Top 10 Mobility Exercises For Runners

Updated: Sep 1st 2011 10:15 AM UTC by Competitor.com

• Mobility Exercises For Runners
• 1. Unglue Your Sticks
• 2. Quads Or Spine?
• 3. The Runner/Split Jerk Dream Mob
• 4. Recovering Your Jumping Calves
• 5. Lower Leg Business
• 6. Heel Cord Love
• 7. Sumo And Medial Chain Business
• 8. Hip Extension/External Rotation
• 9. Hamstring Stiffness
• 10. Mob Those Lower Leg Bits

Something to Think About During Your Next Run

Don't be a foot-lander, be a foot lifter.  During your stride, you will notice that your foot is coming back down to the Earth no matter what you do.  Let's call this a physical certainty due to gravity :). 

Avoid pain: If you're sticking to the barefoot or minimal foot padding as we suggest (or insist) you'll land correctly because you're avoiding pain.  So let it happen and put it out of your mind. 

Quick turnover: Whether you're running quickly or slowly, the cadence is quick.  In this post, we are suggesting us to think about lifting your foot - or popping it up.  Pop-pop-pop, can only lead to a quick cadence and shortened stride.  The questions you can ask yourself: 'how many foot lifts am I doing per minute?'  'how many milliseconds passed before I lifted my foot?' 

You burn no energy when your feet are off the ground, you can't lose traction on a slippery trail when your feet are off the ground, no impact injuries when your feet are off the ground.  Lift that foot straight up as if you're on hot coals and say 'pop-pop-pop-pop' to yourself.  Let us know how it feels!!

Working Out Barefoot

by ADMIN on SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

Barefoot running is one area that has been obtaining a large amount of recognition of late. Depending on who is responsible for having to pay that attention, barefoot running is actually possibly a big unique trend or even the most current trend. There are a lot of claims and counterclaims created forbarefoot running. On one hand, people who foster barefoot running claim over it really being the easiest method to fix excessive use problems within those who workout. On the other hand, those doctors who handle running injury happen to be declaring they see and treat a lot of overuse injuries frombarefoot running You will discover states of which barefoot running reduces the impact forces at a your back heel when they hit the floor on the front foot, but there is little facts that hindfoot ground contact is a concern and its is rarely credited from those pushing barefoot running that we now have accelerated loads thru a lot of the joints inside the foot along with ankle anytime front foot first. What exactly is getting increasingly obvious that there’s not one jogging style that’s much better than another. You will see a unique jogging gait that’s better for every individual athlete and then for quite a few, that’ll be barefoot running.

Can You Do the Asian Squat? - You can learn a lot from your inflexibilities.

You can learn a lot from your inflexibilities. 

Can You Do The Asian Squat?

Do your heels go flush in this position?  It works as a great post run stretch and extends the achilles tendon.  When I could NO longer do this, I then noticed I contracted plantar fasciitus.  I can not confirm there is a link, but I have my educated suspicions.  

HUARACHES GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Invisible Shoes

September 27, 2011 in Barefoot Running, Giveaways, Product Reviews, Run Smiley, Trail Running| Tags: giveaway, huarache, huarache sandal, huaraches, invisible shoes, minimalist shoe, review

Mileage: 51.2 miles

Terrain: Technical trails

About a month ago I received a complimentary pair of Invisible Shoe huarachesoffered to the Run Smiley Collective. I was excited because these were my first real pair of laced huaraches. Previously I had worn Unshoe sandals, which are adjusted with a clasp (no lacing), and I was still waiting for my first pair of Lunas.

I started using the Invisible Shoes on San Diego trail runs, which I soon discovered were extremely technical. In retrospect, I am amazed that these huaraches did so well with the terrain and the mileage I was using them on. I ran over 50 miles in about 3 weeks of exclusively rocky trails.

Here’s what I think of them:

GROUND FEEL

The ground feel was very high, as the 6mm sole was really quite thin. I liked the fact that this forced me to pay attention to my footing, but it would also start to tire out my feet as the miles started accumulating. They didn’t hurt, but I definitely felt every step.

TYING & ADJUSTABILITY

I never had any trouble tying these and they only came untied once under very harsh trail conditions. The best part of these laces is that they are easy to adjust on the fly. So if the fit isn’t perfect, I can tug a little instead of having to sit down and re-lace from scratch. They also come in slip-on form, which simplifies the lacing process.

