The Ideal Warm Up for Older Runners

If you are an older runner of 50 or 60 plus years of age, have you ever thought that the warm up you used to do is not what you need now?

Many studies have shown that static stretching is not particularly helpful in preparing for physical activity or in preventing injuries. The term stretching implies forcefully lengthening a muscle beyond its normal state. It is entirely possible for someone using this method, if they overstretch to injure themselves or tear tissue.  I know this from personal experience in trying to stretch into the splits for a martial arts class many years ago. 

There is a better approach.    Rather than stretching we will use the term functional lengthening.   To function well in running we need to have the ability and range of motion throughout the body required to coordinate running movements. The modern lifestyle which includes lots of sitting in chairs robs us over the years of some of this movement ability. Sitting tends to shorten and compress us in many ways. The conventional approach is to “stretch” or pull on isolated body parts, such as the calves or hamstrings. But running involves much more than isolated body parts.  Running is truly a whole body activity. It is better for older runners to lay aside the idea of forceful stretching and cultivate better movement.  Here is a quick example of an integrated whole body movement.

Stand and lift your right hand gently in the direction of the ceiling. Reach up for an imaginary object overhead. But instead of reaching higher by using effort through the arm, begin to lengthen the entire right side of yourself by using your breath to expand the ribs on the right side. Use your awareness to track the expansion of the right side with each in-breath, in succession from the right waist, to the right lower ribs, the right upper ribs. Follow also the movement of shortening on the other side as you reach upward on the right side. Do this gently and notice the restored length on the right side. Repeat on the left side. 

One of the most effective things that you can do as a real dynamic warm up is using the walk-run method.  If you are going to be running with people who don’t start out slowly or be participating in an event, leave time to walk a couple of minutes and run a few seconds, going back and forth between walking and running until your joints, muscles and tendons feel ready to go. If you are running by yourself this is an excellent way to start the run itself. In longer events, or when starting a running program use this method as it fits what you are doing.

 Don’t forget the value of a morning hot shower before a long run.  Run Strong Forever and have fun!

 To learn much more about the ideal warm up for older runners go to http://www.transcendent-running.com/

What makes great running?

Do you remember the story about the four blind men who stood at different positions around an elephant?

A Jain version of the story says that six blind men were asked to determine what an elephant looked like by feeling different parts of the elephant's body. The blind man who feels a leg says the elephant is like a pillar; the one who feels the tail says the elephant is like a rope; the one who feels the trunk says the elephant is like a tree branch; the one who feels the ear says the elephant is like a hand fan; the one who feels the belly says the elephant is like a wall; and the one who feels the tusk says the elephant is like a solid pipe.

A king explains to them:

All of you are right. The reason every one of you is telling it differently is because each one of you touched the different part of the elephant. So, actually the elephant has all the features you mentioned.^[2]Wikipedia

       There are some great methods out there to teach running basics. Be sure to take advantage of them, but remember greatness finally comes in synergy and flow.

Running is about

Land on you forefoot

Land on your mid-foot

Avoid striking with your heel

And better you will feel.

Your feet now shod with shoes that are minimal

Or shoes with separate toes, in fact for shoes you’ve tried them all.

Perhaps running really is all about the feet,

Or here is an idea that is really neat,

Our biggest muscle is in our seat.

So let’s make running all about the glutes.

Mighty extenders of the hip those powerful,

 Powerful things we call glutes.

We do our squats, our bridging, and we lunge

With a great derriere we are ready now to take the plunge.

We build those buttocks till they are round

And now we can thrust backward into the ground.

Maybe running really is about our butt,

Or lest you think I am a nut

Let us consider another idea.

Perhaps it is all about the lean

Perhaps we just work with gravity

That is all there is to this activity.

So to go forward maybe we don’t push at all

Maybe all we do is fall.

Then what is important is this

We don’t push at all but simply lift.

No pushing for propulsion at all

Just lift the foot and let it fall.

So running is as simple as

Allowing us the discover the Psoas,

Or maybe just maybe the running movement is so complex

That it can’t be completely described with words or text.

Maybe it is all the above things and more

Please don’t forget how it flows through the core.

Running never really exists in its parts,

But the flow through the whole body creates its art.

Running with skill is a thing of beauty.

Feel toe to head and in between, everything moving in synergy.

Running really is about harmony.

Running is a whole body activity.

Try this lesson

Lesson #5: Feeling the running movement in standing.

Stand and place all your weight on the right foot. The left foot is on the ground, but is used only for balance. There is no weight on the left foot. Now begin to turn on the right hip joint toward the left. Do only a small movement. Make sure your face is looking forward and not turning to the left as you do this movement. Keep the left leg un-weighted. Do this many times.

·         Can you feel yourself getting taller on your standing leg, the right leg? 

·         Can you feel the twisting, spiraling movement in your spine?

 Bend your right elbow to at least 90 degrees. Continue to do this movement of turning to the left on the right hip joint as you allow your bent right elbow to come forward and your right hand to come forward and up.  Bend your left elbow to at least 90 degrees. Let the left elbow move backward with the movement you are doing. Notice the very strong spiraling effect created that lifts you upward.

·         What does the left knee want to do? Let the left knee bend.

·         What does the left heel want to do? Let the left heel come off the ground.

·          What is the left hip doing?

Take time to get clear on all of these sensations. Then do the lesson on the other side, with the left leg being the standing leg. 

 Let all of this go and go for a run!

Does this lesson teach you everything about running? Of course the answer is no. But this lesson does allow you to experience the flow of running from head to foot.

Till next time Enjoy-

Scott

Transcendent-running.com

Now offers a free copy of the e-book  The Runners Body/Mind