Chi-running

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glfprncs2
glfprncs2 Posts: 625 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm not a runner. It's just not my thing, BUT for whatever reason, I really want to be able to enjoy going out and running 3-5 miles. I used to run daily...would do my 3 miles, but I honestly despised every single step. That said, I love exercise. Love it. I know I don't have to be a runner, but I have 3 dogs who get separate walks every day...running would certainly cut down on dog walking time!

I have a friend who feels the same way about running and he recently did a 'Chi-running' seminar. He said it makes running SO much easier.

Any of you chi-runners? Your thoughts? Is it possible to understand proper form and technique through the book and DVD or do you really need to attend a training seminar? Is it possible that I could turn my hating into a passion (or at least something I enjoy while doing it)?
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Replies

  • ErinGiam
    ErinGiam Posts: 396 Member
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    I've never heard of this but I'm interested in others responses as I am a newbie to the whole "running" thing. :smile:
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    LOVE LOVE LOVE Danny Deyer and the ChiRunning Program. I've taken a class from a local instructor as well. I started running in March with ChiRunning and ran my first marathon in October. I bought the book and DVD. The metronome really made a difference in my running style. I also run in a minimalist shoe, which is promoted by the ChiRunning program. There is a website on it you may want to check out. I ran into an injury but was able to go straight to the experts with my question, regained my focus and have been doing fine.
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
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    I went running with some colleagues during a business trip and the instructor there was using the Chi-Running methodology.. Suddenly I understood why Running was causing me so much pain - being an *kitten* I had just run through the shin splints etc but there IS another way...

    I'm working through the book now and tried my first 'Chi Run' as a 10 minute warm up at the gym today - verdict - I could go a lot faster for the same or less effort I was putting is by power running.

    Tomorrow I'll do an 8km run and see if it continues to pay off.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    I started using minimalist shoes (vibram) this year when I started running again. I also have adjusted my form and cadence along the lines of what Chi Running promotes.

    For the first time in my life I am running entirely pain free. I have built up to 50 mile weeks including several hard workouts a week and zero knee pain and zero shin splints. Also am able to run seven days a week at a generally faster pace than I was able to run in the past.

    So, I am an enthusiastic promoter of fixing one's running form to make running enjoyable.
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
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    I'll keep posting in this topic to let people know how I get on.
  • themyriadthings
    themyriadthings Posts: 225 Member
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    I've read the Chi Running book and more recently, "Born to Run," which is about mimimalist/barefoot running. In reading the latter book it dawned on me what the Chi Running book was all about! I'm at the very beginning stages of learning from my feet how to improve my running form, and I'm really looking forward to hearing about how minimalist shoes and/or Chi running is working for others. :)
  • Leslie2273
    Leslie2273 Posts: 152 Member
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    smiley-signs138.gif
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I was intrigued by the whole barefoot thing, so I bought a pair of vibrams and started running in them. Loved how it felt & how it changed my form.
    Then I read Chi-Running and it made a lot of sense when I related it to my barefoot running experience. I need to re-read the book and try to better visualize a few more of the finer details, but I think the book is great for getting proper form and the dvd & instruction would probably work even better.
    THEN I read "Born to run" and besides being an amazing read, sealed the deal with my belief that proper running form can let a person run many, many miles per week without doing their legs & knees harm.
    My speed to effort ratio has made incredible improvements in the past year. Some I have to contribute to really improving my endurance capabilities, but a lot of credit has to go to developing a much more efficient running stride.
  • jemmur
    jemmur Posts: 57 Member
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    i tried to read the chi running book but something about it rubbed me the wrong way. it came across as a bit... alternative therapy-esque to me and all i wanted was a striahgt forward explanation of the alterations i'd need to make to my form, to run in minimalist shoes. which i found online, in abundance.
  • mikeyrp
    mikeyrp Posts: 1,616 Member
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    As promised: Having read the first 4 chapters of the book I did an 8km run today, trying to follow the techniques described.

    1) At a slow (warm up) speed it felt really uncomfortable - more effort than normal power running. FYI, on a tread mill this is about 6.5 mph (10.5kph) for me. The first km of my run is down hill anyway and I always find this the highest impact from a technique perspective.