TECHNICAL TRAIL PERFORMANCE

I love running trails, so I really need a sandal that holds up. The thing about trails is that each footfall is different, and always uneven. So it’s difficult to find a perfect huarache fit. If the lacing is too loose, the sandal falls off. If it’s too tight, it digs into your skin and gives you blisters. Plus the constant foot-shuffling tends to loosen the fit in a way that doesn’t happen with traditional shoes.

That said, this pair only fell off once after a particularly intense trail run, and I was only delayed for seconds since I could adjust them while they were still on my feet. And I had run over 50 miles before they started to blister. I think that’s impressive considering I didn’t take any anti-blister precautions. No socks, taping, or BodyGlide. Creek crossings are also really fun in these.

GENERAL FIT

One thing that would bother me with the Unshoes was that the front of the sandal would fold over and I’d step on them a lot, no matter how I adjusted my form. So I was concerned that would be the case again. But that never happened with the Invisible Shoes. Overall, it was a better fit. I never felt the lacing between my big toe and my second toe, whereas this was also a painful issue with the Unshoes.

STORAGE & CONVENIENCE

I like to throw these into my hydration bladder and head out for a barefoot run. If the trails get too rough, I know I can throw these on fairly easily. They give me the confidence to try new trails barefoot because I know these can get me through any rough sections. They help me run MORE barefoot miles, not less. I think that’s how a shoe should truly function.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

I have to mention the great customer service and personalized attention from this company. It’s always refreshing to deal with someone who can answer all your questions and get back to you promptly. Great job guys!

DRAWBACKS

I can’t race an entire ultra in these on a technical trail. I still need a bit of a thicker sole. I also hate them on concrete. They slap a little louder than I’d like and I find it tough to run in complete silence, no matter how I shift my form. I would also recommend some blister prevention, like BodyGlide. Because when they DO form blisters, it’s very demoralizing and tough to avoid rubbing in the exact same places.

CONCLUSIONS

I definitely have a place for these huaraches. I love that I can carry them around when I’m barefoot. I also love them on slightly rocky trails, or on anything less than 20 miles. I love they way they look on my feet and they do spark some conversation. For the average runner, these would be a fun sandal. For me, they were also a great transition to huarache running.

If you’re considering moving into huaraches, I would recommend these as a great “first” sandal. They’re easier to tie than other options, they’re very reasonable, and will really give you a good idea as to whether huarache running is for you.

Podcast From Dr Irene Davis

Episode #17 – Dr. Irene Davis

• Podcasts

by caity

Irene Davis, Ph.D., has been a leading researcher in the running field for more than 20 years and is a promoter of barefoot running and barefoot-like running form. She was a University of Delaware professor for many years, but recently took a new position in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School as director of the Spaulding National Running Center that she is developing.

My interview with Dr. Davis sheds light on many misconceptions about running, so this is the interview to share with your friends who think you’re crazy to run without shoes!

Listen and learn, my friends!

Download Episode #17 to your favorite portable device from iTunes – or listen to it here: 

Links from this podcast episode:

Sushi, by Really Raw (facebook group to join)

Really Raw- Sushi to Impress

By Tara Bauman · Last edited about 2 months ago · Edit Doc

Got this from Natalia Rose's "Raw Food Life Force Energy"

Sushi To Impress

cream filling:

1 avocado

1/4 cup cubed carrots

1 clove diced fresh garlic

1 teaspoon diced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce (preferably nama shoyu)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

veg filling:

1 carrot, julienned

1 cucumber, julienned

1 red bell pepper, julienned

Snow pea shoots (or any other sprout)

"sushi rice":

1 parsnip, chopped and pulsed in a food processor until it forms rice-like pieces

6 sheets nori

Blend the ingredients for the cream filling in a food processor until smooth. Place a sheet of nori on a cutting board so that the indented lines run horizontally.  Place a thin layer of cream filling on the lower third of the nori.

Evenly disperse 2 tablespoons of the sushi rice on top of the cream filling, covering it completely. Place the carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers and snow pea shoots horizontally on top of the cream filling (use whatever veggies you have on hand).

Begin to roll the sheet of nori from the bottom, over the vegetables, and then continue rolling until you have created a long tube.  Cut the tube into 4 to 6 pieces. Serve with soy sauce or Nama Shoyu for dipping.

--

Stiffness adaptations in shod running. (from the Gait Guys!)

Source : J Appl Biomech. 2005 Nov;21(4):311-21.

Physiology Laboratory, PPEH Unit, University of Saint-Etiene, France.

