How to use your core:
- Stand tall. Get into your best posture before running. Reach to the sky with the crown of your head to lengthen your spine. Drop your chin, and relax your shoulders. Don't sink into your lower back, or bend at the waist.
- Keep your pelvis level. Engage your lower abs and lift your pelvis up slightly. This strengthens your core and prevents you from arching your lower back. Be sure not to lift your pelvis too much, as this will cause you to tighten your glutes and restrict your leg swing.
- Practice this simple exercise: Stand against a wall and try to press your lower back into it. Watch what happens to your pelvis. You have to engage your lower abs in a vertical "crunch" movement. Remember that feeling, and try to maintain it as you run.
- Fall into your run. With your posture aligned and core engaged, lean forward from your ankles and start your run. Keep your core engaged, and lean forward about an inch more. Relax your legs as much as possible. Lean a little more, and let your legs go almost limp. You should feel your speed increase. Pull back on your lean and run without engaging your core for a few seconds, then re-engage to feel the difference.
It can take our minds and bodies time to adjust when we make changes to our running form, so be patient. Just remember: sprinters use their legs for speed, but distance runners should use their legs as little as possible. The more you use your core, the stronger it will become.
More: 8 Best Core-Strengthening Exercises for Endurance Runners
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About the Author
Danny Dreyer is the creator of ChiRunning? and ChiWalking?, revolutionary forms of moving that blend T'ai Chi with running and walking. ChiRunning and ChiWalking by Danny and Katherine Dreyer are No. 1 sellers with over 350,000 copies sold. Chi Marathon hits shelves March 2012. The ChiRunning app is now available for iPhone (Android version available Fall 2013). As an accomplished ultra marathoner, Danny speaks at prestigious wellness events across the country. He has taught training groups, including the AIDS Marathon and Team in Training and USA/FIT. Danny, along with more than 180 Certified Instructors, holds capacity-filled clinics around the world. Danny's lifestyle is steeped in holistic living, meditation, and personal wellness and is the foundation of what he teaches.
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