, I love how wonderfully "yogic" all the descriptions on your website are! So much of what you say about the core and alignment from the feet up is exactly what I tell my students in class! I am so hoping this helps me in my running endeavors (am also a professional singer/dancer...less dancing these days, with former injuries that I get around with the yoga =-)...) My chiropractor recommends this. very exciting.

  • oh my god thank you for this video ;) seriously this is going to change my running and training!

  • Fantastic video. I have one question that I hope you could help me out with. I have not been able to run for approximately 5 years with chronic knee pain on the outside of my left leg after seeing a few physio’s I have been told I have ITB syndrome. I am religiously doing exercises with a foam roller and massage ball plus stretching. I eager to get back into running as I am planning a triathlon at the end of September. What can you suggest to enable me to get running again injury free?

  • @jzcrossan Work with an Instructor in your area. Honestly, if you've been injured for so long, you really should have someone watch you run and adjust from there. You can find a list of ChiRunning Instructors on our website. If you absolutely cannot work with an Instructor, then the next best thing is to get the ChiRunning DVD. Injured knees are usually the result of a splayed foot, heel striking, a vertical posture, and overpronating. An Instructor will help!!!

  • thanks for the tips....it helps a lot......more power....

  • great stuff. thanks so much.

  • This is quite possibly the best video I've ever seen with regards to why I've suffered from horrific shin splints for years. I will definitely try this method to see if I can teach myself to run again. Thank you!

  • @Steve12060 Awesome!! Thanks, Steve! Let us know if you need any help/advice!

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  • Thanks so much for taking the time to make this clear, helpful video. I came into contact with your site after purchasing a pair of New Balance shoes - your website's tag was attached.  My questions is how long should I let my knees recover if they ache a lot and are stiff after the 3d or 4th time out this (almost) Spring?This after 1/2 hr or so of probably incorrect form - I will apply your suggestions immediately but I'm worried about causing more permanent injury -

    Thanks!!

  • @dsherter Hey there! Happy to hear that you're enjoying our video. Interesting that the tag was with New Balance shoes, could you tell me which pair you purchased? As for your knees, have you been pretty sedentary all winter? The simple act of getting out there again could cause your knees to ache. An adjustment period may be needed. Also, ice helps after you run. I would highly recommend reading the book, practicing your mid-foot striked (minimal shoes help), and point your feet straight!

  • Please get a wireless condenser mic. They're inexpensive and it'll remove all the echo/noise from the video.

  • @shiftpgdn We definitely agree and we're working on that! Thanks for the support!

  • 4:06 I'M TAKING THAT ONE THE DANCE CLUBS!

  • now i know why,it was a painful running every time!!!!!!!!!!!!!thanks for the feedback!; )

  • @MrIrishlogic Hey Brian... you might be pushing it to try to race with a bum knee on Sunday. We would recommend that if you're going to run, to take it easy, and consider running in the race, but not necessarily with the goal to finish or finish fast, but use it as a long slow training run, and pay attention to your technique. Take it easy... You can always skip the race and go out on your own easy run on Sunday and practice the techniques without the distractions of a race! Post on our Forum 2!

  • Hi Danny,

    Thank you for considering. running or walking is a dynamic motion,and the best way to illustrate it would be to show it at length in a slow motion for us to actually see it happening in action. there is a video of your showing you run but i had to pause/forward it multiple times to try and see it happen. may be showing how the movement will look by shooting it in your side torso profile..

    Thanks again

    Shilpa

  • Hi Danny,

    I ran today keeping the technique in mind. and it helped me immensely. only during the last part shin bone started to hurt a lil bit.. i guess some more practice of the technique will see me through.

    Danny, I had a request.. could you please upload a video of running and chi walking in the right technique - shown in slow motion for atleast a minute long each? That would be very helpful..

    I think with your help i will find the pleasure of running again

    Thank you

    Shilpa

  • @shilpajain1106 Hi Shilpa, thanks for your feedback! It is wonderful to know that these videos are helping you so much. I very much like your idea of showing both running and walking for an extended period of time. Very good idea. Thank you for that. We'll put it on the list of videos to create.

    Keep us posted on your progress!

  • Danny, this was a revelation..

    Thank you so much. i have been having shin bone pain for sometime due to faulty running. and my trainer could not exactly pinpoint where i went off. I can see it clearly from your demo now... Its helped me immensely. i cannot wait to practice it all tomorrow morning and see how i progress.

    thank you so much again

    Shilpa

  • OMG! Thank you so much for this tip! It really helped me with my training! :)

  • This explanation was simply excellent, thanks very much for helping me with my running. Greetings from Venezuela!!!

  • @drumsaddiction You're quite welcome! Greetings from Asheville, North Carolina. I am so glad we can help you out. Stay in touch!

  • @chilivinginc Ok, I have to write right now, I come from the park. I saw also "ChiRunning Simplified!, Efficient and Injury Free Natural Running Technique" here on youtube, and this morning a few pages of your Book and and the video. Today was little hard because 2 reasons, i worked more the abs and others legs muscles, and i use your cadence system wich is more faster than my regular cadence. Ok, my Polar is broken or, THIS IS INCREDIBLE! I slow down 15ppm! And improved my time 1 Minute!

