When I had developed the initial version of my run clinic, I wanted to test it with a few willing volunteers from the triathlon club. The club's board of directors (BoD) put up a brick wall because I had no certifications of any kind.
I initially thought this was some form of elitism, since my research revealed NO other run coaching or training programs that would help convert ex-runners and uncomfortable runners to comfortable endurance runners. There was no certified program that taught anything close to my clinic! Why did the board want me to have some alphabet soup after my name?
After looking into the matter, I found it's not about a piece of paper: It's about professionalism, which really means its about liability. Every professional practitioner of any kind, from MD to chiropractor to massage therapist, is certified by a recognized and accepted authority, is a member of a professional organization, and has liability insurance to ensure any harm they may inadvertently cause will be remedied.
The status of being a professional means you can't hide behind a liability waiver. The waiver only protects you against things the client does against your instructions (such as "Stop if you feel any pain!"). If the client is harmed while acting according to your instructions, you may be liable.
A run clinic for "broken" runners is certainly not a minimal-risk environment! The club BoD was absolutely right: It would be very wrong for the club to permit me to offer a clinic to its members without professional certification and liability insurance.
So I looked at all the professional certifications I could realistically pursue, including Physical Therapist, USAT Level 1 Triathlon Coach, Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), and a few others. The one most relevant to my run clinic is CPT, though the USAT Level 1 Coaching cert may be more useful in the long run.
The USAT Level 1 coaching certification is relatively simple to acquire: It takes only money to travel to and attend a certification clinic. Total cost, about $1000. Unfortunately, the next clinic I could reasonably attend isn't until September. Plus, the cost is an obstacle right now, though it may not be in September.
For the near term, becoming a CPT seems to be the way to go. A quick online search reveals literally a dozen or more different Personal Trainer certification programs out there, several of which have national-level recognition and acceptance. Most of them are either online programs, or DVD-based, or both. Only a very few are in-class hands-on programs.
I've been working with a personal trainer 2-3 times a week for a decade. Over those years I've often "traded up", and I now believe I'm working with one of the very best personal trainers in all of San Diego. I think I'm getting as good or better "hands-on" training than any classroom course could provide.
So I decided to restrict my search to the DVD and online certification programs. Several of these also had good national acceptance. Unfortunately, the total certification costs of those programs tend to start at $1000 and go up from there. And each program has different recertification costs and insurance rates.
I decided to restrict my focus to the cost of insurance, which is where the rubber hits the road: If I want at least $2 million in coverage, which program gets me certified with the lowest total cost when insurance is included?
The result surprised me. No, it shocked me! The ACT Certification program has a FREE certification available, though it has an annual insurance cost that happens to be $5 HIGHER than the paid program + the discounted insurance. The total cost for a 2 year ACT certification + 2 years of insurance? The annual costs are the $65 program fee + the $105 insurance premium, or $170/year. Which, for two years is $340. That's less than what some programs charge just to take their exam!
While ACT has not yet been accredited by a national agency, they are absolutely committed to obtaining NCCA approval, and it looks like they will acquire it before the end of this summer.
What amazes me is that their insurance company sells insurance to ACT-certified personal trainers at such a reasonable rate. Someone has done the risk assessment, and has found the ACT approach worthy. I wonder why other certification programs have much higher insurance rates? Perhaps they are padding the total to obtain maximum profit. If that's the case, then ACT has gained even more of my respect.
ACT claims one of their goals is to turn the economics of the fitness certification industry on its head. Their low program costs and low insurance rates seem to back this ideology to the hilt.
After all, I am the one doing all the work to get certified! What does the certification program itself do? Once the course is designed, implemented and approved, everything else is either stamping out copies or computer-based. Basically, minimal per-student costs, even allowing for ongoing program development and improvement. You can get a high-volume web server from GoDaddy that can support millions of users for a total cost of under $10/month: The recurring costs to present an existing online program truly are minimal, even trivial.
I can't judge the quality of the ACT content. But then, I don't feel I need to: Their insurance provider has done their own due diligence. Then again, I haven't read the insurance policy itself yet, so I don't really know what it does and does not cover.
I do get it all for only $14.66/month: Training, certification, CEU (Continuing Education Unit) classes, recertification, and insurance.
At this price, it seems silly to pay more now, since I'm planning to get the USAT cert eventually. At the very least, the ACT program is a minimal investment that is worth trying, just for the hell of it.
ACT, here I come!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Interviewing and Assessing
Sorry for going so long without a post!
I've been spending the past several weeks talking to folks who are ex-runners or have problems running, and trying to form accurate assessments of their current condition and the likelihood I'll be able to help them.
It seems everyone has their own personal horror stories related to running. When the stories are told in the present tense, I want to understand if the problem is transient or continual, and if it is due to poor running form, inadequate strength, or a deeper medical issue.
Turning stories into assessments is tough! After the story, I ask questions to learn more, generally to separate emotional pain and frustration from physical pain, and to separate physical causes from physical effects.
An example: I had one friend going on about minor annoying knee pain that became agony when running. I asked about his warmups, asked if he had changed anything (such as shoes, route, or duration), and asked if anything else aggravated his knee. It wasn't until well into our discussion I asked "When did you knee start to hurt?" His answer was informative: "Right after I slipped and fell in my kitchen."
The problem had nothing to do with running, and everything to do with letting a damaged knee heel. He didn't need any developmental running help from me: I told him to go to his doctor to ensure no soft tissue was damaged and no bones where chipped or cracked.
Doing a good interview isn't trivial. I've seen many folks (help desks, doctors, physical therapists, car mechanics, etc.) ask questions until they find something "interesting", then take off on a tangent instead of completing the interview process.
To ensure I stay on track until the interview process is completed, I'm building a list of things I want to know about a problem runner, and good questions to ask to get than information.
Even with the best interview in the world, I'm still only getting the person's subjective observations. Objective information is critical not only to establish facts independently of the person's story, but also to learn what is subjectively most important to that person, and as a chance to identify missed items for additional discussion.
So along with each subjective story, I must also ask the person to perform objective tests. It is important these tests don't aggravate any condition: The fundamental premise in providing any kind of training or care must be: "First, Do No Harm."
If the person can't walk without difficulty, then clearly there's nothing I can do for them related to running. If they can walk comfortably, then a wide range of tests are possible. Going from simplest to most difficult, the list includes:
The list goes on. The key thing is to sequence the tests in order of increasing difficulty, to learn as much as possible from each test, and then to stop when things become too difficult.
But the list of tests should not grow without end: It is important for me to employ only those tests that provide information I can do something with, and avoid tests that may reveal limitations that have nothing to do with running. Not only do I want to avoid wasting time and effort, but I also don't want to go into information overload!
The assessment process doesn't end after the initial interview: When run training starts, it is important to continue to perform assessments with each new exercise and drill. With repetition, the exercises and drills will stop providing new information concerning symptoms, and will start indicating progress toward the goal of creating a comfortable runner.
I've done many online searches looking for good interview and assessment guidelines and techniques, and there are surprisingly few that not only describe what an interview and assessment should achieve, but also provide meaningful guidance toward developing interview and assessment procedures, and designing the individual steps required.
The best I've found come from the medicine and psychology fields, but they are way too technical and academic for me to gain knowledge I can apply to my own run clinic. Training and coaching guides provide lots of examples, but little pedagogy. Or perhaps what I was searching for is just "common knowledge" in those in various fields, and not needing much in the way of discussion.
The one thing that has helped me most in developing my interview and assessment has been my experience with interviewing potential new hires, and also with being interviewed for new positions. It is vital to get the greatest amount of relevant information in the limited time available, and to use that information to make the best decision possible.
In this case, I'm interviewing potential members of my run clinic, and hopefully they are simultaneously interviewing me as well. I need to get the information I need to determine if they should seek medical advice instead of joining my clinic. If I think I can help, I need to communicate that in a manner that will gain agreement and commitment from the person: I have no reason work with an unwilling or unhopeful client!
I initially thought the target and method of my clinic was what made it unique and worthy. I'm now beginning to suspect that the interview and assessment process will be at least as important in determining successful outcomes as the clinic itself.
I've been spending the past several weeks talking to folks who are ex-runners or have problems running, and trying to form accurate assessments of their current condition and the likelihood I'll be able to help them.
It seems everyone has their own personal horror stories related to running. When the stories are told in the present tense, I want to understand if the problem is transient or continual, and if it is due to poor running form, inadequate strength, or a deeper medical issue.
Turning stories into assessments is tough! After the story, I ask questions to learn more, generally to separate emotional pain and frustration from physical pain, and to separate physical causes from physical effects.
An example: I had one friend going on about minor annoying knee pain that became agony when running. I asked about his warmups, asked if he had changed anything (such as shoes, route, or duration), and asked if anything else aggravated his knee. It wasn't until well into our discussion I asked "When did you knee start to hurt?" His answer was informative: "Right after I slipped and fell in my kitchen."
The problem had nothing to do with running, and everything to do with letting a damaged knee heel. He didn't need any developmental running help from me: I told him to go to his doctor to ensure no soft tissue was damaged and no bones where chipped or cracked.
Doing a good interview isn't trivial. I've seen many folks (help desks, doctors, physical therapists, car mechanics, etc.) ask questions until they find something "interesting", then take off on a tangent instead of completing the interview process.
To ensure I stay on track until the interview process is completed, I'm building a list of things I want to know about a problem runner, and good questions to ask to get than information.
Even with the best interview in the world, I'm still only getting the person's subjective observations. Objective information is critical not only to establish facts independently of the person's story, but also to learn what is subjectively most important to that person, and as a chance to identify missed items for additional discussion.
So along with each subjective story, I must also ask the person to perform objective tests. It is important these tests don't aggravate any condition: The fundamental premise in providing any kind of training or care must be: "First, Do No Harm."
If the person can't walk without difficulty, then clearly there's nothing I can do for them related to running. If they can walk comfortably, then a wide range of tests are possible. Going from simplest to most difficult, the list includes:
- Monitor the walking gait. Is it smooth and symmetric?
- Watch how the person gets out of a chair. Can they stand up directly, or do they need to push themselves up?
- Can the person balance on one foot? With eyes closed?
