Pose Running |
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The Pose Method begins with the Pose stance. Balance on your left foot with knee bent and weight supported on the mid-foot (ball). The right leg should be relaxed and pulled under the body with the right foot parallel to the left calf.
From the top of your hip to the ankle forms an "S" shape, similar to the hind legs of many animals. The "S" shape of the Pose optimizes the spring-loaded effect of the muscles and is an ideal position "primed" for motion.
Motion begins when the balance of the "Pose" is disrupted. Lean forward at the left ankle. Allow gravity to pull down your right leg to catch yourself from falling - make sure to land on the ball of the right foot. Return to the Pose, this time supported on the right foot.
The return to the Pose involves lifting the foot with the hamstring. In order to maximize the spring forces in the hamstring, it is important to develop flexibility and strength.
Because your feet never stray too far from your hips, your stride is short. Therefore, the only way to run faster is to increase your cadence.
The effect of running with the Pose method is to decrease the shock of landing that travels through the system. This was noted in a research study with Florida Atlantic University and the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory at Good Samaritan Medical Center. Heelstriking recreational runners were taught to run Pose in a number of sessions and were tested on the force of their landing before and after the lessons. When comparing pre to post results, as a group, the average decrease of stress felt at the knee joint was about 30%.
The difference in impact is simple to demonstrate. Walk a few paces by striding out and landing on your heel. Now, bend your knee, take a smaller step and land on the midfoot. Feel the difference in the foot, ankle, knee, and hip between the two methods. Translate this to running 5 or 10 K or a marathon!
Take away the stress of high impact, the pronation/supination that goes with heelstriking, and the push off that comes with a straight rear leg. What you end up needing is just a lightweight shoe with a slim sole.
Running should be the focus of your running, not the shoes. It is the skill that makes an injury free runner, not the shoe.