  • @drumsaddiction That is awesome! Way to go. We have another story sort of like this on our website... a guy thought his watch was broken cause he ran his loop 3 minutes "too" fast. Way to go!!

  • hey, ive been watching your videos and am fascinated. Ive been reading up about chi running and forefoot strike and iv realised i do it naturally anyway, probably thanks to all that barefoot running along the beach as a kid :-) Anyway, would you have any recommendations with regard to footwear that suits this type of running? I am aware of minimalist shoes but im not sure i want to go straight down that line, yet. Thanks!

  • @TheNess667 Hey, thanks! Glad these vids are helpful! RE shoes, transition slowly, if you're going from a structured/support shoe to more mimimal shoes... follow Gradual Progress! For a list from Danny, please go to our website, and then in the search box, look for: "ChiRunning Recommendations for Minimal Shoes" ... the first result is his blog about shoes. Please remember that some shoe styles have been replaced by newer names/numbers. You can contact the manufacturer for replacement info! Thx!

  • I have exertional compartment syndrome in my right shin, and after watching this video I believe it is from heel striking when I run. Before I found this video I thought the only cure was surgery, but now I am thinking if I change my running style to a forefoot strike, I might be able to run at my normal pace again. Do you know of anyone else who after switching running styles was able to cure their exertional compartment syndrome? Does forefoot striking use the anterior shin muscles less?

  • @SpechtacularDave Hi there - yes, if you visit our ChiRunning Bulletin Board on our website, there are a lot of conversations about how ChiRunning has helped cure and prevent compartment syndrome. In order to avoid any lower-leg overuse or injury, we recommend a neutral footstrike (midfoot), which is neither forefoot nor heel strike. A neutral foot strike will most help you avoid using/stressing lower leg muscles.

  • Great video, very informative.

    My question is on shoes, how much room should I have from my toe to the end of my shoe?

    The sales guy said "a thumb width", but when I got home and tried them on my forefoot felt as if they were swimming inside?

    I also have wide feet, wider then the "E" everyone carries, so I have to buy longer shoes to compensate for my wide feet.

  • @888yme Around here, most of us tend to like more room in the toe box. When you first start wearing your running shoes with a thumb width at the toe (that's a good benchmark, by the way), you will feel like your feet are swimming, but they're probably going to end up being happier. Danny has wide feet too, and he almost always runs in shoes that are 1/2 to 1 full size larger than his "normal" street shoes. Hope this helps!

  • Folks, try investing in a pair of Vibram Five Fingers shoes; no padding - they pretty much force you to do all the stuff Danny D's talking about here, all quite naturally. They're also good for climbing and about any sport that doesn't require cleats...

  • Thank you, I have been suffering from shin splints for years, I recently discovered I heal strike when I run and this video will help me reset my running form.

    Thank you very much.

    TJ

  • @6mdave Thanks, TJ. Good luck. Learning this takes a little bit of time, but it pays of big dividends when you can run and run and run without injuries or pain. Have fun!

  • This perfectly sums up one of the reasons of Shin splints.. So obvious now you have explained it .. Thank you..

  • @kuztardd You're welcome! Enjoy running shin splint-free!

  • Great Video! I have a problem, I'm both flat footed and under pronated as well. What can I do? any suggestions?

  • @MrGalitmukha21 The good thing about Chi Running is that the midfoot (fullfoot) strike that we teach is intended to be the most neutral foot strike for any runner. So even if you have flat feet, high arch, over pronate or under pronate, the more you practice the technique, the better your body will be able to respond and adjust. You can still run, and this is the best way to do it with flat feet/under pronation because it's the least impactful to your body. Good luck!

  • best demonstration on this technique

  • @HipHopcheerleader Thanks! It's been 10 years in the making... simple, straightforward demonstrations. Danny is a pro!

  • damn, this is incredible thank you! finally someone who knows what he's talking about :) it makes alot of sense anyway :P have been trying to work on my stride lately, i'm glad i found this vid, helped me alot :)

  • @Dhoska Thanks! There's a lot to be said about simplifying things and learning the basics. This is definitely one of them. So glad that this vid helped you. Keep us posted on your progress.

  • Superb!!! I suffer from shin splints which i now understand to be a result of poor running technique. Will be practicing this chi running technique "moving forward".

    Much thanks for this video.

  • @irdax5 Great! We're sure you'll be successful implementing the technique and avoiding those awful shin splints. Let us know how it goes!

  • damn ... ive been running wrong

  • Great video, what do you think of Newton Running shoes as an aid in Chi running?\

    Thanks

  • @ScottyD61 Hey - thanks! Danny has a pair of Newton Isaacs that he has used for road events lately... no question they make you faster, and should be thought of as a "performance enhancing shoe" ... wouldn't recommend them for beginning runners or beginning ChiRunners: it's important to learn proper technique on neutral shoes first, and then if you want, integrate the Newtons as the next phase. Hope that helps!

