Runners: Open the door to getting better.

Chris Shah

Owner, Fitness Coach

Hit the ground with your feet moving is a great catch phrase. So is practice makes perfect. But our knowledge of how our bodies optimally function and how our brain learns have greatly increased.

With that increase in knowledge we have now updated catch phrases.

In the breakthrough book, The Talent Code, Daniel Coyle

clearly demonstrates that “Practice doesn’t make perfect”, the mantra of the best performers and coaches is “perfect practice makes perfect.”

Part of that “Perfect practice” is learning and correcting your mistakes or inefficiencies. Simply going through the motions is the mediocre performer’s battle cry. You’re here to get better right?

The best runners in the world have many things in common; mainly efficiency of movement. They expend far less energy than most runners.

• Their running stride is optimal
• Their Tissue quality is optimal
• Their hip and ankle mobility is adequate
• Their hip and core stability transfers optimal energy into the ground

                                             

With the runners I work with they have all increased there PR times using the preceding principles and forthcoming warm- up methods.

Most runners don’t do anything to prepare their body for running and the result is less efficiency and increased chance of breakdown and pain. This is simply going through the motions… BOOOO!

“What separates the elite runner from the recreational jogger- is not simply a natural gift or mental toughness” Says World Renowned Olympic Endurance Coach Mark Verstegen, “as much as the mastery of an efficient system that allows the body to cover more ground and get more out of each stride or stroke.”

Imagine a race car team just bringing out their car from the garage to race without checking to see if tires are in alignment, power steering is on, brake pads and gas work? CRAZY!

Well this (Your body) is the only car you will ever have and it has equivalents to tires and power steering. It takes a few minutes and will take time off your running so it’s a win-win for the SMART person who values getting BETTER!

  WHY and Consequences of your system

·       Poor tissue quality = quicker breakdown and pain.

·       Sub-optimal stride = less ground covered/ slower times

·       Poor hip mobility= back pain/ knee pain and energy leaks

·       Poor Ankle mobility = knee pain and calve issues

·       Poor core stability = MORE energy leaks/weaker strides

Let’s get you to stop the mediocre battle cry and treat your only body like a high performance sports car.

When to perform A1-A5? Right before you run

How Long? Takes no more than 3-5 min

A1- Tennis ball (Runners Tooth Brush) foot rolls

A1- Tennis ball

Purpose:

• To improve tissue quality throughout the entire back side of your body.
• Better Tissue quality means your feet will absorb foot impact more efficiently.
• It also increases your flexibility. Runners Tooth Brush

Setup:

• Take your shoes off, and place a tennis ball on the ground. Place the sole of one foot on the tennis ball.

Performance:

• Put the majority of your weight on the foot with the ball underneath, and roll the ball back and forth for 30-60 seconds each foot.

A2- Single – Leg Bridge 

Start 

End

 Purpose:

• To improve hip extension, gluteal function and learn the difference between hip motion and spine motion. This means less energy leaks.

Setup:  

• Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Pull one leg towards your chest.

Performance:

• Tense your abs and squeeze your gluts to initiate the movement.
• Drive through your heel and push your hips towards the sky.
• Hold top position 10 seconds for 3 reps on each foot.
• Insider tip, if you feel this in either your back or hamstrings you have an energy leak and means this is the same faulty strategy you are using when your foot strikes the ground during running. If you fix it, your run times will decrease Guaranteed!

“Should I continue doing the exercise if I do feel it in my back or hamstrings?” “YES!” “You need to regress this to two legs on the ground”

Over the years, I have decreased run times with runners countless times just from plugging up energy leaks

  

A3- Wall Ankle Mobs

A3- Start

A4-End

Purpose:

• To improve the mobility of your ankle joint. We need a mobile ankle for optimal knee health and

Setup:

• Stand facing a wall, with the toes of one foot directly up against the wall. Stand up tall, and place your hands on the wall for support.

Performance:

• Place the weight on your front heel approximately 3-4 inches away from the wall, and gently glide the knee forward, touching the wall. Make sure to keep your heel on the ground. Pulse in and out of this position several times.

If you can touch the wall, move the heel slightly back a half inch and repeat the pulse.

A4- Leg Swings

A4- Start

A4-Middle

A4-End

Purpose:

  

• Improve the mobility of your hip. We need a mobile hip for optimal knee and back health.

Setup:

• Stand facing sideways to a wall, stand up tall, and place your hand on the wall for support.

Performance:  

• Swing your leg in front of you, then behind you. Be sure to get the motion from your hip avoiding excessive low back movement. Repeat 10-15 times per leg.  

A5- Groiners

A5-start

A5-End

Purpose:

• To improve hip movement, dissociation and glut activation.

Setup:

• Assume a push up position.

Performance:   

• Tense your abs and step forward with one leg on the outside of your elbow. Tense your back leg glut. TRY TO RIP YOUR PANTS. Hold for 2secs and alternate legs 10 times