How long do you run in the shoes at the store before you decide whether they are a good match or feel for you ? This study suggests that if you take less than 4 minutes in a pair, you are not getting the accurate feel of the shoes.  Your “running stiffness” takes at least 4 minutes to adapt and alter to a given shoes materials.  Each shoe will likely feel different.  Don’t be fooled by the EVA’s softness, or the sock liner’s plushness. They might be there to offset what this study found, that being…… shoe stiffness increased significantly during the first 4 minutes but beyond the 4th minute, shoe properties remained stable.

How many stores or shoe companies are telling you this one !? 

Well, we are telling you right here and right now…….. first impressions are not always the best ones. 

• “We don’t know where our first impressions come from or precisely what they mean, so we don’t always appreciate their fragility.”  - Malcom Gladwell

• also remember, your perception of how you think the shoe will perform will play a role as well. Remember this post? http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/impact-force

* Read the study’s conclusion below…… and think (and feel) before you buy. Read your favorite internet blogger’s shoe reviews with an educated eye, and an open mind.  What they feel and report could very likely be the exact opposite of what you feel because their anatomy and running style could be very different from your own.

We are, without a doubt…… from all angles…….. The Gait Guys

________________________________________________________________________________

Abstract

When mechanical parameters of running are measured, runners have to be accustomed to testing conditions. Nevertheless, habituated runners could still show slight evolutions of their patterns at the beginning of each new running bout. This study investigated runners’ stiffness adjustments during shoe and barefoot running and stiffness evolutions of shoes. Twenty-two runners performed two 4-minute bouts at 3.61 m.s-1 shod and barefootafter a 4-min warm-up period. Vertical and leg stiffness decreased during the shoe condition but remained stable in the barefoot condition, p < 0.001. Moreover, an impactor test showed that shoe stiffness increased significantly during the first 4 minutes, p < 0.001. Beyond the 4th minute, shoe properties remained stable. Even if runners were accustomed to the testing condition, as running pattern remained stable during barefootrunning, they adjusted their leg and vertical stiffness during shoe running. Moreover, as measurements were taken after a 4-min warm-up period, it could be assumed that shoe properties were stable. Then the stiffness adjustment observed during shoe running might be due to further habituations of the runners to the shod condition. To conclude, it makes sense to run at least 4 minutes before taking measurements in order to avoid runners’ stiffness alteration due to shoe property modifications. However, runners could still adapt to the shoe.

Article link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16498177 , get this article for yourself.

Marathoner Bares His Sole

<<He will be one of the oldest participants in this weekend’s Oakville Half Marathon, but Alan Thwaits will run the race as if he’s one of the youngest.>>

Fancy footwork. Alan Thwaits, 63, started running barefoot three years ago. Photo supplied

The 63-year-old Mississauga resident will run Sunday’s race in the same fashion he always runs — barefoot.
“Some runners who have gone from shoes to barefoot don’t even race anymore, because they’ve discovered something else about running that matters. It’s fun,” says Thwaits. “You run through puddles, you feel like a kid. You smile at people more often.”
Childhood nostalgia isn’t the main reason Thwaits chooses to run without shoes, however. It’s all part of his rediscovery of his love of running.
Three years ago, Thwaits was just getting back into running after a 30-year hiatus from the sport. ...
...

Shortly after he got back into running, Thwaits read about barefoot running, something he saw as a “growing movement.” Thwaits read that when people run more naturally, they’re less susceptible to injury, that there was less impact on the hips and knees running barefoot than in shoes.
“If you transition to running barefoot, you will run more naturally. Your feet become stronger, your legs become stronger, your back becomes stronger,” he says.
“You stand up straight. If you watch people run (in shoes), they… land on their heel. It sends a huge jolt up your body, but you can’t do that when you’re barefooting. It’s impossible. It hurts too much. So you pitter-patter, do fox-running, land with a mid-foot stride, or you have a shorter stride and a faster cadence.”
The transition to barefoot running took some adjusting, Thwaits said. He admits it slowed him down at first, but he now runs at the same speed as he did 30 years ago.
Thwaits exclusively runs barefoot now, whether it’s the eight-kilometre route he takes to work each day or a half-marathon, 30K race, full marathon or 50K ultra run.
Of course, there are hinderances to running barefoot. Thwaits stops running outside in mid-November because of the cold, switching to a treadmill until the middle of March.
“I do know people who run through the winter barefoot,” he says. “There’s a guy in Ottawa and a guy in Peterborough. The guy in Ottawa runs shorter distances in the winter, and the Peterborough guy doesn’t want to buy shoes.”
The heat of summer could also be tough on barefoot runners’ feet, though Thwaits says there are ways to beat the heat.
“I was really happy in August when it was 37 degrees,” he says. “You learn things like the pavement is slightly cooler than the sidewalks, or people learn to run on the white painted line on the side of the road. People also take little breaks on the cool grass.”
Thwaits is certainly passionate about his unique running style. His email address includes the words “basic bare”, and he blogs online about his running exploits (www.barefootjourney.org).

