Pain Free Running Foundations

Chi running claims to make your pain free running more efficient, more enjoyable, and injury free. Running chi claims you'll be able to run longer and/or faster. Is this true? How does this really work?

Well, there's no free lunch (maybe that should be "chi lunch"!). That's the bad news but the good news is that your "Chi Lunch" is quite affordable!

Benefits of Chi Running

Chi running delivers benefits including injury free running through the training and strengthening of your core muscles. Visualize a torsional rotation around a straight axis. As the torsion bar twists to the right there's a natural energy in the bar to return it to a neutral position - to the left. Now, as the bar continues to twist left it now wants to spring back by rotating right again

Your Axis is your Ally

You already have this chi running axis: your neck, spine, and hips. All of these key body parts are supported and aided by powerful core muscles we already use! The secret to pain free running is building on what you have - your core muscles.

When your core is strong you have powerful, large muscles assisting your running and (most importantly) assisting your relatively smaller leg muscles. A strong core and good chi running form makes pain free running possible.

Built-In Bowflex!

You don't need fancy exercise equipment to have strong muscles. As a matter of fact, you always have your core exercise gym with you!

Here's how you can strengthen core muscles on a consistent basis and enjoy injury free running

Posture is the Key

Practice pulling your belly button in toward your spine. This does two things: It makes your posture straighter and exercises the lower abs - a key component of strong muscles. There are two ways to tell if you're doing the right thing: you won't have a sway back and your pelvis will be level, not tilted forward. Visualize your pelvis as an open bowl, and now think of keeping the top of the bowl level. It's your lower abdominals that do this job.

Let the Powerful help the Weak

Because these are big muscles, a little training goes a long way. Also, you can strengthen your abdominals any time: waiting for a bus, walking, standing, even while sitting at your desk. Visualize your abs as giving your spine the straightness it needs in your lower back area. This is the foundation for pain free running.

Make Torsional Tension Work for You

Think again of the torsional forces of running. During a running stride your right leg extends and your left leg briefly trails behind. Strong core muscles - lower abdominals in particular, supply the torsion needed to swing the body into your next stride. Now your left leg is extending as your pelvis rotates clockwise.

That rotational force, supplied almost unconsciously by your core muscles, helps position the legs and feet properly for each stride. With every stride you save a little leg energy because your core muscles are engaged in your running. Now think about how many strides are in a 10 Km. run. Injury Free Running This is why chirunning leaves you with more energy at the end of the run, and why you're feeling stronger and more relaxed.

Pain Free Running

Your first step to pain free running begins with a strong core, and a strong core is yours to have if you practice core strength exercises while going about your daily activities.

Return from pain free running to chi running.