Run Farther and Faster with Less Effort
The ChiRunning formula is technique + distance = speed. When all the pieces of the ChiRunning technique are working together, you become more efficient. Your muscles don't have to work as hard; they're still working, but they're doing the right jobs. You feel less fatigued and can run farther.
Once you feel comfortable with your increased distance, you can gain speed. Speed is achieved through relaxation, leaning more, and allowing your stride to lengthen behind you (not pulling yourself forward with your legs). You become better at relaxing through longer runs and good technique. Most ChiRunners find they get faster over time, and sometimes even immediately.
Make Your Training More Fun and Beneficial
Most traditional training programs just tell you how many miles to run each week. Depending on the program, the goal is to build mileage and/or get faster. That's achieved by running, running, and running some more.
With ChiRunning, the emphasis is on the quality of all that running. Good technique makes building mileage and gaining speed much easier. Not only will you have a better chance of reaching your race goals, you'll become a better runner in the process.
Get to Know Your Body
ChiRunning emphasizes the importance of the mind-body connection. Listening to your body (called Body Sensing in ChiRunning) helps you troubleshoot your technique to prevent pain and injuries. Bodies are one unit, and when something feels off, it's usually not isolated to just that joint, muscle or limb. Pain or discomfort in one area is often a symptom of a larger issue.
ChiRunning gives you a "toolkit" of solutions. Body sensing helps you find the source of the problem so you can make the right technique adjustments to begin solving it. This saves you a lot of pain (and a few trips to the physical therapist). It can also be meditative and allows you to become attuned to your body's sensations.
More: How to Run by Feel
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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 and Android. 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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