How Tim Noakes Wants You to Train

"Tim believes you should visualise your victory and train with it in mind."

From Here 
 
Professor Tim Noakes’ latest research findings are bound to cause a stir – they herald a new approach to exercise that could change the way champions train and even help people off the sports field. By MARI HUDSON for YOU Pulse magazine.

Fatigue doesn’t originate in a sportsman’s muscles, as scientists have believed for many years. It originates in their brain…

The latest research by world-renowned sports scientist Professor Tim Noakes shows the brain has far greater control over sports performance than sports scientists have ever realized. And you can condition your brain to achieve success.

Noakes, co-founder of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (based in Newlands, Cape Town), is making his surprise findings known for the first time. At the same time he and his team have submitted their study to a top American medical journal for publication. His findings cut against the grain of existing scientific opinion – that an athlete’s muscles become tired because lactic acid accumulates during exertion.  Tim's 'lore' of living:

1. Be honest with yourself at all times because you have to live with your conscience.
2. Don’t do anything half-heartedly, whether in a relationship, in sport or in your job. Do everything you do to the best of your ability and not as if you’re going to pull out all the stops later – do everything as if there are no second chances.
3. Spend your younger years thinking about where you want to be when you’re 50. Visualize it and then work out the steps you have to take to make your dream a reality. Then start working at it step by step.
4. Learn to ask the right questions. That way you’ll find the right answers.
5. Everyone needs a partner in life. When you find your soulmate make an effort with this special person.
6. Have a goal in life that’s about something more than yourself – it’ll give your life meaning.

New Balance To Get Zero Drop

New Balance Minimus is adding their version of Zero Drop shoe.  From Jason's Robillard's Site 

New Balance joined the club by eliminating the heel drop on the 2012 Minimus line.    Finally!

I like to imagine there’s a faction within New Balance that is adamantly fighting to make their entire product line zero drop.  I can see the “new guard” quoting Lieberman, teaching good running form, and telling stories of seemingly amazing recoveries of oft-injured runners finding new life in zero drop shoes.  They’re constantly at odds with the “old guard” that puffs on their cigarettes and talks about the good ‘ole days when slapping 2” of cushioning in a heel was marketing gold.  Sure, it’s unlikely, but that’s how my mind works.

I managed to wrangle up some critical details about the new Minimus Zero Trails and Minimus Zero Roads.  Here are the juicy details:

• Both are zero drop
• Both are exceptionally light… perhaps less than 6 ounces
• The sole of both is somewhat similar to the soles of the original Minimus Trails (think pods)
• The location and size of the pods were developed based on data from wear testing- they put material where it was needed most
• For the Trails, other material was eliminated, which explains the feather-like weight
• The eliminated material should increase flexibility and ground feel (note- I have handled a pair… they are incredibly light and flexible)
• Both utilize Vibram soles, which has become the gold standard for minimalist shoe sole material.
• These shoes should be quite different from anything else on the market, which adds more potential tools to our toolbox.

More pics and detail on Barefoot Running University

Give a Dollar or More? (Fight Gone Bad)

My Fight Gone Bad is this Saturday.  Raising money for charity here.

To support two great charities ...

THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS WARRIOR FOUNDATION

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides full scholarship grants and educational 

and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in 

operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special 

operations personnel and their families.

THE CROSSFIT FOUNDATION

In 2010 the CrossFit Foundation was formed to serve as a resource for all of the CrossFit 

philanthropic activities. The foundation board works in an advisory capacity with the 

Sportsgrants Foundation on Fight Gone Bad, and in 2010 became one of the event beneficiaries 

insuring that funds raised by the community served the community.  This year the foundation’s 

primary focus is on the CrossFit Kids ISR Swim Program. The goal for ISR this year is to 

contribute $1 million through Fight Gone bad to train instructors which could save as many as 

300 children from accidental drownings in 2012 and beyond.  In addition to this primary 

objective, the foundation also maintains a fund for grants to causes supported by its affiliates, 

Operation Phoenix and community grants to members of our community in need of immediate 

assistance.

Running in the Movies

Here’s a list of the best running movies of all time as polled and ranked by runners via Lets.run.com.