- How difficult is it to do squats? Squat-and-hold? How many are possible? Is one leg favored over the other?
- ...
The list goes on. The key thing is to sequence the tests in order of increasing difficulty, to learn as much as possible from each test, and then to stop when things become too difficult.
But the list of tests should not grow without end: It is important for me to employ only those tests that provide information I can do something with, and avoid tests that may reveal limitations that have nothing to do with running. Not only do I want to avoid wasting time and effort, but I also don't want to go into information overload!
The assessment process doesn't end after the initial interview: When run training starts, it is important to continue to perform assessments with each new exercise and drill. With repetition, the exercises and drills will stop providing new information concerning symptoms, and will start indicating progress toward the goal of creating a comfortable runner.
I've done many online searches looking for good interview and assessment guidelines and techniques, and there are surprisingly few that not only describe what an interview and assessment should achieve, but also provide meaningful guidance toward developing interview and assessment procedures, and designing the individual steps required.
The best I've found come from the medicine and psychology fields, but they are way too technical and academic for me to gain knowledge I can apply to my own run clinic. Training and coaching guides provide lots of examples, but little pedagogy. Or perhaps what I was searching for is just "common knowledge" in those in various fields, and not needing much in the way of discussion.
The one thing that has helped me most in developing my interview and assessment has been my experience with interviewing potential new hires, and also with being interviewed for new positions. It is vital to get the greatest amount of relevant information in the limited time available, and to use that information to make the best decision possible.
In this case, I'm interviewing potential members of my run clinic, and hopefully they are simultaneously interviewing me as well. I need to get the information I need to determine if they should seek medical advice instead of joining my clinic. If I think I can help, I need to communicate that in a manner that will gain agreement and commitment from the person: I have no reason work with an unwilling or unhopeful client!
I initially thought the target and method of my clinic was what made it unique and worthy. I'm now beginning to suspect that the interview and assessment process will be at least as important in determining successful outcomes as the clinic itself.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Running without running
My reply to a comment in a prior post reminded me I haven't talked much about the transition from preparing to run (via exercise and stretching, to be described in greater detail in a future post) to actually running.
Once the body is made strong enough to run (via exercise), and is made capable of the range of motion needed to run (via stretching), how do we best proceed from being stationary to eventually running?
The key element of this process is training the muscles to fire with the basic order and timing (the muscle firing 'pattern') needed for running. For me, this process has two intermediate steps or stages between being stationary and running:
Another neat feature of running in-place is that there is an easy, even trivial, transition to jogging: Rather than putting the foot down in the same place, it is instead placed an inch forward of its prior place. Then two inches. Then 4 inches. Then the length of the foot. This can be done gradually, over days or weeks, to ensure propulsion skills are developed smoothly. And it is all done at a constant and uniform cadence.
When the stride has lengthened to where the feet no longer overlap, then that meets my minimal definition of jogging. Beyond this point, a more forceful arm swing comes into play.
The process continues, always at a constant 190 bpm cadence, until the stride lengthens enough to permit the forward speed to increase until a pace of 10:30 minutes per mile is reached and exceeded, at which point the definition of running has also been reached.
Notice how seamless and smooth the flow is from being stationary to running. There is no sudden change anywhere along the path. All aspects of the gait can be continuously monitored and adjusted well before any issues cause discomfort, pain or injury.
If you have problems running, see if you have problems jogging. If you have problems jogging, see if you have problems running-in-place. If you have problems running-in-place, ensure you have the required strength and flexibility. If you lack strength, do exercises. If you lack flexibility, do stretches.
If you have problems doing exercises or stretches, see your doctor!
Or, if you presently don't run at all, do the above in reverse:
Once the body is made strong enough to run (via exercise), and is made capable of the range of motion needed to run (via stretching), how do we best proceed from being stationary to eventually running?
The key element of this process is training the muscles to fire with the basic order and timing (the muscle firing 'pattern') needed for running. For me, this process has two intermediate steps or stages between being stationary and running:
- Running in-place (at a nominal 190 bpm cadence).
- Jogging (also at a 190 bpm cadence).
- It is easy to get the legs to move at the rapid 190 bpm cadence, since there is no need to simultaneously generate forward propulsion.
- It gradually builds calf muscles in precisely the way needed for running.
- It is impossible to run in-place on your heels!
- It develops dynamic balance with no risk of falling.
- Impact can easily be varied from zero to the level seen in light running.
- There is minimal torque on the joints, especially the knees and hips.
Another neat feature of running in-place is that there is an easy, even trivial, transition to jogging: Rather than putting the foot down in the same place, it is instead placed an inch forward of its prior place. Then two inches. Then 4 inches. Then the length of the foot. This can be done gradually, over days or weeks, to ensure propulsion skills are developed smoothly. And it is all done at a constant and uniform cadence.
When the stride has lengthened to where the feet no longer overlap, then that meets my minimal definition of jogging. Beyond this point, a more forceful arm swing comes into play.
The process continues, always at a constant 190 bpm cadence, until the stride lengthens enough to permit the forward speed to increase until a pace of 10:30 minutes per mile is reached and exceeded, at which point the definition of running has also been reached.
Notice how seamless and smooth the flow is from being stationary to running. There is no sudden change anywhere along the path. All aspects of the gait can be continuously monitored and adjusted well before any issues cause discomfort, pain or injury.
If you have problems running, see if you have problems jogging. If you have problems jogging, see if you have problems running-in-place. If you have problems running-in-place, ensure you have the required strength and flexibility. If you lack strength, do exercises. If you lack flexibility, do stretches.
If you have problems doing exercises or stretches, see your doctor!
Or, if you presently don't run at all, do the above in reverse:
- See your doctor: Ensure there is no reason for you not to do light running.
- Strengthen your legs with focused exercises.
- Develop the required flexibility via careful stretching.
- Start running in-place at 190 bpm.
- Start adding tiny amounts of forward motion.
- Proceed to jogging.
- Add more forceful arm swinging.
- Proceed to running.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
A reply to Steve Magness.
In his Science of Running blog, running guru Steve Magness recently posted a pair of articles called "How to Run: Running with proper biomechanics".
I posted a reply (a link to it will be here after it gets posted). Please read it and the above article before continuing.
To summarize, Steve provides a very lucid description of the key elements of running, then provides a poor way to apply them. His method requires you to run in order to learn to run. A tautology at best, nonsense at worst.
I'd like to discuss what it means to 'create a runner', that is, to change a 'non-runner' into a 'beginner runner'. I'll focus not on the science, but on what we should have a true newbie do to become a runner (backed by science, but not mentioned to the newbie).
So, what is a 'non-runner'? Someone who can't run? No, because if you can't run you probably need medical attention, not a run tutorial. A non-runner is someone who doesn't run by choice. Where adults are concerned, the vast majority of 'non-runners' are actually 'ex-runners'. Most often, the decision not to run was forced by injury, pain, or sheer misery. Non-runners are people who can run, but don't, because they don't know how to avoid repeating the same bad experiences.
I was such a runner. In the mid-'80's (my late 20's) I joined the 10K craze, broke 45 minutes, then quit when I had pain not only during racing, then during training, then after running, and then eventually for days after running. I stayed quit for 30 years, until almost 3 years ago, when I started triathlon.
I love triathlon! It was the motivation I needed to do whatever it took to return to running. I have not only reinvented myself as a runner, but I've had to do so three separate times, as age-related degeneration and injuries forced additional changes. I own a dozen pair running shoes, all less than 3 years old.
Before turning someone into a good runner, you must first turn them into a safe and comfortable runner, one who is free of both pain and injury. Speed and efficiency don't matter at this point: All that matters is getting the person to run in a way that is much more successful than whatever they tried before.
What can we do for the 'broken' runner who is always getting injured? For the 'bad' runner who is always in pain, but keeps going until something breaks. For the 'miserable' runner who finds no joy, but keeps grinding out the miles until they finally give up, or find pain and injury.
Do we give them 'cues'? Or do we give them a whole new starting point? Such runners must never be allowed to repeat prior damaging habits, as would be required by running while waiting for 'cues'.
Since I've had to relearn running 3 times in less than 3 years, I may have a rather unique perspective. Being a new and enthusiastic triathlete, I had motivation to not give up, to persevere. Being an engineer, I had the skills needed to approach the task analytically, in both an evidence-based and results-oriented manner.
I studied and applied everything I could find. Read the books, articles, blogs and scholarly papers. Even got some textbooks to plow through some of the mumbo-jumbo, and skimmed some online college courses.
What did I learn? The running community can't even agree on the words it uses, the terminology used to describe and define key aspects of running form, and how the body is best used to achieve this form. Part of the lack of agreement is due to lack of knowledge and research. Some is due to the building of isolated sub-communities (running cults) and ivory towers.
Bottom line, from the perspective of the true beginner runner, physiology is crap. Kinematics is crap. Biomechanics is crap. Just about every knowledge domain related to running is crap. It simply isn't what a beginner runner is interested in, or needs to know. Telling them about it simply places yet another barrier, an intellectual barrier, between them and running.
So, what does the beginner runner really need? Another way to look at it is by asking what it is not: When does a runner stop being a beginner, and become an intermediate?
Personally, I believe an intermediate runner is one who has achieved basic goals of speed and distance, and feels limited by their knowledge, rather than their bodies or their experience. I believe Steve's article is aimed at just this type of runner, the intermediate who is done with being a beginner (or the coach helping such a runner).
So, what is the beginner runner? Well, consider the minimal differences with the non-runner previously described. Clearly, for a non-runner to run, they must avoid the circumstances that made them a non-runner in the first place, else to that domain they will quickly return. This transition requires an approach to running that is certain to be free of injury, pain and misery.
That is my definition of the beginner runner: A non-runner who is learning an approach to running that is both safe and comfortable, possibly even enjoyable. In this context, perhaps a more accurate term for 'beginner' runner would be 'remedial' runner, one who is genuinely starting all over again, rather than continuing on from their last point of failure.
Does Steve's article provide such an approach? If it does, I didn't find it. What would such an approach have to provide? At the very least, it must provide a straightforward path to learning the simplest and safest running gait possible. A gait that is simple enough for everyone, while simultaneously being general enough for everyone.
