As I continue to experiment with barefoot running, I am beginning to have different thoughts about proper running technique. During my running, I've used bits of Pose, Barefoot Bob's advice, etc., to improve my form. However, I am starting to shift into a different direction with all this.
It appears that if you grow up barefoot and run often, then you will develop efficient form. No one needs to teach children how to run - it's a natural movement. Growing up in shoes alters and probably damages running form to an extent. Continuing to run in shoes may cause similar problems.
Historically, this led to an opportunity for running techiques like Pose and Chi. However, these techniques were developed years ago when most people were running in shoes (and thick ones at that). So my question is, if you remove the shoes do you still need the technical instruction?
With running shoes, there has been a slow shift from thick shoes to minimal shoes and now to barefoot. People are figuring out that you don't need shoes to run correctly. I wonder if the same thing will happen with running instruction. Is running instruction a leftover artificat from the thick shoe age? Do people really need to be taught how to run if they go barefoot on pavement?
Something else I've noticed about trying to run with a certain technique is that it's mentally tiring. If I go out for a run, I really don't want to have to think about all these different things. I've gotten tired of counting steps per minute. I've gotten tired of checking my alignment. I just want to run.
Last night, I decided to ditch the technique thoughts and just run. I ran slower, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing in the short run. Maybe that's my body's way of telling me I'm not ready for faster speeds yet. My running was perhaps less efficient but more enjoyable. That seems like an okay trade-off for now.
As I continue to experiment with barefoot running, I am beginning to have different thoughts about proper running technique. During my running, I've used bits of Pose, Barefoot Bob's advice, etc., to improve my form. However, I am starting to shift into a different direction with all this.
It appears that if you grow up barefoot and run often, then you will develop efficient form. No one needs to teach children how to run - it's a natural movement. Growing up in shoes alters and probably damages running form to an extent. Continuing to run in shoes may cause similar problems.
Historically, this led to an opportunity for running techiques like Pose and Chi. However, these techniques were developed years ago when most people were running in shoes (and thick ones at that). So my question is, if you remove the shoes do you still need the technical instruction?
With running shoes, there has been a slow shift from thick shoes to minimal shoes and now to barefoot. People are figuring out that you don't need shoes to run correctly. I wonder if the same thing will happen with running instruction. Is running instruction a leftover artificat from the thick shoe age? Do people really need to be taught how to run if they go barefoot on pavement?
Something else I've noticed about trying to run with a certain technique is that it's mentally tiring. If I go out for a run, I really don't want to have to think about all these different things. I've gotten tired of counting steps per minute. I've gotten tired of checking my alignment. I just want to run.
Last night, I decided to ditch the technique thoughts and just run. I ran slower, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing in the short run. Maybe that's my body's way of telling me I'm not ready for faster speeds yet. My running was perhaps less efficient but more enjoyable. That seems like an okay trade-off for now.