  • I run the way you say is correct, but i always get aching pains in my calf's. why is this? how can i stop this?

  • @MrRorypitcher It's possible that you're either toeing off (still using your legs for propulsion) or you're leaning too much for the speed you're going, so your calves start to active to prevent you from falling. Back off your lean a bit and try to really Body Sense not using any of your lower leg muscles at all. The more neutral and relaxed you can stay, the less likely you'll have the pains. Make sure you stretch well when you're done running. Let us know how it goes!

  • I used to run about 10K but I'm preparing for a 10miles (16K) event 2,5 weeks from now. I have now tried Chirunning once on a short 5K run and so far I'm enthousiastic about it. Same speed as normal without heel or knee problems.

    I did notice that my heart rate was higher from the beginning but i was able to maintain it easily, is that common?

    Is it wise to stick to Chi in my preparation and build up to the 16K in 2 weeks? or is it wiser to take more time to adapt to the technique?

  • Tried Chi again, did a 14K run and i am flabbergasted..no pain yet 15 minutes faster than last week with the 'normal technique'.

    Heart rate was incredibly low this time..80% of the time it was below 100. Normally if i take it easy i run around 110-120.

    To me adapting to this technique is a miracle!!.. only last week during my 14k run i didn't think i would make the 16k run because of hurting achilles and knee and now i'm doing the 14k faster and without pain..INCREDIBLE!!

  • @Muldertje08 Way to go!! That is incredible. Congratulations. Sounds like you really "get" the technique... it's not that easy for everyone, but you're doing really well with it!

  • @chilivinginc I've been keepin at it and managed the 10 miles, the only problem i can think of is that i feel i could have gone faster..lot of energy left at the finish, I held a steady speed of around 10 km/h and went a bit faster the last km.

    But i think i'm slacking..my foot is starting to hurt on the bottom outside during and after running. Maybe i'm underpronating when landing midfoot...i'm thinking about doing a workshop just to make sure i don't learn the wrong technique.

  • @Muldertje08 Remember the idea of Form, Distance, Speed: Get your form right first, then add distance... once your form can stay "put together" for the duration of the distance you're going, then speed happens. Often, speed becomes a byproduct of good running form... stay with it. Workshops or a private session with an Instructor is a great idea, just to check in to make sure you're doing what you think you're doing!

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  • OMG!! You just about isolated all my problems. Your explanation is fantastic. I am going to watch rest of the videos to find out how to fix my mechanics.

  • @neon2ryder Thanks a lot! Keep your eyes peeled: in 2011 we're going to have loads of regularly-posted videos to help you even more! We're so glad that this one has been so helpful. Good luck!

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  • This is exactly what I do, and now I know how to fix it. Great video.

  • @newfiemountiewife: you are welcome!

  • Great video! I never thought about it really, but it's true. Your foot must not go ahead of your hip. Proper running technique will make you feel more like you're gliding instead of pounding. I run barefoot a lot, but I also run in shoes during winter since I have no choice really. As long as I wear neutral shoes without a raised heel, I can run the same way as barefooted. Keep it up and I look forward to more videos!

  • @hulkout666 Hey, thanks! Glad you like these videos and you're definitely on the right track... ha!

  • @chilivinginc Ha is right. Thanks, appreciate the positive notes!

  • I have changed my foot strike from heel to mid-foot, but because of the transition over the last month or so my left ankle has been sore and I feel like my ankle can't support the rest of my leg. there have been times that I might have tripped by myself because of my ankle

  • @cal011316 Watch your mileage, and don't try to over do it. Ankles have a hard time relaxing when you're running, so I would suggest practicing keeping your lower legs limp as often as possible when you're not running (ie, at work, walking, standing), so that you ankles can adjust more gradually. Then, when you go run, really try to stay relaxed everywhere from the knees down.

  • i have never ran with a heel-strike. one time when i was running i tried it just to see why everyone else does it and holy crap, it felt weird and stilted.

  • I am a beginner, and I have been landing like FULL BLOWN heel strike, resulting in shin splints. I had to take 2 weeks off from running. THANK YOU for clarifying.

  • @MrPhipper: You are very welcome!

  • i've just started trying this technique and i feel like the lower portion of my right knee is always stiff after my runs like i'm not bending them enough. how can i fix this?

  • @ProjectAKaio Remember this good visualization: Knees down, heels up. This will help your body let your ankles/heels float up (while keeping your feet limp), all the while, focusing on bending your knee without raising it... practice by standing about 3 inches in front of a wall and learn to run in place by bending your knees and not raising them... standing in front of the wall helps you! Do the Body Looseners, too, That will help.

  • Wow...I;m 50 and only started to try to run/jog six months ago. I found I had pretty much forgotten how to. I presently have shin soreness and was about to give it up. I will try your running advice and hope I get it right.

    This was very well explained and made sense to me... Thanks.