Blog

How many of you have considered your running form? Most of us would rather just lace up and go, then get bogged down in details.

Now, I’m not saying you need to fully geek out on your form, that can come later! But I do believe that it’s worth your time and effort to make yourself more efficient when running.

That’s the purpose of today’s video. We cover a basic form drill called Power Skips. I recommend performing this drill as part of your warm-up routine at the outset of your run, then also sprinkled into your run every few minutes.

Why? Again, you don’t need to get too bogged down with details, but simply put, your form will tend to break down if you’re not being proactive about it. Every time you perform this drill, it’s like calibrating your body to operate at peak form.

Every step you take, your foot spends between .2-.3 seconds on the ground. How efficiently you can land, gather yourself, and push off again determines a lot when it comes to how fast you run and how well you avoid injuries.

Power Skips are one of my favorite drills to develop better efficiency!

Give it a try and let me know how it goes! Run Fast Friends!

Please check out my new book, Runner’s Fix, and utilize it to keep yourself in tune while training for your big race!

I am an affiliate for Amazon, which means that any purchases you make give me a small commission if you click through the above link, at no extra cost to you

Okay, don’t actually try to run like a penguin, that won’t get you far or fast! However, if you are like most runners, you could stand an upgrade to your foot strength!

Today’s video covers a form drill called ‘Penguin Running.’ This drill will challenge you to develop strength and quickness in your feet.

You might be asking, what do I need quickness for when running a 5K or marathon? Think about it this way. Every time your foot hits the ground, your foot will spend between .2-.3 seconds on the ground. If you can shave even .01 off that, your efficiency will significantly improve.

Many times, the most inefficient part of our body is our feet. Check out the video and challenge yourself with Penguin Running as part of your warm-up routine!

Run Fast Friends!

Also, if you are not aware, I released my first book this past fall. Thus the lapse in blog posts, I was a little pre-occupied! The title is Runner’s Fix and it is a guide for preventing injuries and running your best. The book is divided into chapters based on parts of the body and common runners’ issues. It is loaded with pictures and descriptions of my favorite exercises for addressing the nagging pains we often experience. Pick up a copy on Amazon or hit me up for a signed copy!

Full disclosure: I am now an affiliate for Amazon, which means any money you spend on Amazon if you click through my link, will give me a small percentage commission.

If I’ve never heard of a muscle, does that mean I don’t have to give it any attention? Unfortunately, our muscles have minds of their own. They will make their presence known whether we like it or not!

Today we’re focusing on a deep hip flexor muscle known as the iliacus. It often is grouped together with the psoas and collectively referred to the iliopsoas…sorry to get geeky so quick! The iliacus is located deep in your lower abdomen but attaches deep in the groin. It is a very important muscle for hip stability, as well as health of the sacroiliac joints.

Wait, a hip flexor muscle affecting a joint just below my low back?! Yes indeed, the iliacus muscle shares deep attachments to many of the ligaments that hold the sacroiliac joints together. If the iliacus is not happy, the SI joint will likely not move correctly.

So, pay attention to the subtleties we add to your typical hip flexor stretch in today’s video. These small changes make a big difference to target the iliacus muscle.

If you want to avoid the bad habits that tight hip flexors will cause, including muscle strains, low back pain, and SI pain, then this stretch should find it’s way into your weekly routine.

As always, please share this with a friend and let me know how it works for you. Please holler with any other suggestions for topics you would like to see covered. Also, check out the facebook page for live interactive sessions!