Friday 10 August 2012

10 Good Reasons to get Walking or Running

Here's my top 10 Good Reasons to get up off the couch and get out there Walking or Running...

1. When you exercise you release endorphins which make you feel happy.
2. It's therapeutic as it helps clear the mind and de-stress.
3. It stimulates many organs like your gut (improves your daily constitution), sinuses (clears them out), heart (keeps it pumping strong) etc...... keeping them all working better!
4. For many females it reduces menstrual cramps and the number of days...can't argue with that.
5. Lose weight, tone up and improves self confidence.
6. Increases energy.
7. Helps you stay looking younger.
8. Promotes better sleeping.
9. Makes you feel part of a community as you interact with people when your out.
10. Expels toxins through sweat and promotes stronger bones and joints.

...so, what are you waiting for?

Thursday 9 August 2012

Get off the balls of your feet!

Ok lets clear up some people's misunderstanding about the footstrike when ChiRunning ..........a physio recently said to me that he wasn't so sure about ChiRunning even though he knows nothing about it (as he told me) but his thoughts were because a client came to see him with lower leg issues because he runs on the balls of his feet........ehh, well I'm not surprised he's visiting the physio!  I told the physio that his client isn't ChiRunning if he's on the balls of his feet that he should be landing with a mid-foot strike (not on the balls of the feet and not a heel strike) as we teach people on the ChiRunning workshops. 

I've also read a few online articles and forums where people mention the lean and running on the ball or front of the foot, this is incorrect. We teach clients to run with a lean from the ankle to engage gravity, centre of body mass is ahead of the feet allowing for a mid-foot strike, not a forefront strike. 

So please, for pete's sake, get off the balls of your feet and land with a mid-foot strike! Remember it's about preventing injury not instigating it.