ChiRunning is a running form and philosophy that takes the pounding, pain, and potential damage out of the sport of running. Sixty-five percent of runners will have to stop running at least once during the year due to injury. The ChiRunning technique offers a real solution to the high rate of injury that mars the sport of running, making running not only safer, but also more efficient and more enjoyable for runners of all levels. Additionally, ChiRunning has within it the deep philosophical and psychological attributes of the centuries-old practice of T'ai Chi, an ancient martial art. Inherent in this philosophy are two components that are crucial to all exercise: energy efficiency and injury prevention.

The T'ai Chi Connection

In T'ai Chi, spinal alignment is used to get chi, or life-force energy, to flow more freely through the body. When your spine is out of alignment, it is like a bent pipe that restricts the flow of water. Additionally, in T'ai Chi, movement originates from one's center, also known as your core, and everything else relaxes to allow for fluid movement. I took these concepts and brought them into running by emphasizing good posture while also adding a lean to create forward movement.

The result was profound for my own running and has now helped thousands of runners reduce injury, increase speed, reduce recovery time, and improve overall performance.

The Formula for Success

In ChiRunning we have a formula for success. We call it FDS, which stands for Form, Distance, and Speed. The way to improve your running is to work on your form first, then add distance, with speed added as the last component. In ChiRunning we suggest that you focus on your form first, because when you're running form is maximized for efficiency and injury-prevention, you can make the most of every training session. You then add in distance by working to hold your form for longer periods of time. Once you can hold your form over the distance you need, you then start adding speed to your workouts. Speed is the last component and is a result of good technique and conditioning and not reliant on strength alone. Speed workouts are also a place to refine your form, not just build strength.

In the ChiRunning method, there is a specific technique for every aspect of your training. For example, it is more energy efficient to use a specific technique for running uphill and a different technique for running downhill. Likewise, there are very specific techniques for increasing speed, for holding a fast pace, for resting muscles on the run, or for using a greater variety of muscles. Like a T'ai Chi Master, you will have a perfect response for anything that comes at you. Race preparation is all about practicing these techniques so you can keep your competitive edge during an event.

Make Gravity Your Ally

The ChiRunning form uses a slight forward lean to engage the pull of gravity as the main propulsive force. While using your core muscles to keep your posture aligned, the rest of your body learns to relax and offer no resistance to the pull of gravity. Overused, tense muscles create inertia--which works against your forward motion. To whatever extent you can rely on gravity to pull you forward, you can reduce your muscle usage. In doing so, not only do you reduce the potential for injury that comes from overused muscles, you also gain much greater efficiency, reduce your recovery time, and you can actually increase your speed with less perceived effort.

Relaxed muscles can absorb oxygen more efficiently than tense muscles. When your muscles are relaxed, it allows the recoiling action of your tendons to move your arms and legs rather than the contraction of your muscles. Additionally, when you are relaxed you can increase your range of motion, reduce your breath rate and lower your oxygen and fuel requirements. (When your muscles are always firing they are using up valuable muscle glycogen.)

Align Yourself

In order to engage the pull of gravity, your body must first be aligned correctly, which means:

* Every time your weight is supported by your foot, there is a straight line between your shoulders, hipbones, and ankles. This allows your body weight to be supported by your structure (bones, ligaments, and tendons) rather than your muscles, which reduces the energy expenditure of your leg and lower back muscles.

* Your left and right side are moving symmetrically.

* Every part of your body is aligned in the direction you are headed:

o Your upper body doesn't sway side-to-side,

o Your hips don't move laterally as your foot hits the ground,

o Your body does not bounce up and down,

o Your arms don't cross your centerline,

o Your legs and feet are pointed forward as they swing.

These are but a few of the possible misalignments ChiRunning helps to correct.

The Mind-Body Connection

ChiRunning is particularly helpful when something is not going quite right, when you feel sluggish, or when you are injured or feeling a pain that could become an injury. What you need at that moment is a great toolkit and knowledge of how your body works best.

With ChiRunning, you will become your own best expert in maximizing your efficiency and your adaptability to any situation. What you learn in the book, DVD, or a workshop is what I have gleaned from my years of practicing T'ai Chi and running ultras.

In ChiRunning, the mind and body work as a team . . . we do not recommend mind over body, where you don't listen to what your body is telling you. ChiRunning helps you work toward mastering the connection between your mind and your body. It is a necessary skill that every top athlete in the world has. The ChiRunning form focuses are guideposts for your own personal research. It is an ongoing process of self-discovery.

For further information on ChiRunning, please go to www.chirunning.com or phone (866)327-7867.