I am used to my body just working; that is, until I hit my mid 30s and beyond. Since then, all my past carelessness has come home to roost and has led to me taking extended breaks from my running. I know from my work that improving posture and functional movement can have a dramatic impact on performance, whether you are looking to beat your PB or just be able to get out of bed in the morning and walk down the stairs without pain. Many of my clients have benefitted from sessions with remedial personal trainers so I was very interested to meet Chris Adam, a running coach.
Chris invited me to his dedicated indoor space for a training session. As well as a treadmill and other training equipment there is a large whiteboard; Chris likes to keep up to date with the theory behind biomechanics and efficient movement, and to educate his clients. He asks them to fill in a detailed questionnaire before the session so that he can get a feel for their history, where they are now and what their aims are.
The session began with me running on the treadmill. I never use gyms so this was a new experience for me! Once I had got used to the sensation and felt I was running with something like my normal style, Chris began to film me from the front, side and behind. I was then let off the treadmill so that we could view the video together; he identified strengths and weaknesses and issues to work on that session.
Then the hard work began. We started with how my feet were functioning - toega, or toe yoga, is hard work! - and worked upwards to improve my proprioception and muscle activation with Chris continuously assessing my progress. By the end of the session I had squatted, hopped, skipped and bounced my legs into exhaustion! I was put back on the treadmill to run again, which felt surprisingly easy considering that a few moments earlier I had declared myself finished. The new video revealed that my posture and footstrike had both improved.
I now have greater awareness of how I am moving, and not just when running. As Chis says on his website, it's not just runners who benefit from coaching.
http://www.therunning-coach.co.uk/
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