Body Looseners Before - Stretching Afterwards

There has been lots of research into stretching before a walk or run and it is now considered bad to stretch before you exercise as you may actually injure yourself as your muscles are not warmed up.

With the ChiWalking and ChiRunning take 5 minutes to open up your joints, we call them Body Looseners.

Ankles:

Start with the ankles one at a time. Put your full weight on to one leg with soft knee and gently rotate the other leg ankle, first clockwise and then anticlockwise for 8-10 reps. Then shift your weight to the other leg and do the same with that ankle.

Knees:
Next to the knees, do this exercise with both knees at the same time. Bring your feet close together, bend as if you are going to sit down but don’t, place your hands on your knees and rotate the knees together clockwise and then anticlockwise for 8-10 reps. Make sure the feet stay steady and don't shift.

Hips & Pelvis:
Then to the hips and pelvis, pretend you’re playing with a hula-hoop, again go clockwise and anticlockwise for 8-10 reps.

Shoulders:
Finally bring your hands up on to your shoulders and together roll the shoulders forward and then backward for 8-10 reps.

This will help loosen up the joint areas before your start your warm up run or walk. 

One point it doesn't work better if you do them fast, in actual fact it's better if you take your time and do them slowly.

After a run or walk you should take the opportunity while your muscles are nicely warmed up to stretch your calves, quads, gluets, IT band,

Flat, graduals and hills - vary your training route

Over the past two weeks I've been running on a track to get some exercise before going to night classes and I've noticed a considerable improvement in my time on the track compared to my usual running route which is seriously hilly. Now I knew this would be the case but not by as much as the time I dropped. This is why it's important to vary your training routes as most races have hills throughout them and if you're not used to running up and down hills you're going to be disappointed with your time.

So out of your 5 day training aim for 1-2 track/flat, 1-2 middle flat/gradual hills and 1 with some serious hills, that way you can work on your technique on the flat and gain experience on the hills. 

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?

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.

Cork City Marathon Expo & ChiRunning/Walking Demonstration

As part of the Cork City Marathon Expo I held a ChiRunning & ChiWalking Interactive Demonstration on both registration days to help participants prepare for their race day giving them tips and advice on alignment, posture, armswing and y'chi, all energy efficient ways to help them enjoy the race and prevent injury. 

Good luck to everyone taking part tomorrow!

Choose a Certified ChiRunning® or ChiWalking® Instructor

When you choose to learn the ChiRunning® or ChiWalking® technique please make sure to book a place on a Certified Chi Instructors workshop.

There are currently four Certified Instructors (one of which is me) in Ireland and we have gone through a rigorous training programme to be accredited with certification.

So invest your time and money wisely, contact a Certified Instructor to receive professional training.

Click here for a list of Certified Instructors in Ireland.

Chi Running/Walking Demo & Tips at Cork City Marathon Expo

I'll be holding a Chi Running/Walking Demonstration and Tips Session at the Cork City Marathon Expo on Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd June (registration days) from 2pm - 3pm in City Hall. 

These free Chi Running/Walking demos are open to participants of the Cork City Marathon and numbers are limited (first come basis) so registering for participation is essential. 

The session will incorporate some drills and exercises to help with your alignment and balance, posture, arm swing, y'chi, hill technique and relaxation.  For those attending you will need to wear suitable running/walking clothes and runners.  

Email effortlessrunning@gmail.com to book your place before it's too late and please state whether you are a runner or walker and which session you would prefer to attend (Sat or Sun). You will receive an email in response.

Places are being snapped up so don't miss out on this great opportunity to get some last minute advice and tips to help make your race more enjoyable and effortless.

Study shows consistent easy running extends your longevity by up to 6.8 years!

"Long-term physical activity in leisure time and mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, and cancer".   Schnohr P, Lange P, Scharling H, Jensen JS. Copenhagen City Heart Study, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Denmark.

 

The purpose of the study was to describe the associations between different levels of long-term physical activity in leisure time and subsequent causes of death.

 

Conclusion of the research: Men with high physical activity survived 6.8 years longer, and men with moderate physical activity 4.9 years longer than sedentary men. For women the figures were 6.4 and 5.5 years, respectively

 

Yet another good reason to book your place on one of my upcoming Chi Running workshops!

 

Be Present & Focus on your Run/Walk

If at the end of your run/walk you've prepared a mental grocery list, debated an issue at work or home, decided on the colour your going to paint your front door and so on.....then you're not present during your run/walk.  If you're new to chi running/walking then you are also missing out on valuable practice time for the chi focuses which will help with your progress.

By being present you relax, take in the surroundings (which are hopefully pleasant), engage with other runners/walkers and basically have fun and enjoy the time.

So the way I stop my mind from rambling, distracting me from what I'm doing i.e. running/walking is use the Y'Chi. By using y'chi I keep totally focused ahead and while I'm focusing I remember to practice the chi technique, banishing all distracting thoughts which helps me to run/walk more efficiently. 

So the next time you're out for a run/walk and realise you're compiling a grocery list or whatever, use the y'chi, be present and notice the difference in your speed which will increase and your effort which will lessen.

Metronome for your Cadence

This simple little clip on Seiko Metronome is how you can work on your cadence level and gradually improve your time.

Unfortunately I can't find any sports shops here in Cork selling them, but if you click here you can buy one online on the ChiLiving website and have it delivered to your door.

Click here to go to my previous post explaining cadence for runners and walkers as this is a valuable tool not to be missed.