Principles of Natural Running with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella

Instructional video on natural running, by Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, Director of the Natural Running Center. http://naturalrunningcenter.com
Thank you to all who have helped me learn.

• Category

  Sports

[oldpiq]

People keep telling you that you'll get injured from running or that you shouldn't run barefoot on asphalt (what a drivel!) and yet you keep on running. You run injury free for 6 months, a year, 5 years, 10 years, 30 years. And when you accidentally get hit by a car or fall off a ladder, they rub their hands together saying "we told you so". Priceless!

[Mark Cucuzzella]

stay tuned for some coming scientific work ....cannot say more now :) Mark

[oldpiq]

I know the pain very well but it hasn't been back for quite a long time. Maybe because I did more strength training for leg muscles aside from just running. Calf strength is a must if you are prone to shin splints or Achilles tendonitis.

[Sascha Heid]

However, i did run alot in Vibrams lately.

[Sascha Heid]

Be carefull, you can get shin-splints even when you run barefoot. I run all races barefoot including marathons and i do get shin-splints when i overdo it.

[44musher]

Very well done, my intent is to run with the deer in my woods..

[oldpiq]

I went for my first barefoot jog a few years ago when I was sick and tired of waiting for my shin splints to heal. It was a moment of despair but it was worth it. I braced myself for excruciating pain but as soon as I took my first steps, I didn't feel a thing. It was NOT a miracle. Just proper running mechanics in action. I run barefoot on occasion during warm months. Thin soles otherwise. Vibrams didn't do it. Yes, I won't make the Olympic team but I run well (so far injury free) for my age.

[Joel Varkey]

Great vid, informative, and very well made.

One question: What is a "Backseat runner"?

Thanks

[José Pérez Medina]

Never thought running could be so armonic!

I find the video very useful and have sent it to all my running friends :)

Thanks for sharing

[Mark Cucuzzella]

thank you oldpiq. my last running injury was foot surgery in 2000. then I went back to school on this stuff. I keep racing to show the skeptics that this is not academic BS, as they wait for some epiphany from science that the foot is pretty well designed. so I keep running and maybe will get hurt one day, and yes they will all say "told you so". i'll take my chances. Mark

[Mara L]

More to come? Great! I've shared this video with so many runners, and I watch it periodically as a refresher. I wish my gait was that fluid and beautiful!

[Kent Olsson]

Good question! When I started running on the forefoot I started doing so with my old running shoes. After a few months, when I was convinced that this way of running worked for me, I switched to minimalistic shoes. The difference was not dramatic, but after a while I could run in a more relaxed way. I think the reason is that you don´t need to lift the heel those extra 10 millimeters or so just to avoid landing on the heel.