6 Ways to Boost Your Running TODAY

November 14, 2016
Running Form
ChiRunning, Love Running More, Run Form, Running Tips

Want to love running more? To run like a kid again? To make running so easy and enjoyable again…just thinking about running brings a smile to your face and boosts your endorphins. Or do you want to come back from injury safely while getting stronger and faster?

You can do this and more. I promise. The secret key is YOU. You must focus on you.

Here are 6 free tips to get you started.

1. Get Taller: Great posture is the foundation of injury prevention and energy efficiency, especially when exercising and running. Lengthen that spine as you read this. Take a few deep breaths. Isn’t it easier to breathe upright? Now walk to a mirror to see how this posture looks and feels compared to your usual posture.

2. Get Aligned: Align your skeleton. Arms parallel underneath shoulders. Feet hip width and parallel. Walk, run and exercise aligned from now on.

3. Use your Core: Engage your lower abs always especially if you have back pain. This is your powerhouse. An engaged core protects back, knees and helps with balance. Keep core strong up hills and up and down stairs.

4. Use Your Arms: They are not along for the ride! Allow them to glide like buttah at a 90 degree angle on flats, and at 45 degree angle on hills. Think “elbows back.”

5. Use Physics: Allow your center of mass to fall slightly forward. This is actually rocket science! Okay, physics. Engineers really get this. If you center of mass goes forward, guess what else does? Your entire body!

This slight movement of your center is from the ankle (think of this lean like a tree falling, ski jumper, speed skater or as someone riding a scooter, skateboard or Segway). Don’t lean/bend from hips. Lean more to go faster and lean into hills as you go up them.

6. Quicken Your Stride. Try a shorter, quicker mid foot stride. Less time on ground equals less damage, right?

Practice this marching in place, then walking, then running while keeping a cadence of 1-2-3, repeat. You can also use a mini metronome, app or music set to 175-180 steps/beats per minute.

6 ways to boost your running. There you have it.

Give these tips a try and let me know how you do!

Agree? Want to share your experience?

Want to work with Amy?

VirtualAthlete, LLC offers services that include running form coaching, walking form coaching, 1:1 coaching, group sessions, and speaking engagements. Don't hesitate to contact Amy for more information.

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What people say...

“Amy, Thanks for the workshop! I actually just got back from a run in my neighborhood tonight and it was my best run ever! I was able to run longer than I ever have in previous runs, so obviously I did learn quite a bit from the workshop! I was afraid I was not going to be able to implement the tips you gave us due to my frustrations with my shins. However, I actually ran with much less pain this evening and got excited about running again. Thank you!! I also just bought the Chi running book today that you told us about during the workshop. I hope to read it, practice some more, and then if you are willing to work with me again I would like to attend another workshop to work more on perfecting the correct posture and strike. You are a great and extremely patient instructor! I appreciate that!

~ JC, Gaston County, NC