Does such a gait exist? Clearly I must believe so, otherwise I wouldn't be writing all this. But before I describe my version of it, let's pause to reflect on what we seek.
The general beginner gait must certainly meet the requirements of good form so well described in Steve's article, sacrificing only some speed and efficiency in pursuit of safety and comfort.
Unfortunately, I found no explicit mention of either safety or comfort in Steve's article. Perhaps safety is implicit, but comfort is only defined by its absence, not as a desirable factor in and of itself.
I believe comfort is the single most important factor that is relevant to turning a non-runner into a beginner runner. From the beginner's perspective as an ex-runner, little else matters.
How can we get from 'non-running' to comfortable running without passing through any pain zones? More importantly, how can we teach good form without getting into all the (excellent!) technical stuff in Steve's article?
Should we take it 'slow & easy'? That approach works well in many areas of physical endeavor, such as swimming and bicycling. Unfortunately, running ceases to be running when it is done 'slow'. And as for 'easy', I haven't found an 'easy' way. My way is 'hard': Not in the sense of grueling or arduous, but more in the sense of challenging and requiring focus and attention. More like learning to juggle as compared to becoming a bodybuilder.
As Steve says in his article, we must not treat running as 'natural', which makes doubly good sense when applied to an ex-runner. So we can't ask an ex-runner to just start running and wait for 'cues'.
What should we do instead? How can we get an ex-runner from a 'bad gait that shall not be repeated' to a 'new & improved' gait? And just what is this 'new & improved' gait built from?
Steve's article defines many of the characteristics of such a gait. But the article doesn't say a single word about how to obtain such a gait (aside from giving 'cues').
For the ex-runner, the new gait must meet just one requirement:
The gait must also be both minimal and sufficient to be considered running. Before we go any further, let's agree on a working definition for running:
Where to start? Let's start with the minimal motions every runner must perform: Pushing the leg down and back, and lifting the leg up and forward. How can we get ex-runners to perform these motions without running? We start by running in-place, focusing first on the up-down aspects of dynamically supporting the body against gravity before considering locomotion.
Before we ask any ex-runners to run in-place, we first must ensure they are able to do so. That means ensuring their legs are able to support their weight. Remember, many non-runners could have trouble getting up a flight of stairs. We must ensure their legs are ready for the stresses of running in-place.
The simplest way to ensure this is to start with squats. Feet shoulder width apart, gradually lower the body so that the knees bend, extending over the feet, not out to the side. Stop and pause briefly when the top of the thighs are level to the ground. Then gradually straighten the legs until fully upright.
Basic leg strength is assured when a person becomes able to do 30 squats, taking 1 second down, 1 second pause, and 1 second up. That is at least 90 seconds of squats (assuming no pause at the top).
Unfortunately, running uses only one leg at a time, so we also need to ensure each leg is individually strong enough. And that means doing single-leg squats. The important thing here is to never fall to the ground. Start with a chair behind and support nearby. Lift one foot clear of the ground (an inch or so is adequate). Initially, slowly bend the knee to 45 degrees, then slowly extend, without pause. Repeat until able to slowly sit in the chair and get out of it. Continue until able to barely touch the chair and return to vertical 5 times in a row. Then take away the chair, and repeat until the top of the thigh becomes horizontal. When able to do 5 reps with each leg, the legs are ready for running in-place.
Now, this degree of leg strength is not needed by most runners. But for safety, it is required for all beginners. We want to ensure not only success, but also safety and comfort while running. A little overkill in the strength department is both warranted and required. As an example, consider the successful obese runner (I know several).
Before we start running in-place, we need to set a cadence. This cadence should be compatible with fast distance running that is still safe and comfortable. I've arbitrarily selected a cadence of 190 beats per minute, at the low end for fast distance runners.
Why emphasize such a high cadence at the very beginning? All the evidence I've seen, from formal research and anecdotes, and particularly from barefoot runners, indicates that learning to maintain a high cadence is the single most difficult skill to acquire along the path to becoming a fast and injury-free runner. So why not tackle the hardest aspect of running right at the very beginning?
If long-term success is the goal, to create a lifetime runner, then learning a fast cadence early can only smooth the path to future improvement. But it does far more than just that: When we get the beginners to actually run, we want each step to be as gentle as possible, with minimal stress, strain and impact. A bunch of fast, tiny steps will be vastly better than fewer big ones. So a fast cadence also helps us succeed in the near term.
So, get a metronome (I use the Seiko DM-50: It's cheap, and has a convenient clip for attaching to clothing) and set it to 190 bpm.
To run in-place, the beginner will start by standing vertically, with knees slightly bent. Then alternately lift each heel off the ground in time with the metronome, keeping the toes always in contact with the ground. Have them experiment with the degree of knee bend, finding the minimum bend that also produces minimal bounce. Continue for at least 60 seconds.
As comfort and endurance grow (possibly over days), start lifting the toes barely off the ground, still at a 190 cadence, still for at least 60 seconds. Continue to raise the toes higher, until they are at least 2 inches from the ground. The only caveat during this phase is to avoid ankle stress: Maintain proper alignment of the knee over the foot, and stop before entering a fatigue state.
The goal here is to get lots of time at a 190 cadence, and also to gradually transition from bulk leg strength to plyometric strength. Even as other skills are added, running in-place should be used as a warm-up tool by beginner runners. Being able to run on cold muscles is something most runners take for granted: For a true beginner, cold legs are an invitation to a stumble and fall.
While initially running in-place, the beginner will be using a 'natural' arm swing. When the beginner is able to raise the toes, it is time to start adding variation to the arm swing, so the beginner can directly experience the effects before actually using them running.
Let's pause the beginner lesson for a moment to return to Steve's article: I believe the arm swing is both more critical and less formulaic than Steve describes. The underlying physics involves complex coupled pendula (the arms and legs coupled via the torso while the legs generate propulsion).
Arms, legs and torsos each have different relative masses and lengths in different runners. Making all this balance will generally require differences in arm swing for each and every runner. A further complication is pace and grade/terrain, which also require different arm swings. Finally, various forms of fatigue also add their own complications to the arm swing. And it is seldom the case that the elbow flexion mimics the knee: Often there is no elbow flexing, but it is important to know when to add some!
How can we tell if we are using the best arm swing for a given situation? I've looked for physical explanations, but the best way I've found is to go by feel: Experiment with a very wide array of arm swings and swing dynamics, and see which helps make the gait faster, smoother, easier, and more comfortable.
It is important for every runner to practice the full catalog of arm swings in a variety of situations. This permits that 'feel' I mentioned above to be developed and calibrated, to become a useful tool.
To return to the beginner lesson, the first arm swing situation occurs while running in-place. The beginners should be encouraged to try every arm motion they can think of that is compatible with their running in-place. Wide swings and narrow swings. Arms straight, and thumbs touching shoulders. Elbow locked, and elbow bending during each swing. The only caveats being that the arms must stay in the plane of the leg motion (never cross in front of the body), and the wrist should not go above the chin or behind the ribs.
Get each beginner to find the arm swing that makes running in place 'easiest', which in this context means lasting longer before stopping due to fatigue. The final arm swing should be fairly forceful. The goal here is to recognize that proper use of shoulder muscles can make running easier.
The next step is to add forward motion to the running in-place. Again, we first must consider what is needed to ensure this motion will be safe and comfortable.
When running, the leg must swing forward and backward. And most non-runners (excluding yoga and pilates enthusiasts) will have tight hip flexors, so tight that they can't physically run without pushing their butt out to permit rearward leg swing. This impediment must be corrected prior to permitting a person to start forward motion.
So, we need to add gentle stretches for the hip flexor. The simplest and easiest stretch is to go down on one knee, torso vertical, with both knees bent at 90 degrees, and the up leg having a hip angle of 90 degrees, and the down leg having no hip angle at all. In this position, slowly push the up knee forward until resistance is felt, then hold for 5 seconds before slowly returning to vertical. Repeat, but stop before the down knee becomes uncomfortable. Some will require a pad under the knee to perform this stretch.
This stretch can be modified to kill two birds with one stone, to strengthen the leg while simultaneously stretching the hip flexor: After finishing one hip flexor stretch, slowly extend the legs to return to vertical, then slowly drop to do another hip flexor stretch (that is, adding a stationary lunge). Alternate legs every 5-10 reps.
At this point, the beginner can start moving forward at a 190 cadence taking steps that are no longer than 6 inches (shoes always overlap). This short step ensures that no stabilization issues will arise. Run in this manner as often as needed until the beginner is able to comfortably cover at least 400 yards (one loop of a track).
Before attempting longer strides, we must again ensure the body is properly prepared for the stress. The above short-stride exercises will, in time, build the calves to the needed strength and ensure ankle stability. The other issues to consider include knee and hip stability, which includes lateral mobility and strength.
The most important concerns in this area are the ITB and the knee ligaments. Rather than detail the simple and effective stretches and limbering motions available for these areas, I'll try to bring this long post to some kind of a conclusion.
The above path to running is both gradual and gentle. If at any point along the above path the beginner experiences pain, a medical referral is highly advised.
My own path started with a return to heel-striking, this time getting shoes that would keep my heel as far from the road as possible: The Mizuno Wave Creation did this job admirably well, while also providing significant energy return.
Soon after getting some of my speed back, I developed massive low back pain, which I initially attributed to learning to ride my bike in a deep aero position. After months wasted tweaking my training, I finally went to a Sports MD and learned that my L5-S1 disc had evaporated. While 90% of folks with this condition also have a subluxated L5 and require spinal fusion, my L5 had managed to stay in place, so I was able to use muscle relaxants and PT to regain full function. The PT gave me the leg strength I had previously lacked. But I was no longer able to tolerate any heel impact.
At this point, I got the Chi Running and POSE books, started to switch to a mid-sole strike, and got new shoes (Asics). Much better, but the pain soon returned. I then switched to a forefoot strike and more new shoes (Sacuony Kilkenny racing flats), and thanks to the extra shock absorption provided by my calves, I was soon running without back pain.
