Tuesday 4 November 2014

Combined Chi Running Focuses is the Key

To feel like your running effortlessly, avoid running injuries and be more energy efficient (so you can run farther or in shorter time), you need to be practicing the combined chi running focuses.

When you're learning chi running it takes time to combine the focuses as it can be easier to practice some of the focuses on their own (like the armswing, posture or y'chi) and others together (like the posture, ankle lift and knee bend).  Initially while you will enjoy the benefit of the posture focus or rear armswing focus on it's own, it's really when you manage to combine the totality of focuses that you will glide along effortlessly, it's a real AHA moment!

So in the early stages of learning the chi running technique, before you go for your run, decide what focuses you're going to practice on each run.  If it's a short run you might practice just one or two focuses separately or together. If it's a long run you might practice all the focuses every 10 - 15 minutes (use your watch timer to beep) and at the end of the run practice all the focuses combined. If you've attended a workshop, the chirunning App will really help.

Like learning anything new, you will progress gradually and your running will start to become more effortless and in time when you go out one day and you automatically combine all the focuses, you just won't know yourself.

Running using all the focuses together is the key!

Next time you're out on a run, scan your body to see if you're running using the combination of all focuses or are you only using some of them.  If it's the latter, identify the ones you're not using and gradually incorporate them into your running.

Happy ChiRunning!