    2) I didn't take my iPhone with me on this run so I'm not sure what speed I was doing most of the time... but once I hit 'cruise' speed (normally 7.5 mph (12kmph) on a treadmill) - it started to feel really different - it wasn't less work - but I was using different muscles - much more at the top of my legs and in my core. The biggest and most important difference was that I really noticed the absence of a heal strike with my leading leg. I can get really bad shin splints and even on a good day I feel bruised around my shins after a run - today is significantly better on this front.

    3) On the straight I tried some higher speed sections - again - no idea how fast I was actually going but it felt... different! extending the stride behind you definitely allows you to cruise at a higher speed: I will have to take the phone next time so I can get some section statistics.

    4) Final time 38 minutes - which is better than my normal target speed (5 minutes per km)



    In response to the comment
    i tried to read the chi running book but something about it rubbed me the wrong way. it came across as a bit... alternative therapy-esque

    to be honest - I agree - I am not too keen on the writing style - and if I hadn't been introduced to the style by an instructor who basically showed me 3 things in a 1 hour session which MASSIVELY improved my technique I would not have gotten to the meat of the book at all.

    Ironically my instinct tells me the trend for minimalist shoes is hippy bull-****... I'm probably wrong about that too! I suspect that using the two things in combination will work very well: But until its time to buy new trainers I'll stick to Chi technique. Its a pity trainers are so expensive because if I dont like it that's 50->100 quid wasted!

    Any way, net-net: so far, so good.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    The primary advantage of minimalist shoes is a low heel (zero heel to toe drop) which makes forefoot striking much easier. If you are not landing on your heels, there is no need for all that cushion anyway.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    chi-running is awesome unless you believe in things like gravity and laws of physics...
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    chi-running is awesome unless you believe in things like gravity and laws of physics...

    Have you read the ChiRunning book or watched the DVD - the DVD explains it much better. I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic or just simply missed the concept in whole, either way, I'd suggest if you really are interested, re-read again or sign up for a class may help you comprehend what you clearly missed.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    i tried to read the chi running book but something about it rubbed me the wrong way. it came across as a bit... alternative therapy-esque to me and all i wanted was a striahgt forward explanation of the alterations i'd need to make to my form, to run in minimalist shoes. which i found online, in abundance.

    ChiRunning wasn't written as a minimalist guide. Yes, it's a little spacy and out there, but "chi" alone should have tuned that in :) What I found with ChiRunning was it gave me, a person who had never ran in my life, a basis to actually start with some type of "form". I had no idea how to even start running other than picking my feet up and moving the, I wanted an understanding of heal strike, stride length, cadence, and I got that from ChiRunning.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    chi-running is awesome unless you believe in things like gravity and laws of physics...

    Have you read the ChiRunning book or watched the DVD - the DVD explains it much better. I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic or just simply missed the concept in whole, either way, I'd suggest if you really are interested, re-read again or sign up for a class may help you comprehend what you clearly missed.

    I know exactly what a I wrote. The concept of good form and a toe or mid foot strike is well and good. The claims of falling uphill (or some such silliness) may well work fine on the moon, but here on earth, not so much...
  • bettertracie
    bettertracie Posts: 196 Member
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    agreed that this technique IS NOT for everyone!!!!!!!! if you like it, awesome... but so many people dont get ALL the information and just go balls to the wall and do more damage... We may have walked around in the stone ages without proper footwear, but we also were expected to work hard laborous jobs and die before the age of 40, so be happy with your program, or try out a new one...

    Either way just keep it moving!!!! =)
  • bettertracie
    bettertracie Posts: 196 Member
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    @arc918- NEVER START A WAR WITH THE HIPPIES!!!!! =) (there's is no winning)
  • julslea
    julslea Posts: 436 Member
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    Bump
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    @arc918- NEVER START A WAR WITH THE HIPPIES!!!!! =) (there's is no winning)

    just having some fun, if it works for you then great!

    happy running to everyone
  • nikki_zav
    nikki_zav Posts: 320 Member
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    nikki_zav bump. This sounds interesting to take my running to the next level. I feel very stalled at my current pace and battle on and off with shin splints (especially when I am forced to a treadmill). Looks like I'm making a trip to the bookstore this week!

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