Then, last October, just a month after completing my first Olympic distance triathlon, I got a stress fracture in a second metatarsal. While that healed over the winter, I studied everything I could find, to learn that I needed to greatly increase my cadence. And get new road shoes with a bit more cushioning than racing flats (Adidas Chill M).
As I returned to running, I also decided to try barefoot running, but my tender soles were not up to it. So I got another pair of shoes (Vibram Bikila).
At this point, after three stride changes and many pairs of shoes, I'm still rebuilding my speed: At age 54, taking the winter off really killed my conditioning, something that takes longer and longer to rebuild every time.
But I'm having more fun running than ever, and I'm confident I'll be a runner (and triathlete) for the rest of my life.
And I also think I've found a straight forward way to get non-runners and ex-runners into running. This method will not produce an ideal gait for any runner: But it will get any runner to the point where they will be ready to listen to 'cues'.
I posted a reply (a link to it will be here after it gets posted). Please read it and the above article before continuing.
To summarize, Steve provides a very lucid description of the key elements of running, then provides a poor way to apply them. His method requires you to run in order to learn to run. A tautology at best, nonsense at worst.
I'd like to discuss what it means to 'create a runner', that is, to change a 'non-runner' into a 'beginner runner'. I'll focus not on the science, but on what we should have a true newbie do to become a runner (backed by science, but not mentioned to the newbie).
So, what is a 'non-runner'? Someone who can't run? No, because if you can't run you probably need medical attention, not a run tutorial. A non-runner is someone who doesn't run by choice. Where adults are concerned, the vast majority of 'non-runners' are actually 'ex-runners'. Most often, the decision not to run was forced by injury, pain, or sheer misery. Non-runners are people who can run, but don't, because they don't know how to avoid repeating the same bad experiences.
I was such a runner. In the mid-'80's (my late 20's) I joined the 10K craze, broke 45 minutes, then quit when I had pain not only during racing, then during training, then after running, and then eventually for days after running. I stayed quit for 30 years, until almost 3 years ago, when I started triathlon.
I love triathlon! It was the motivation I needed to do whatever it took to return to running. I have not only reinvented myself as a runner, but I've had to do so three separate times, as age-related degeneration and injuries forced additional changes. I own a dozen pair running shoes, all less than 3 years old.
Before turning someone into a good runner, you must first turn them into a safe and comfortable runner, one who is free of both pain and injury. Speed and efficiency don't matter at this point: All that matters is getting the person to run in a way that is much more successful than whatever they tried before.
What can we do for the 'broken' runner who is always getting injured? For the 'bad' runner who is always in pain, but keeps going until something breaks. For the 'miserable' runner who finds no joy, but keeps grinding out the miles until they finally give up, or find pain and injury.
Do we give them 'cues'? Or do we give them a whole new starting point? Such runners must never be allowed to repeat prior damaging habits, as would be required by running while waiting for 'cues'.
Since I've had to relearn running 3 times in less than 3 years, I may have a rather unique perspective. Being a new and enthusiastic triathlete, I had motivation to not give up, to persevere. Being an engineer, I had the skills needed to approach the task analytically, in both an evidence-based and results-oriented manner.
I studied and applied everything I could find. Read the books, articles, blogs and scholarly papers. Even got some textbooks to plow through some of the mumbo-jumbo, and skimmed some online college courses.
What did I learn? The running community can't even agree on the words it uses, the terminology used to describe and define key aspects of running form, and how the body is best used to achieve this form. Part of the lack of agreement is due to lack of knowledge and research. Some is due to the building of isolated sub-communities (running cults) and ivory towers.
Bottom line, from the perspective of the true beginner runner, physiology is crap. Kinematics is crap. Biomechanics is crap. Just about every knowledge domain related to running is crap. It simply isn't what a beginner runner is interested in, or needs to know. Telling them about it simply places yet another barrier, an intellectual barrier, between them and running.
So, what does the beginner runner really need? Another way to look at it is by asking what it is not: When does a runner stop being a beginner, and become an intermediate?
Personally, I believe an intermediate runner is one who has achieved basic goals of speed and distance, and feels limited by their knowledge, rather than their bodies or their experience. I believe Steve's article is aimed at just this type of runner, the intermediate who is done with being a beginner (or the coach helping such a runner).
So, what is the beginner runner? Well, consider the minimal differences with the non-runner previously described. Clearly, for a non-runner to run, they must avoid the circumstances that made them a non-runner in the first place, else to that domain they will quickly return. This transition requires an approach to running that is certain to be free of injury, pain and misery.
That is my definition of the beginner runner: A non-runner who is learning an approach to running that is both safe and comfortable, possibly even enjoyable. In this context, perhaps a more accurate term for 'beginner' runner would be 'remedial' runner, one who is genuinely starting all over again, rather than continuing on from their last point of failure.
Does Steve's article provide such an approach? If it does, I didn't find it. What would such an approach have to provide? At the very least, it must provide a straightforward path to learning the simplest and safest running gait possible. A gait that is simple enough for everyone, while simultaneously being general enough for everyone.
Does such a gait exist? Clearly I must believe so, otherwise I wouldn't be writing all this. But before I describe my version of it, let's pause to reflect on what we seek.
The general beginner gait must certainly meet the requirements of good form so well described in Steve's article, sacrificing only some speed and efficiency in pursuit of safety and comfort.
Unfortunately, I found no explicit mention of either safety or comfort in Steve's article. Perhaps safety is implicit, but comfort is only defined by its absence, not as a desirable factor in and of itself.
I believe comfort is the single most important factor that is relevant to turning a non-runner into a beginner runner. From the beginner's perspective as an ex-runner, little else matters.
How can we get from 'non-running' to comfortable running without passing through any pain zones? More importantly, how can we teach good form without getting into all the (excellent!) technical stuff in Steve's article?
Should we take it 'slow & easy'? That approach works well in many areas of physical endeavor, such as swimming and bicycling. Unfortunately, running ceases to be running when it is done 'slow'. And as for 'easy', I haven't found an 'easy' way. My way is 'hard': Not in the sense of grueling or arduous, but more in the sense of challenging and requiring focus and attention. More like learning to juggle as compared to becoming a bodybuilder.
As Steve says in his article, we must not treat running as 'natural', which makes doubly good sense when applied to an ex-runner. So we can't ask an ex-runner to just start running and wait for 'cues'.
What should we do instead? How can we get an ex-runner from a 'bad gait that shall not be repeated' to a 'new & improved' gait? And just what is this 'new & improved' gait built from?
Steve's article defines many of the characteristics of such a gait. But the article doesn't say a single word about how to obtain such a gait (aside from giving 'cues').
For the ex-runner, the new gait must meet just one requirement:
- Running should be comfortable, both during, right after, and long after.
The gait must also be both minimal and sufficient to be considered running. Before we go any further, let's agree on a working definition for running:
- Running is a means of human locomotion that is faster than 10:30 minutes per mile, where no more than a single foot is in contact with the ground at any time.
- Jogging is running at speeds of 10:30 minutes per mile and slower.
Where to start? Let's start with the minimal motions every runner must perform: Pushing the leg down and back, and lifting the leg up and forward. How can we get ex-runners to perform these motions without running? We start by running in-place, focusing first on the up-down aspects of dynamically supporting the body against gravity before considering locomotion.
Before we ask any ex-runners to run in-place, we first must ensure they are able to do so. That means ensuring their legs are able to support their weight. Remember, many non-runners could have trouble getting up a flight of stairs. We must ensure their legs are ready for the stresses of running in-place.
The simplest way to ensure this is to start with squats. Feet shoulder width apart, gradually lower the body so that the knees bend, extending over the feet, not out to the side. Stop and pause briefly when the top of the thighs are level to the ground. Then gradually straighten the legs until fully upright.
Basic leg strength is assured when a person becomes able to do 30 squats, taking 1 second down, 1 second pause, and 1 second up. That is at least 90 seconds of squats (assuming no pause at the top).
Unfortunately, running uses only one leg at a time, so we also need to ensure each leg is individually strong enough. And that means doing single-leg squats. The important thing here is to never fall to the ground. Start with a chair behind and support nearby. Lift one foot clear of the ground (an inch or so is adequate). Initially, slowly bend the knee to 45 degrees, then slowly extend, without pause. Repeat until able to slowly sit in the chair and get out of it. Continue until able to barely touch the chair and return to vertical 5 times in a row. Then take away the chair, and repeat until the top of the thigh becomes horizontal. When able to do 5 reps with each leg, the legs are ready for running in-place.
Now, this degree of leg strength is not needed by most runners. But for safety, it is required for all beginners. We want to ensure not only success, but also safety and comfort while running. A little overkill in the strength department is both warranted and required. As an example, consider the successful obese runner (I know several).
Before we start running in-place, we need to set a cadence. This cadence should be compatible with fast distance running that is still safe and comfortable. I've arbitrarily selected a cadence of 190 beats per minute, at the low end for fast distance runners.
Why emphasize such a high cadence at the very beginning? All the evidence I've seen, from formal research and anecdotes, and particularly from barefoot runners, indicates that learning to maintain a high cadence is the single most difficult skill to acquire along the path to becoming a fast and injury-free runner. So why not tackle the hardest aspect of running right at the very beginning?
If long-term success is the goal, to create a lifetime runner, then learning a fast cadence early can only smooth the path to future improvement. But it does far more than just that: When we get the beginners to actually run, we want each step to be as gentle as possible, with minimal stress, strain and impact. A bunch of fast, tiny steps will be vastly better than fewer big ones. So a fast cadence also helps us succeed in the near term.
So, get a metronome (I use the Seiko DM-50: It's cheap, and has a convenient clip for attaching to clothing) and set it to 190 bpm.
To run in-place, the beginner will start by standing vertically, with knees slightly bent. Then alternately lift each heel off the ground in time with the metronome, keeping the toes always in contact with the ground. Have them experiment with the degree of knee bend, finding the minimum bend that also produces minimal bounce. Continue for at least 60 seconds.
As comfort and endurance grow (possibly over days), start lifting the toes barely off the ground, still at a 190 cadence, still for at least 60 seconds. Continue to raise the toes higher, until they are at least 2 inches from the ground. The only caveat during this phase is to avoid ankle stress: Maintain proper alignment of the knee over the foot, and stop before entering a fatigue state.
