So Can I Change My Run Form?
One2Run5k and RunTech at Core Club have created a lot of positive noise purely because they are giving people something different.
The truth is we don't have lessons generally in standing, walking, running or breathing. They are just elements of life that we learn and then forget that become part of us. Autonomic. Over time the body cheats and finds the fastest, cheapest, least efficient way to do these things as the age of the individual creeps on.
So what are these guys and girls doing at One2Run5k and RunTech actually doing? In two words it comes down to neuromotor rehabilitation.
The science bit...
There are two parts to the nervous system.
Firstly, the brain and spinal cord which in basic terms is your command and control centre.
Secondly, the peripheral nervous system which receives messages from your sense receptors. This system is known to be “very plastic” and as such mouldable. BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) plays a significant factor in the plasticity of your central nervous system.
Exercise stimulates the BDNF and cross lateral movement patterns stimulate your motor cortices and balance system.
However, your functionality will deteriorate with age and with a sedentary lifestyle. The body is meant to move. Please don't sit still. Stand and move. Every day.
Your brain is a muscle that grows with movement and as such, therefore the nervous system can change with the right stimulation. Therefore, it is possible to rebuild movement patterns from the bottom of the body up. Not the top down. So, it follows that we should always start with the feet. Make sense so far?
Your contact time with the ground is key to how injured you get. The slower you are, the more contact time you have with the ground and the more likely you are to get injured. That is merely a percentage and when you think about it, you can start to understand all this in the manner that maybe helps you understand your body in a way that helps you move and think about running more efficiently.
Injury causes the brain to shut down neural pathways and change the movement map in the brain. That is important to remember. Remember those niggly injuries? Ever picked up another one soon after to add to it? This is your brain changing your movement map.
Everyone has a unique running technique. There is no such thing as a perfect running form but there is a perfect running form for each individual. This also is really important to remember. All we have to do is unlock you and work hard at finding your version of perfect!
What you need to decide is what do you want to achieve?
Is it coaching or training?
What injuries have you historically had?
How do you currently move kinetically? Right to left and left to right?
It takes a fit person 4 weeks to change their patterns and an unfit person 8-12 weeks. That said you need to practice continually.
Patterning inefficiencies in individuals remember are unique.
At least twice a week you should be practicing technique drills and working on your biomechanics, kinetic chain and motor control.
Balance work, stand up bone loading, cross lateral movement patterns and core work are all key to building your most efficient running version of you.
So there you have it. Well, a snippet of it anyway. For more information drop me a line and we can go from there.
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