Anyone tried Chi Running?

[Nerdio]

I have found myself lateley becoming overly conscious about how I was running. Heel strike, toe strike, midfoot. Which is it to be? I then realised that all the time I was worrying about this, and experimenting, my ankles hurt. A bit of Googling, and I found a Danny Dreyer video about Chi Running. Those few minutes on You Tube made a big difference. I changed my style to be a more 'leaning into a midfoot stirke' and the ankle pain cleared very quickly. (Mind you I did over stretch the other day and pull my Achilles Tendon - just nursing that better at the moment, I think 7 - 10 days rest will be a good idea anyway).

So, has anyone else tried this and noticed a difference?

[ju-ju- Graduate]

wow...no, but sounds like it worked for you...go with that

[Nerdio Graduate]

You sound like I have been. I was over anslysing what I was doing, so started experimenting. Like you my shins complained.

Running midfoot feels more at ease but I have to try hard to keep my foot contact light. Once I am settled into my pace it feels really comfortable.

I don't have too many uphills so havent really tried the toe strike technique.

[notbad Graduate]

I read the book and enjoyed it (although the style is rather zealous), just can't get away with the forefoot/midfoot strike, although I do try to 'lean' into my run as he describes. Good to read you are keeping injury free this way, must be good.

[Nerdio Graduate in reply to notbad]

I have the book and have onlyread as far as the first chapter. Have sneaked a peek at the latlater stuff and it looks good.

[Michael_W Graduate]

Well, I purchased a tiny pocket metronome recently but it was more to do with wanting to simply up my stride rate than anything Chi. Comparing races, I found that my stride rate was remarkably constant at around 168-170 and that during faster races I simply taking bigger steps. The thing is, I don't want to crock myself by overstretching so what I'm hoping to do is gradually increase my spm to 175 and get faster that way. In practice that means that I'm having to take shorter strides and thus landing very midfoot. Feels a bit strange at the minute, a bit like riding a bike with my feet directly underneath. Supposedly, it's meant to be safer running that way-who knows.

Talking of toe striking, I passed a fellow runner on my long run yesterday morning. He was up on his toes with a very high knee lift-I've no idea what he was up to. Then again, he probably wondered about the bleep-bleep-bleep as I cruised past at exactly 170 spm!

[Nerdio Graduate in reply to Michael_W]

I tried the B210K plan that gives you music with differentbeats per minute to run to. All this did for me was prove that I had no rythmn. Something that has amused my wife for years!

Like you I have found that my running is very consistent once I am settled into it.

[CKC1 Graduate]

I bought the Chi running book quite early on in C25K when I was getting some shin pain. I really liked the book and thought it helped in lots of ways (certainly the pain stopped). I particularly liked some of the visualisations (like being pulled along by a rope) as these helped the mental side of running as well as the physical!

[helingmic]

I've not tried this particular Chi, but I do Qigong, which is the Chinese medical art of healing. I particularly do the 8 pieces of brocade (brocade being silk os strong and flexible)

here's an explanation:

taichivillage.org/?page_id=662

Here's a demonstration:

youtube.com/watch?v=DhsU1qL...(Not working as expected?)

I do this every morning and find myself energised. It helps with the flow of energy in you. It is used for healing purposes in China, and is prescribed by doctors.