The goal here is to get lots of time at a 190 cadence, and also to gradually transition from bulk leg strength to plyometric strength. Even as other skills are added, running in-place should be used as a warm-up tool by beginner runners. Being able to run on cold muscles is something most runners take for granted: For a true beginner, cold legs are an invitation to a stumble and fall.
While initially running in-place, the beginner will be using a 'natural' arm swing. When the beginner is able to raise the toes, it is time to start adding variation to the arm swing, so the beginner can directly experience the effects before actually using them running.
Let's pause the beginner lesson for a moment to return to Steve's article: I believe the arm swing is both more critical and less formulaic than Steve describes. The underlying physics involves complex coupled pendula (the arms and legs coupled via the torso while the legs generate propulsion).
Arms, legs and torsos each have different relative masses and lengths in different runners. Making all this balance will generally require differences in arm swing for each and every runner. A further complication is pace and grade/terrain, which also require different arm swings. Finally, various forms of fatigue also add their own complications to the arm swing. And it is seldom the case that the elbow flexion mimics the knee: Often there is no elbow flexing, but it is important to know when to add some!
How can we tell if we are using the best arm swing for a given situation? I've looked for physical explanations, but the best way I've found is to go by feel: Experiment with a very wide array of arm swings and swing dynamics, and see which helps make the gait faster, smoother, easier, and more comfortable.
It is important for every runner to practice the full catalog of arm swings in a variety of situations. This permits that 'feel' I mentioned above to be developed and calibrated, to become a useful tool.
To return to the beginner lesson, the first arm swing situation occurs while running in-place. The beginners should be encouraged to try every arm motion they can think of that is compatible with their running in-place. Wide swings and narrow swings. Arms straight, and thumbs touching shoulders. Elbow locked, and elbow bending during each swing. The only caveats being that the arms must stay in the plane of the leg motion (never cross in front of the body), and the wrist should not go above the chin or behind the ribs.
Get each beginner to find the arm swing that makes running in place 'easiest', which in this context means lasting longer before stopping due to fatigue. The final arm swing should be fairly forceful. The goal here is to recognize that proper use of shoulder muscles can make running easier.
The next step is to add forward motion to the running in-place. Again, we first must consider what is needed to ensure this motion will be safe and comfortable.
When running, the leg must swing forward and backward. And most non-runners (excluding yoga and pilates enthusiasts) will have tight hip flexors, so tight that they can't physically run without pushing their butt out to permit rearward leg swing. This impediment must be corrected prior to permitting a person to start forward motion.
So, we need to add gentle stretches for the hip flexor. The simplest and easiest stretch is to go down on one knee, torso vertical, with both knees bent at 90 degrees, and the up leg having a hip angle of 90 degrees, and the down leg having no hip angle at all. In this position, slowly push the up knee forward until resistance is felt, then hold for 5 seconds before slowly returning to vertical. Repeat, but stop before the down knee becomes uncomfortable. Some will require a pad under the knee to perform this stretch.
This stretch can be modified to kill two birds with one stone, to strengthen the leg while simultaneously stretching the hip flexor: After finishing one hip flexor stretch, slowly extend the legs to return to vertical, then slowly drop to do another hip flexor stretch (that is, adding a stationary lunge). Alternate legs every 5-10 reps.
At this point, the beginner can start moving forward at a 190 cadence taking steps that are no longer than 6 inches (shoes always overlap). This short step ensures that no stabilization issues will arise. Run in this manner as often as needed until the beginner is able to comfortably cover at least 400 yards (one loop of a track).
Before attempting longer strides, we must again ensure the body is properly prepared for the stress. The above short-stride exercises will, in time, build the calves to the needed strength and ensure ankle stability. The other issues to consider include knee and hip stability, which includes lateral mobility and strength.
The most important concerns in this area are the ITB and the knee ligaments. Rather than detail the simple and effective stretches and limbering motions available for these areas, I'll try to bring this long post to some kind of a conclusion.
The above path to running is both gradual and gentle. If at any point along the above path the beginner experiences pain, a medical referral is highly advised.
My own path started with a return to heel-striking, this time getting shoes that would keep my heel as far from the road as possible: The Mizuno Wave Creation did this job admirably well, while also providing significant energy return.
Soon after getting some of my speed back, I developed massive low back pain, which I initially attributed to learning to ride my bike in a deep aero position. After months wasted tweaking my training, I finally went to a Sports MD and learned that my L5-S1 disc had evaporated. While 90% of folks with this condition also have a subluxated L5 and require spinal fusion, my L5 had managed to stay in place, so I was able to use muscle relaxants and PT to regain full function. The PT gave me the leg strength I had previously lacked. But I was no longer able to tolerate any heel impact.
At this point, I got the Chi Running and POSE books, started to switch to a mid-sole strike, and got new shoes (Asics). Much better, but the pain soon returned. I then switched to a forefoot strike and more new shoes (Sacuony Kilkenny racing flats), and thanks to the extra shock absorption provided by my calves, I was soon running without back pain.
Then, last October, just a month after completing my first Olympic distance triathlon, I got a stress fracture in a second metatarsal. While that healed over the winter, I studied everything I could find, to learn that I needed to greatly increase my cadence. And get new road shoes with a bit more cushioning than racing flats (Adidas Chill M).
As I returned to running, I also decided to try barefoot running, but my tender soles were not up to it. So I got another pair of shoes (Vibram Bikila).
At this point, after three stride changes and many pairs of shoes, I'm still rebuilding my speed: At age 54, taking the winter off really killed my conditioning, something that takes longer and longer to rebuild every time.
But I'm having more fun running than ever, and I'm confident I'll be a runner (and triathlete) for the rest of my life.
And I also think I've found a straight forward way to get non-runners and ex-runners into running. This method will not produce an ideal gait for any runner: But it will get any runner to the point where they will be ready to listen to 'cues'.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Moron Running
The more I look at it, the less you need to know to become a comfortable runner. The key aspects are being strong and flexible enough to be ready for the stresses of learning to run, followed by learning and maintaining a high cadence and strong arm swing as a beginner. That's about it. Most of the rest of the details (foot strike, heel-lift, etc.) develop as natural consequences of the few items above.
Everything else I've come across is focused on what not to do! And that list is long. And the list has differences for each of us. That's why I've chosen to focus only on basic, comfortable running: Becoming a fast runner requires learning the specifics of what works best for your body in terms of both training and technique.
The beginner should have to focus on just a few key elements, with the standard of success not being speed in a race, but comfort over a distance. Comfort must come first. Once you have comfort, distance becomes easier. Once you have distance (still with comfort), then you may be ready to experiment with technique and training changes to focus on speed.
Too many coaches focus on speed as the standard of success. Probably because it is easiest to measure. Running with comfort and fun is harder to measure. For me, fun and comfort are by far the most important indicators of success as a runner!
Only professionals and the hyper-competitive should suffer for their sport. The rest of us should enjoy the doing, and let the result be whatever it is. Only those obsessed with speed should be concerned about biomechanics, kinematics, physiology, and similar scientific details. The rest of us should simply focus on running comfortably, and enjoying the experience.
Comfort and fun: Don't run without them! Everything else a beginner needs to learn to run should be the absolute minimum required to provide access to comfortable running and fun.
When learning to run, the KISS Principle definitely applies. The hard part is finding the few things needed to make learning to run "simple". Many have written on this topic, but as soon as they boil it down, they turn around and complicate it with explanations and mind-numbing detail that is meaningless to the beginner.
I suspect most would prefer to approach learning to run as a moron who wants to stay that way: Tell me nothing other than the minimum needed to get me running comfortably! Don't make me think: Help me do!
The details can wait until the hunger for them appears.
Everything else I've come across is focused on what not to do! And that list is long. And the list has differences for each of us. That's why I've chosen to focus only on basic, comfortable running: Becoming a fast runner requires learning the specifics of what works best for your body in terms of both training and technique.
The beginner should have to focus on just a few key elements, with the standard of success not being speed in a race, but comfort over a distance. Comfort must come first. Once you have comfort, distance becomes easier. Once you have distance (still with comfort), then you may be ready to experiment with technique and training changes to focus on speed.
Too many coaches focus on speed as the standard of success. Probably because it is easiest to measure. Running with comfort and fun is harder to measure. For me, fun and comfort are by far the most important indicators of success as a runner!
Only professionals and the hyper-competitive should suffer for their sport. The rest of us should enjoy the doing, and let the result be whatever it is. Only those obsessed with speed should be concerned about biomechanics, kinematics, physiology, and similar scientific details. The rest of us should simply focus on running comfortably, and enjoying the experience.
Comfort and fun: Don't run without them! Everything else a beginner needs to learn to run should be the absolute minimum required to provide access to comfortable running and fun.
When learning to run, the KISS Principle definitely applies. The hard part is finding the few things needed to make learning to run "simple". Many have written on this topic, but as soon as they boil it down, they turn around and complicate it with explanations and mind-numbing detail that is meaningless to the beginner.
I suspect most would prefer to approach learning to run as a moron who wants to stay that way: Tell me nothing other than the minimum needed to get me running comfortably! Don't make me think: Help me do!
The details can wait until the hunger for them appears.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Running Restart: Where to Begin?
There are lots of people who have problems running, and those people can have lots of different problems. Many will address problems one at a time, with the common result that something else then gets worse. Others will try to fix everything all at once, and again make things worse. Some will simply back off, and run only to their limit of suffering. And finally there are those, like me, who try everything they can think of, fail, and then quit running completely, for decades in my case.
Even adding a coach to the process often fails to find improvement, since most are unable to afford the many hours of professional assistance needed to rebuild a stride.
Is there a better way? Everything I've been learning about running, as applied to myself, and also by others whose knowledge and experience I respect, suggests there is at least one way for a person to 'start running all over again'. I suggest the following process:
1. Do exercises and stretches to ensure the body has the strength and range of motion needed for running
2. Learn a new 'basic' stride that is designed to be safe, with minimal impact and physical stress. It will not be fast or efficient, but it should be comfortable, and will promote muscle and skill development. It may be no faster than jogging, and is simply intended to be a gateway stride to return to running.
