The eZone, Issue #004 – Run for your life

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The eZone, Issue #004 – Run for your life
May 01, 2006

The eZone: Issue #004 May 2006

Welcome to issue No 4 of The eZone. The theme for this month is running. Whether you are a serious runner, fun runner or considering taking it up, there is something here for you.

Also for the first time I am running a competition - see this month's offer.

In this issue

1. Sports personality: Malcolm Balk - running and Alexander teacher

2. Run for your life

3. This month’s fitness myth – Heel to toe running action

4. What’s on the web?

5. May’s special offer – Competition time!

1. Malcolm Balk

You may not have heard of Malcolm - yet, he is the author of the successful Art of Running book. I first met him 10 years ago when I was in the second year of my Alexander teacher-training course. Let’s just say I was blown away by his approach to running. Malcolm qualified as an Alexander teacher in the 1980s and began to apply what he knew about movement to his running.

I had run a marathon in 1984 and over 20 half-marathons and 10 miles races, but by the time I was 24 I had stopped due to injury. I was fit but couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. Well, Malcolm showed me within 5 minutes! He was able to demonstrate what I should not be doing. Previous coaches had tried to get me to run in a particular style, whereas Malcolm literally untied the knots I was holding in my body when I ran. It was like taking the brake off and running on air. Needless to say I started running again and have suffered no injuries since.

I met Malcolm in Oxford last week during his UK tour and as ever his enthusiasm for running, fitness and continued research into performance is a breath of fresh air. He gave me a copy of his new book, Master the Art of Running, and it is even better than his last. It is packed with training tips to help you run with less effort and strain on your body. If you don’t yet run it is an ideal book to get you motivated and started without falling into the usual running trap of doing too much too early.

To visit Malcolm’s website Click here

His fascinating new book can be ordered from Amazon.

2. Run for your life

Regardless of our sport, most of us run either as part of our game, or as part of a training programme. Running is an ideal symmetrical activity for keeping fit. However it is common for people to blame running for injuries rather than accept that it may be how they run that is at fault. We assume that to run is just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other with no specific skill required. Unfortunately, this is not the case as observing any group of runners can prove. What should be an ideal way to improve and maintain fitness is often the cause of many problems.

A large percentage of runners, whether running for fun or as part of a training programme, do not seek coaching. We assume it is within our ability to run as we did when young. However we cannot suddenly change our body and attitude when going for a run. How we use ourselves during the day will have an impact on running. Our style will reflect the asymmetric nature of a body that has lost the poise of youth.

I have already mentioned Malcolm Balk’ method and his new book. There are two other popular running methods that aim to make running an easier and more natural activity. These are Chi Running and Dr Romanov's POSE Method. Both methods will help you to take the effort out of running to let your body flow. Once you can learn to run with an efficient style running suddenly becomes more than just an activity to stay fit. It opens up a whole new perspective to what can be a great habit for life.

To get a great deal on the complete Chi Running Program click here

To check out the POSE website plus DVDs and books please click here

3. Fitness myth of the month:
Heel to toe running action is best for runners

Many coaches, personal trainers and fitness experts advise their clients to run with a heel to toe action. This means landing on your heel and letting your foot roll forward onto the ball before lifting the leg back up. Whilst this is perfectly fine for walking, this will cause problems for the runner.

Looking at this from a mechanical viewpoint, if your heel strikes first your leg will be straight on contact with the ground causing the shock to travel up your leg into your hip. You have lost the cushioning effect of the ankle, knee and hips joints that act as shock absorbers. To run with a heel to toe action you will have to land with your foot in front of your body. This effectively causes a braking action as your body then has to catch up with your foot before being able to kick off for the next step.

Recent research into running technique has found that the foot landing under the body whilst making contact with the ball or middle of the sole is far more efficient.

For more information visit my Running Pages. I also have advice for anyone wishing to start running.

4. What's on the web?

Staying with the theme of running, this month’s featured website is Ken Bob Saxton’s Barefoot running website. It’s not your usual website and the colours take a bit of getting used to, but it’s packed with information for runners. Why is it called Barefoot? Ken actually runs marathons with no shoes! Whilst he doesn’t recommend running in barefoot, he does ask us all to think about why we feel the need to buy specialist trainers for what is a natural thing to do. After all, Zola Budd used to run without shoes and still win races.

Why not take a look. I check it out every now and then and always find something of interest. (Also check out Ken’s picture. What a guy!)

Visit his website at Running barefoot.org

5. Special Offer - Competition!

I am offering a special one-off prize of my Zone Fitness Program package, including online support, video analysis and a personal bespoke development program. If you can answer the following question and complete the task your name will go in to the prize draw at the end of the month.

The question is:
Which year was F.M. Alexander, founder of The Alexander Technique born?

The task:
Email this edition of the eZone to your friends and colleagues. If they sign up, you score 1 point!

Please note, you will need to include which addresses you have sent this edition to in your email entry - they can then be checked against the new subscribers to score your points. (Your friends email adresses will only be used when sending out The eZone, they will not be contacted by me or any other third party).

The winner will be the person with the right answer and the highest points tally. Two runners up will receive a special one-off 75% reduction on the same program.

When you have the answer and your points, email me direct at roymstat@aol.com

Good luck!

To sign up for the eZone click here

Entries need to be emailed to me before 31st May 2006. The winner will be sent the Zone Fitness Program by email the following day. If you already have the program an alternative program of your choice will be offered.