Fire on the Track
Storyline: Documentary on Steve Prefontaine, America’s top distance runner in the 1970′s whose front running style, brashness and American records from 2,000m to 10,000m captivated the American track public like no other distance runner. He narrowly missed an Olympic medal in 1972 and then his life was tragically cut short in a car accident. Fire on the Track is excellently produced, has in-depth footage of the 1972 Olympic 5k final, with comments from Prefontaine’s competitors.

Without Limits
Incredible story of life of Steve Prefontaine who broke numerous American records, just missed an Olympic medal and revolutionized the idea of how some people race (from the front) before dying in a tragic car wreck in his prime. Prefontaine’s story is worth remembering. Tom Cruise producer. Get a little on foundation of Nike with Bill Bowerman (Pre’s coach) being behind this movie. Other movie on Prefontaine, Prefontaine, will steal votes. Some say stretches truth a bit more than Prefontaine. Pre’s romance is stressed more in this movie than in Prefontaine.

Chariots of Fire
Fascinating story of two Olympic sprinters from Great Britain, Erick Liddell (devout Protestant) and Harold Abrahams (Jew), of vastly different backgrounds who run for different reasons in the 1924 Olympics. This classic won four Oscars including best picture. Inspirational, especially it’s famous soundtrack by Vangelis.

Endurance
Tells the story of perhaps the greatest runner of all-time, Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie, leading up to his victory in the 1996 Olympic Games. Intersperses footage of Olympic 10k race throughout film. Footage of Gebrselassie running (in Ethiopian and Olympics) is truly incredible and worth seeing in its own right. Most of the actors are Gebrselassie’s real family members.

Jericho Mile
This is a made-for-TV movie about a man serving life sentence in prison who find hope in running. After running a sub-4 minute mile, he trains for the Munich Olympics from prison. The story is inspirational although fictional and sometimes unrealistic.

Loneliness of a Long-Distance Runner
Based on a book of the same title, it tells the story of rebellious youngster named Smith who finds comfort and security through his running skills while attending classes at a reformatory school after stealing from a local bakery. Running provides him with moments of quiet reflection to consider the choices he made—and the choices made for him. Runners can relate to the sense of peace and reflection provided by solitary runs, while non-runners can relate to the challenges we all face to our moral integrity on a daily basis.

(of course I highly recommend, Run Fat Boy Run, Running in the Sun, Running the Sahara,  and of course Thelma)

what's your fave running movie?

Breakfast?

http://wwprd.blogspot.com/2011/09/breakfast-what-should-i-eat.html

Evolutionary Psychiatry Low Carbs treament for Alzheimer's Patients

Eating smartly, looks like it's not just for prevention of diabetes, obesity, blood PH, etc etc.. . Ketgenic (low carb) diet showing promise in treating Alzheimer's patients.  The amount of insulin response by consuming foods that trigger such a glycemic response, our insulin production is jacked for life.  Yet another unintended consequence of food production whose ONLY dsired outcome is yield and NOT health.

From Dr Emily Deans's Evolutionary Psychology

......The second article I was excited to hear about is probably a watershed paper in the treatment of Alzheimer's dementia: Intranasal Insulin Therapy for Alzheimer Disease and Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment. This paper discusses a pilot trial of 104 adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease vs controls with a couple of doses of intranasal insulin.

Why intranasal? None of the subjects had diabetes, and obviously systemic insulin could cause dangerous hypoglycemia. The intranasal dose goes pretty much straight to the central nervous system via the olfactory and trigeminal nerve perivascular channels, and none of the subjects had hypoglycemia during the trial.

Why insulin? Well, as I've discussed at great length (I really ought to repost some of those dementia articles up on Psychology Today…), there are very clear issues with the ability of a dementing brain to metabolize glucose (the example in that article is Parkinson's disease, but the principle is very similar for Alzheimer's). This problem results in inefficient use of energy, free radical generation, and neuronal toxicity and death. There are several ways to (theoretically) improve this issue - one of them is to use a therapeutic ketogenic diet. The other way is to jack up insulin in the central nervous system to improve the ability of the cells to pull in and utilize glucose, theoretically. In addition, insulin seems to have an effect on amyloid-beta peptides that may protect the neurons, and insulin and insulin activity are generally low in the CNS of folks with dementia (though hyperinsulinemia with insulin resistance seems to be a long-term risk factor for developing Alzheimer's dementia eventually).

My question is - and this is highly speculative - without improving the energetics, does jacking up the insulin help in the short term but hasten the problems in the long term? No long term studies have been done. In the absence of insulin resistance and with insulin in the CNS low already, perhaps not? I'll have to think a little more on that one.