3. Adjust the stride components individually and in combination to gradually evolve from the 'basic' stride to a more personal stride that provides greater efficiency and speed with no less comfort.
The key step is #2 above: What is a safe 'basic' stride that everyone can learn and do?
If you look at runners, and read about running, you will see that not only is there no consensus on what constitutes the 'best' stride, you will also see that runners actually use a wide range of different strides. Even a single runner will make use of different strides when running on a smooth level road versus running uphill or downhill, or on a trail or in the sand. To keep things simple, let's just say that the 'best' stride is simply the stride that is best for you given the current conditions of your body, your equipment, and the terrain.
What should be the characteristics of a usable 'basic' running gait? Let's focus on reducing complexity, and come up with a stride that will work 'well enough' on all terrain, and over a wide range of fatigue levels. It should also not depend upon or require any particular kind of shoe, and it should also work well for those with a history of prior running difficulties and injuries. The 'basic' stride should also provide as much protection as possible from all kinds of repetitive stress injury.
That last item is perhaps the most important: You shouldn't get injured during the process of returning to running! The first key to reducing repetitive stress is to reduce the impact of each step. The primary way to reduce the impact of each step is to take smaller, shorter, steps. While this will work fine for jogging (11 to 13 minutes per mile), running is done faster than an 11 minute per mile pace, which means we will need to make those shorter steps happen very quickly, which in turn requires a faster cadence or turnover or footfall or foot strike rate.
Note: 'Cadence' is measured in RPM, Revolutions per Minute, where a full revolution is from one foot strike until the same foot strikes again. The turnover rate, AKA footfall or foot strike rate, counts each time either foot hits the ground, and so is measured in BPM, Beats per Minute. So the cadence is half of the turnover/footfall/foot strike rate. We may speak of a cadence of 90 RPM, or, equivalently, a turnover rate of 180 BPM. This is important to remember, since most writing about running uses BPM, while most running equipment (such as the Garmin cadence sensor) uses RPM.
While it is relatively easy to shorten the stride length, it is harder to increase the cadence. However, once a short fast gait is learned, it becomes an ideal platform not only for safely getting back into running itself, but it also becomes the platform from which more personally efficient strides can be developed. If you want to become truly fast, you will need a high turnover rate, so learning how to run with a high cadence at the very beginning not only enables a minimum-impact 'basic' running stride, but it is also a critical skill for becoming a fast runner.
The basic stride has an important consequence: It naturally encourages the runner to run vertically, with the load applied to the foot as it passes under the center of gravity. Many runners have poor posture, running with their butt pushed out, or with their shoulders hunched, or are leaning way too far forward. While the basic gait encourages a better running posture, it does not enforce it, so it is also important to think about 'running tall', with a straight, nearly vertical back, with the foot touching the ground close to the center of gravity, instead of too far out front.
Once the 'basic' stride is learned, the beginner runner will then be able to do a critical activity: Buy a pair of running shoes! It is simply not reasonable to expect to buy a usable pair of running shoes without running in them, which means you must be able to run in order to go shoe shopping. While the primary advantage of the short and fast 'basic' gait is that it minimizes stress, a key secondary advantage is that it places few requirements on the running shoe. I believe a person can perform the 'basic' gait in sneakers (Vans, Converse, etc.), or even without any shoes at all. However, more comfortable shoes are always better, especially as running distance and speed increase.
I suspect many beginners will be content with learning the 'basic' stride, feeling no need to go any faster or risk any discomfort or injury. Others may choose to 'tweak' their stride by experimenting with cadence, stride length, foot strike, arm swing, and other gait components. I believe over time it is important to learn to be able to dynamically modify the stride, rather than have just one stride for all conditions. I also believe it will be difficult for many to use the basic stride at speeds faster than 8 minutes per mile.
For those who choose to develop 'better' personal strides, the 'basic' stride will always be available as a comfortable 'get-it-home' stride that will be faster than walking, but not much harder. Useful when you go out for a fast 6 mile run, and suddenly realize you're done after 4 miles.
After learning the basic stride, I believe runners can then become able to train themselves, and take good advantage of coached workouts, books, and other running resources. It seems to be a chicken-and-egg problem: Most books (and coaches) can help you run better, but I've found few that help to get you running in the first place!
Note: You may have noticed that I didn't mention any particular foot strike as being a component of the 'basic' gait. That was intentional. When using a fast, short stride, the foot strike used makes very little difference! The foot strike becomes more important mainly as speed and/or stride length increases: When starting over with the 'basic' gait, it becomes one less thing to worry about.
Even adding a coach to the process often fails to find improvement, since most are unable to afford the many hours of professional assistance needed to rebuild a stride.
Is there a better way? Everything I've been learning about running, as applied to myself, and also by others whose knowledge and experience I respect, suggests there is at least one way for a person to 'start running all over again'. I suggest the following process:
1. Do exercises and stretches to ensure the body has the strength and range of motion needed for running
2. Learn a new 'basic' stride that is designed to be safe, with minimal impact and physical stress. It will not be fast or efficient, but it should be comfortable, and will promote muscle and skill development. It may be no faster than jogging, and is simply intended to be a gateway stride to return to running.
3. Adjust the stride components individually and in combination to gradually evolve from the 'basic' stride to a more personal stride that provides greater efficiency and speed with no less comfort.
The key step is #2 above: What is a safe 'basic' stride that everyone can learn and do?
If you look at runners, and read about running, you will see that not only is there no consensus on what constitutes the 'best' stride, you will also see that runners actually use a wide range of different strides. Even a single runner will make use of different strides when running on a smooth level road versus running uphill or downhill, or on a trail or in the sand. To keep things simple, let's just say that the 'best' stride is simply the stride that is best for you given the current conditions of your body, your equipment, and the terrain.
What should be the characteristics of a usable 'basic' running gait? Let's focus on reducing complexity, and come up with a stride that will work 'well enough' on all terrain, and over a wide range of fatigue levels. It should also not depend upon or require any particular kind of shoe, and it should also work well for those with a history of prior running difficulties and injuries. The 'basic' stride should also provide as much protection as possible from all kinds of repetitive stress injury.
That last item is perhaps the most important: You shouldn't get injured during the process of returning to running! The first key to reducing repetitive stress is to reduce the impact of each step. The primary way to reduce the impact of each step is to take smaller, shorter, steps. While this will work fine for jogging (11 to 13 minutes per mile), running is done faster than an 11 minute per mile pace, which means we will need to make those shorter steps happen very quickly, which in turn requires a faster cadence or turnover or footfall or foot strike rate.
Note: 'Cadence' is measured in RPM, Revolutions per Minute, where a full revolution is from one foot strike until the same foot strikes again. The turnover rate, AKA footfall or foot strike rate, counts each time either foot hits the ground, and so is measured in BPM, Beats per Minute. So the cadence is half of the turnover/footfall/foot strike rate. We may speak of a cadence of 90 RPM, or, equivalently, a turnover rate of 180 BPM. This is important to remember, since most writing about running uses BPM, while most running equipment (such as the Garmin cadence sensor) uses RPM.
While it is relatively easy to shorten the stride length, it is harder to increase the cadence. However, once a short fast gait is learned, it becomes an ideal platform not only for safely getting back into running itself, but it also becomes the platform from which more personally efficient strides can be developed. If you want to become truly fast, you will need a high turnover rate, so learning how to run with a high cadence at the very beginning not only enables a minimum-impact 'basic' running stride, but it is also a critical skill for becoming a fast runner.
The basic stride has an important consequence: It naturally encourages the runner to run vertically, with the load applied to the foot as it passes under the center of gravity. Many runners have poor posture, running with their butt pushed out, or with their shoulders hunched, or are leaning way too far forward. While the basic gait encourages a better running posture, it does not enforce it, so it is also important to think about 'running tall', with a straight, nearly vertical back, with the foot touching the ground close to the center of gravity, instead of too far out front.
Once the 'basic' stride is learned, the beginner runner will then be able to do a critical activity: Buy a pair of running shoes! It is simply not reasonable to expect to buy a usable pair of running shoes without running in them, which means you must be able to run in order to go shoe shopping. While the primary advantage of the short and fast 'basic' gait is that it minimizes stress, a key secondary advantage is that it places few requirements on the running shoe. I believe a person can perform the 'basic' gait in sneakers (Vans, Converse, etc.), or even without any shoes at all. However, more comfortable shoes are always better, especially as running distance and speed increase.
I suspect many beginners will be content with learning the 'basic' stride, feeling no need to go any faster or risk any discomfort or injury. Others may choose to 'tweak' their stride by experimenting with cadence, stride length, foot strike, arm swing, and other gait components. I believe over time it is important to learn to be able to dynamically modify the stride, rather than have just one stride for all conditions. I also believe it will be difficult for many to use the basic stride at speeds faster than 8 minutes per mile.
For those who choose to develop 'better' personal strides, the 'basic' stride will always be available as a comfortable 'get-it-home' stride that will be faster than walking, but not much harder. Useful when you go out for a fast 6 mile run, and suddenly realize you're done after 4 miles.
After learning the basic stride, I believe runners can then become able to train themselves, and take good advantage of coached workouts, books, and other running resources. It seems to be a chicken-and-egg problem: Most books (and coaches) can help you run better, but I've found few that help to get you running in the first place!
Note: You may have noticed that I didn't mention any particular foot strike as being a component of the 'basic' gait. That was intentional. When using a fast, short stride, the foot strike used makes very little difference! The foot strike becomes more important mainly as speed and/or stride length increases: When starting over with the 'basic' gait, it becomes one less thing to worry about.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Swimming and Shoulder Pain
It seems like I've been writing about nothing but running lately, so it's past time for a change.
Fortunately, the smart folks at Swim Smooth just posted a great entry in their "Feel for the Water" blog about shoulder pain. They contend that shoulder problems can be caused by having a thumb-first sideways hand entry into the water, due to inward forearm rotation. While this is true in a narrow sense, I believe the sideways hand entry is a symptom, not a cause. Let me explain.
There is far more going on with swim-related shoulder problems than just internal forearm rotation. In particular, if you look at the normal range of motion of the shoulder joint, there is only one point in the freestyle stroke where a hard limit of motion is encountered, and that is during the forward reach, just before/as the arm enters the water, when the arm passes close to the head.
If you keep the shoulder joint open, the upper arm goes wide, meaning the elbow must bend to bring the hand back in front of the shoulder, which makes forearm rotation to a sideways hand entry not only easy, but hard to avoid. Fixing the hand rotation doesn't fix the underlying cause. That is to say, the hand rotation is a symptom, not a cause: The underlying cause is a lack of arm extension.
However, extending the arm fully can result in impingement of the rotator cuff, which then causes the arm to move away from the head, 'opening up' the shoulder angle to reduce rotator cuff impingement. So I would say that a sideways hand entry is an indication of avoiding shoulder impingement. That is, there may be damage long before the thumb position becomes evident.
To get the hand to naturally enter flat, and to ensure maximum reach, the elbow must be nearly locked before the arm enters the water. This must be done in a way that prevents shoulder problems.
How is this possible? Aren't they contradictory goals? Not at all: This is best done by 'throwing' the arm out front, so the associated shoulder rises, combining this motion with a strong final push as the other arm completes its stroke, letting the opposite shoulder drop. Angling the shoulder upward opens the shoulder joint, freeing the arm to become straighter prior to entry, which in turn encourages the hand to face the water at entry. Try it yourself: Extend your arm straight up over your head as far as possible. You can't accidentally point your thumb the wrong way when your elbow is locked.
In other words, never swim with both shoulders 'square' to each other in the water, especially as an arm is entering the water. That's not to say that both shoulders are never square to the body: What it means is that when both shoulders are square to the body, one of the shoulders had better be out of the water! The shoulders become square to the body during the middle of the stroke, a situation that should not be present at the end/start of the stroke.
Some swimmers have trouble raising/dropping one or both shoulders, which in turn easily causes shoulder problems during the stroke. This is easily measured: Standing on a hard surface with the back against a wall, extend one arm straight up with palm forward (back of the hand touching the wall), while extending the other arm straight down with palm against the wall (back of the hand against the back of the thigh), with the forearm traveling slightly behind the hip and next to the buttock. Lock both elbows and try hard to get the hands as far from each other as possible (my lats cramp when I hold this position too long), being certain to keep both feet firmly on the floor. Mark the position of the tip of each middle finger on the wall (I use pieces of tape). Repeat for the other side.
Measure the distance from each of the four marks to the floor. The difference between the heights of the marks for the left arm is the maximum possible swim stroke length for the left side, similarly for the right side. The difference between the heights of the two upper marks is one measure of lateral asymmetry, as is the height difference between the lower marks. Asymmetry is not uncommon, and may indicate a mechanical asymmetry (not uncommon, especially for broken bones set poorly). If there are no known mechanical issues, then asymmetry can indicate a loose shoulder joint or a latent muscle problem.
If there are no known bone or shoulder issues, then asymmetry likely indicates a lack of flexibility and/or a lack of strength in the muscles used to perform the stretch. The easiest way to address such issues is simply to repeat the stretch on a regular basis, and also as part of your pre-swim warm-up.
The next opportunity for shoulder trouble comes during the catch, as the hand descends and the elbow bends, which forces the humerus to rotate within the shoulder joint (not a problem for swimmers having a bent arm prior to entry). Swimmers for whom this motion feels awkward or difficult may 'drop the arm', moving the upper arm toward the front of the torso, which can cause the forearm and hand to either go too deep or to cross the center line, depending on the degree of elbow bend.
For me, a good remedy is to focus on getting the elbow bent while the arm is still extended, forcing the elbow out and slightly down, before applying full power with the lats. I do this using the biceps for a brief moment to pull on the forearm, and the pectorals to pull down the arm, which combine to produce power at the hand and ensure a strong catch. As soon at the upper arm has rotated enough, the full force of the lats can be applied through the mid-stroke.
From its raised position during the entry, the shoulder will naturally drop as the lats contract to provide power through the mid-stroke. When the lat contraction nears its end, it is time for the arm to 'get long' again. Just as we emphasized 'throwing' the arm out front to open the shoulder angle, we must also emphasize 'pushing' the arm 'long' at the end of the stroke, to pull the associated shoulder down, helping open the angle for the opposite arm. I do this by giving the lats a reason to stay contracted by continuing to generate power by contracting the triceps to lengthen the arm through the end of the stroke.
There is another opportunity for shoulder-related trouble at the end of the stroke that primarily affects swimmers who under-rotate: If the swimmer is chest-down in the water (not rotated), then the arm must travel behind the plane of the torso to leave the water, which is an awkward (but not harmful) motion. With a good, strong rotation, the arm will rise closer to the lateral plane of the torso, well within the shoulder's normal range of motion.
But doesn't this amount of torso rotation at the end of the stroke force us to do a dreaded scissors kick? It would if the spine were straight, so it is important to twist a bit at the waist to keep the hips closer to level. As the end of the stroke approaches, instead of thinking about 'lifting the arm', I instead momentarily think about 'dropping the hip'. In my stroke, as my triceps do their final strong contraction to straighten the elbow, I'm also thinking about bringing my hip toward my elbow, contracting the associated oblique and QL, which in turn causes the pelvis to twist.
If this is too much to think about during a stroke (which is often the case for me), then I simply don't kick when my hips aren't level. The cost to levitation and propulsion will be minimal, though the new kick pattern may take some getting used to.
From another perspective, a scissors kick is a good thing! It means you are rotating enough to breathe and make it easy to lift your arm at the end of the stroke. Conversely, the absence of a scissors kick should encourage taking a close look at the rest of the stroke, especially where shoulder limits are involved.
As an ocean swimmer, I don't get a wall push every lap to let my arms and shoulders recover from abuse (or to add abuse by bringing my arms tightly together over my head). It is a wonderful thing to be able to do thousands of sequential strokes without interruption. In the open water, it quickly becomes clear when your form falters: You go off course. Sometimes very badly so. In the ocean there's no black line to watch to keep yourself on course despite poor form, something I've watched many pool swimmers do.
I often swim with a GPS tucked under my swim cap (a Garmin Forerunner 305), and upon downloading the data after a swim it is amazingly easy to see when my stroke is balanced and consistent, versus when it isn't. Of course, we can look up to do a 'spot' to check our course while swimming in the open water, but the need to do so should be minimized, since, even when done perfectly, it is an extremely inefficient maneuver.
I have a drill I do while swimming straight distances of 1 km or longer: Swim a number of strokes, then do a spot to check my bearing. If I'm on course, increase the number of strokes until the next check. If I'm off course, decrease it by an amount proportional to the error. I'm now always able to swim at least 15 strokes between checks, and have managed 50 when the wind is low and the water is particularly smooth. In ocean triathlons I check every 8 strokes, mainly because of traffic.
In a pool, take away the lane markers, then rapidly swim the length of the pool with your eyes closed. I recommend doing this at night with the pool lights off, to prevent cheating. Will you be inside the lane when you finish? (Put swim noodles or helpers across the water to warn you to stop before hitting the wall.) For bilateral breathers, drifting off course is not only a sign of stroke or strength asymmetry, but it can also indicate subconsciously favoring of one shoulder over the other.
I seldom breathe bilaterally in the ocean. How do I stay on course for so many strokes? I'm afraid my answer is ridiculously simple: I swim as if I will breathe on each side for every stroke! That means I always rotate enough to get one eye clear of the water, even if I'm not breathing on that side.
Over-rotation? I think not. Why should a breath stroke differ from a non-breath stroke? Shouldn't a breath stroke be just as efficient as a non-breath stroke? I believe I'm doing precisely the motion needed to avoid shoulder damage while swimming powerfully and staying on course (an important way to be efficient in open water). When I'm wearing a wetsuit, it is also the motion needed to prevent chafing on the back of my neck. As the torso rotates, so should the head, but not the hips (if possible).
The downside is that so much head motion can lead to motion sickness. For me, this faded with practice, and the benefits have been substantial. It also works better with a long-distance endurance stroke. In the pool, the extra head rotation may make it harder to stay in the lane, though this shouldn't be a significant problem if the stroke is truly symmetric.
Bottom line, the motions needed to avoid shoulder injury can simultaneously give you a more powerful and more efficient stroke. Prevention is better than cure. Waiting to see a clear symptom, such as shoulder pain or a mis-pointed thumb, is asking for injury. A long, forceful reach and good rotation not only limit the risk of shoulder injury, but also maximize stroke length, which lets those of us with shorter arms close the gap with the longer-limbed Phelps and Thorpe clones.
My mantra during my long swims is: REACH! in a stretch, CATCH! using the biceps, PULL! with the lats, then PUSH! with the triceps while twisting the hips. And while the hand is wet, the fingers are pointed straight down. After about 250m my body internalizes the overlapping instances of the mantra, and I get to enjoy the day, returning to active stroke monitoring only when doing a spot, and when fatigue or waves makes my mantra falter.
I didn't come up with either my stroke or my mantra on my own. The mantra, and the notion of 'throwing' the arm forward, are both due to attending free seminars by elite athlete, exceptionally fast swimmer (Phelps clone) and TrainingBible coach Jim Vance, who dispenses additional wisdom in his blog. He also has a store where you can buy some of his recorded seminars. I was taught to swim in late 2008 (at age 52) by Bobbie Solomon, a remarkable person and great coach.
I started studying shoulder motion after I awoke with a sore shoulder the morning after one of my 2-mile ocean swims. The interactions between joints, muscles, and the demands of sport-related motion are complex, and it took me a while to figure out not only what was going on, but also what I needed to do about it. Everything fell into place when I attended a second seminar by Coach Vance, after which I was swimming faster than ever, without discomfort (much as I've done with running, but far less difficult).
I'm certainly not a fast swimmer, but I'm able to sustain 1:40/100 yards for hours in a calm water, until I run out of energy to burn. I do this without any shoulder problems.
Fortunately, the smart folks at Swim Smooth just posted a great entry in their "Feel for the Water" blog about shoulder pain. They contend that shoulder problems can be caused by having a thumb-first sideways hand entry into the water, due to inward forearm rotation. While this is true in a narrow sense, I believe the sideways hand entry is a symptom, not a cause. Let me explain.
There is far more going on with swim-related shoulder problems than just internal forearm rotation. In particular, if you look at the normal range of motion of the shoulder joint, there is only one point in the freestyle stroke where a hard limit of motion is encountered, and that is during the forward reach, just before/as the arm enters the water, when the arm passes close to the head.
If you keep the shoulder joint open, the upper arm goes wide, meaning the elbow must bend to bring the hand back in front of the shoulder, which makes forearm rotation to a sideways hand entry not only easy, but hard to avoid. Fixing the hand rotation doesn't fix the underlying cause. That is to say, the hand rotation is a symptom, not a cause: The underlying cause is a lack of arm extension.
However, extending the arm fully can result in impingement of the rotator cuff, which then causes the arm to move away from the head, 'opening up' the shoulder angle to reduce rotator cuff impingement. So I would say that a sideways hand entry is an indication of avoiding shoulder impingement. That is, there may be damage long before the thumb position becomes evident.
To get the hand to naturally enter flat, and to ensure maximum reach, the elbow must be nearly locked before the arm enters the water. This must be done in a way that prevents shoulder problems.
How is this possible? Aren't they contradictory goals? Not at all: This is best done by 'throwing' the arm out front, so the associated shoulder rises, combining this motion with a strong final push as the other arm completes its stroke, letting the opposite shoulder drop. Angling the shoulder upward opens the shoulder joint, freeing the arm to become straighter prior to entry, which in turn encourages the hand to face the water at entry. Try it yourself: Extend your arm straight up over your head as far as possible. You can't accidentally point your thumb the wrong way when your elbow is locked.
In other words, never swim with both shoulders 'square' to each other in the water, especially as an arm is entering the water. That's not to say that both shoulders are never square to the body: What it means is that when both shoulders are square to the body, one of the shoulders had better be out of the water! The shoulders become square to the body during the middle of the stroke, a situation that should not be present at the end/start of the stroke.
Some swimmers have trouble raising/dropping one or both shoulders, which in turn easily causes shoulder problems during the stroke. This is easily measured: Standing on a hard surface with the back against a wall, extend one arm straight up with palm forward (back of the hand touching the wall), while extending the other arm straight down with palm against the wall (back of the hand against the back of the thigh), with the forearm traveling slightly behind the hip and next to the buttock. Lock both elbows and try hard to get the hands as far from each other as possible (my lats cramp when I hold this position too long), being certain to keep both feet firmly on the floor. Mark the position of the tip of each middle finger on the wall (I use pieces of tape). Repeat for the other side.
Measure the distance from each of the four marks to the floor. The difference between the heights of the marks for the left arm is the maximum possible swim stroke length for the left side, similarly for the right side. The difference between the heights of the two upper marks is one measure of lateral asymmetry, as is the height difference between the lower marks. Asymmetry is not uncommon, and may indicate a mechanical asymmetry (not uncommon, especially for broken bones set poorly). If there are no known mechanical issues, then asymmetry can indicate a loose shoulder joint or a latent muscle problem.
If there are no known bone or shoulder issues, then asymmetry likely indicates a lack of flexibility and/or a lack of strength in the muscles used to perform the stretch. The easiest way to address such issues is simply to repeat the stretch on a regular basis, and also as part of your pre-swim warm-up.
The next opportunity for shoulder trouble comes during the catch, as the hand descends and the elbow bends, which forces the humerus to rotate within the shoulder joint (not a problem for swimmers having a bent arm prior to entry). Swimmers for whom this motion feels awkward or difficult may 'drop the arm', moving the upper arm toward the front of the torso, which can cause the forearm and hand to either go too deep or to cross the center line, depending on the degree of elbow bend.
For me, a good remedy is to focus on getting the elbow bent while the arm is still extended, forcing the elbow out and slightly down, before applying full power with the lats. I do this using the biceps for a brief moment to pull on the forearm, and the pectorals to pull down the arm, which combine to produce power at the hand and ensure a strong catch. As soon at the upper arm has rotated enough, the full force of the lats can be applied through the mid-stroke.
From its raised position during the entry, the shoulder will naturally drop as the lats contract to provide power through the mid-stroke. When the lat contraction nears its end, it is time for the arm to 'get long' again. Just as we emphasized 'throwing' the arm out front to open the shoulder angle, we must also emphasize 'pushing' the arm 'long' at the end of the stroke, to pull the associated shoulder down, helping open the angle for the opposite arm. I do this by giving the lats a reason to stay contracted by continuing to generate power by contracting the triceps to lengthen the arm through the end of the stroke.
There is another opportunity for shoulder-related trouble at the end of the stroke that primarily affects swimmers who under-rotate: If the swimmer is chest-down in the water (not rotated), then the arm must travel behind the plane of the torso to leave the water, which is an awkward (but not harmful) motion. With a good, strong rotation, the arm will rise closer to the lateral plane of the torso, well within the shoulder's normal range of motion.
But doesn't this amount of torso rotation at the end of the stroke force us to do a dreaded scissors kick? It would if the spine were straight, so it is important to twist a bit at the waist to keep the hips closer to level. As the end of the stroke approaches, instead of thinking about 'lifting the arm', I instead momentarily think about 'dropping the hip'. In my stroke, as my triceps do their final strong contraction to straighten the elbow, I'm also thinking about bringing my hip toward my elbow, contracting the associated oblique and QL, which in turn causes the pelvis to twist.
If this is too much to think about during a stroke (which is often the case for me), then I simply don't kick when my hips aren't level. The cost to levitation and propulsion will be minimal, though the new kick pattern may take some getting used to.
From another perspective, a scissors kick is a good thing! It means you are rotating enough to breathe and make it easy to lift your arm at the end of the stroke. Conversely, the absence of a scissors kick should encourage taking a close look at the rest of the stroke, especially where shoulder limits are involved.
As an ocean swimmer, I don't get a wall push every lap to let my arms and shoulders recover from abuse (or to add abuse by bringing my arms tightly together over my head). It is a wonderful thing to be able to do thousands of sequential strokes without interruption. In the open water, it quickly becomes clear when your form falters: You go off course. Sometimes very badly so. In the ocean there's no black line to watch to keep yourself on course despite poor form, something I've watched many pool swimmers do.
I often swim with a GPS tucked under my swim cap (a Garmin Forerunner 305), and upon downloading the data after a swim it is amazingly easy to see when my stroke is balanced and consistent, versus when it isn't. Of course, we can look up to do a 'spot' to check our course while swimming in the open water, but the need to do so should be minimized, since, even when done perfectly, it is an extremely inefficient maneuver.
I have a drill I do while swimming straight distances of 1 km or longer: Swim a number of strokes, then do a spot to check my bearing. If I'm on course, increase the number of strokes until the next check. If I'm off course, decrease it by an amount proportional to the error. I'm now always able to swim at least 15 strokes between checks, and have managed 50 when the wind is low and the water is particularly smooth. In ocean triathlons I check every 8 strokes, mainly because of traffic.
In a pool, take away the lane markers, then rapidly swim the length of the pool with your eyes closed. I recommend doing this at night with the pool lights off, to prevent cheating. Will you be inside the lane when you finish? (Put swim noodles or helpers across the water to warn you to stop before hitting the wall.) For bilateral breathers, drifting off course is not only a sign of stroke or strength asymmetry, but it can also indicate subconsciously favoring of one shoulder over the other.
I seldom breathe bilaterally in the ocean. How do I stay on course for so many strokes? I'm afraid my answer is ridiculously simple: I swim as if I will breathe on each side for every stroke! That means I always rotate enough to get one eye clear of the water, even if I'm not breathing on that side.
Over-rotation? I think not. Why should a breath stroke differ from a non-breath stroke? Shouldn't a breath stroke be just as efficient as a non-breath stroke? I believe I'm doing precisely the motion needed to avoid shoulder damage while swimming powerfully and staying on course (an important way to be efficient in open water). When I'm wearing a wetsuit, it is also the motion needed to prevent chafing on the back of my neck. As the torso rotates, so should the head, but not the hips (if possible).
The downside is that so much head motion can lead to motion sickness. For me, this faded with practice, and the benefits have been substantial. It also works better with a long-distance endurance stroke. In the pool, the extra head rotation may make it harder to stay in the lane, though this shouldn't be a significant problem if the stroke is truly symmetric.
Bottom line, the motions needed to avoid shoulder injury can simultaneously give you a more powerful and more efficient stroke. Prevention is better than cure. Waiting to see a clear symptom, such as shoulder pain or a mis-pointed thumb, is asking for injury. A long, forceful reach and good rotation not only limit the risk of shoulder injury, but also maximize stroke length, which lets those of us with shorter arms close the gap with the longer-limbed Phelps and Thorpe clones.
My mantra during my long swims is: REACH! in a stretch, CATCH! using the biceps, PULL! with the lats, then PUSH! with the triceps while twisting the hips. And while the hand is wet, the fingers are pointed straight down. After about 250m my body internalizes the overlapping instances of the mantra, and I get to enjoy the day, returning to active stroke monitoring only when doing a spot, and when fatigue or waves makes my mantra falter.
I didn't come up with either my stroke or my mantra on my own. The mantra, and the notion of 'throwing' the arm forward, are both due to attending free seminars by elite athlete, exceptionally fast swimmer (Phelps clone) and TrainingBible coach Jim Vance, who dispenses additional wisdom in his blog. He also has a store where you can buy some of his recorded seminars. I was taught to swim in late 2008 (at age 52) by Bobbie Solomon, a remarkable person and great coach.
I started studying shoulder motion after I awoke with a sore shoulder the morning after one of my 2-mile ocean swims. The interactions between joints, muscles, and the demands of sport-related motion are complex, and it took me a while to figure out not only what was going on, but also what I needed to do about it. Everything fell into place when I attended a second seminar by Coach Vance, after which I was swimming faster than ever, without discomfort (much as I've done with running, but far less difficult).
I'm certainly not a fast swimmer, but I'm able to sustain 1:40/100 yards for hours in a calm water, until I run out of energy to burn. I do this without any shoulder problems.
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