Improving Skill By Sensing Differences.

 Improving Skill By Sensing Differences.

 


Many animals, especially four legged animals, are born with the ability to run faster than humans. Humans have immense adaptability.  No other animal has the ability to refine movement, and develop their movement repertoire to the extent that humans can. For a humorous and informative look at this watch . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wbVIgVi66k  

 

In fact you could say that what defines us as humans is a complex nervous system that makes possible a vast amount of learning. You could say that to learn and increase skill is to be human or to demonstrate humanness. To be sure, animals can learn self awareness. The ability to observe ourselves and abstract reasoning are more highly developed in humans. 

So what is it that improves our running or any other skill or function? Is it 10,000 hours of practice? That number has become a popular part of the discussion of the subject of mastery. Is it 10,000 hours of practice? The answer is both yes and no. Yes it probably does take that kind of commitment over time to really master something. Think of the number of pole vaulters who start very early in life to learn the skill of vaulting . But 10,000 hours of mindless repetition is probably not enough. Learning is about making distinctions. We do something, observe what we have done, note the result, and compare to what we want. Then we make changes. Over time this kind of experimentation, this process of differentiating between one thing and another produces learning. 

In language we learn to distinguish the word an from and. In math we learn to distinguish between the number 1 and the number 2.  These things seem simple once achieved but there is an immense amount of learning involved in order to make these simple distinctions. We learn ever more complex distinctions for instance 1 + 2,  ½,  2/1  and so on. We learn to walk and then we learn to add a further skill, one that requires more confidence, the skill of running. At some point most of us stop and say good enough and the learning process stops or slows.

But it could continue on closer and closer to mastery.

Here is a beautiful example of great alignment and self usage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWp-b3e2bZAyou

 

The picture above and the youtube video show great use of the hips and great coordination of the entire person to move forward with power. Note the

·         huge stride angle, the angle between the thighs

• ·          the rotation of the pelvis, the counterbalancing use of the arms

• ·          the use of ground forces, the horizontal running

• ·          the non compressed spine

• ·          the freedom of movement in the spine

• ·          the way the head follows and helps the running movement and yet is carried in a stable manner.

• ·          Note the flopping of the head from side to side in a less coordinated movement manner of one of the other runners.

• ·         Note the difference in skill level between Masterkova and the rest of the field.

• ·         Note the difference in the use of the hips in the rest of the field.

 Perhaps Masterkova is a good name for this master of the mile. (sorry about the pun) 

Try this

•  Do a short version of your normal speed or distance workout. Wait one day and repeat the same workout. Do it in the same way you always do it. Wait another day and warm up and do the following mini lesson. 

• ·         Lie on your back with your legs stretched out long on the floor. Squeeze your glutes powerfully. Now squeeze only the right glute.  Now squeeze only the left glute a number of times. Which one is more powerful?

• ·         Now squeeze both glutes again a few times. Can you feel the muscles thicken and the pelvis rise?  What do your knees do? Do they move inward or outward?

• ·         Come to tall kneeling, and place your hands on your buttocks. Squeeze both buttocks powerfully a number of times. What happens in your pelvis. If there were a pencil in your navel can you sense that the tip of the pencil would rise when you squeeze your glutes?

• ·          Squeeze only the right glute a few times. Squeeze the left glue. Which one is more powerful. The stronger one will produce more movement in the pelvis.  If the right glute is more powerful the pelvis will turn more to the left. Pay attention, can you tell any difference?

• ·          Now kneel on the right knee and place the left foot on the floor in front of the right knee with the knee bent and the sole of the foot flat on the floor. Squeeze the right glute. Notice that it is not possible to completely contract the left glue in this position. Switch the position of the legs.

• ·         Now stand and squeeze the glutes powerfully. Squeeze them powerfully and hold them that way for a few seconds. Which direction do you knees want to go, the outside or the inward?  The glutes are powerful extendors of the hips.  The knees will want to rotate outward when you squeeze the glutes. Notice that the knees straighten they do not bend when you squeeze. Where does the weight go on your feet when you squeeze the glutes?

• ·          Intentionally shift your weight to the outsides of your feet , turn your feet out slightly and allow the arches of your feet to rise as you squeeze your glutes.  Squeeze the glutes very quickly and lightly. Go fast. Now squeeze them powerfully a large number of times. Now squeeze and hold.

You have given your brain a lot of things to notice and compare. Now go for a short version of your normal workout. The one you did the first time. Notice any changes. To learn we need to make comparisons.  The learning process goes on….

If you are serious about improving your running and moving toward mastery click here

Have fun with this article – best in your running – Scott

If you would like to read the free e-book The Runners Body/Mind click here

Transcendent-running.com

scottforrester@transcendent-running.com

If you have questions call 541 536 4822

Essential Ingredients of Endurance

Here is the dictionary definition of Endurance:

en·dur·ance

noun \in-ˈdu̇r-ən(t)s, -ˈdyu̇r-, en-\

: the ability to do something difficult for a long time

: the ability to deal with pain or suffering that continues for a long time

: the quality of continuing for a long time

Full Definition of ENDURANCE

1    permanence, duration <the endurance of the play's importance>

2    the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; especially:  the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity <a marathon runner's endurance>

As we can see endurance is primarily the ability to continue at something for a long time, despite whatever circumstances come along. As I was taking a walk today amongst the trees, I realized that they have a lot to teach us about endurance. After all some of the oldest living things on the earth are trees. The Redwoods and Sequoias in California for instance persist for millennia. How do they do it and what can we learn from them?

1.       Endurance is a slow steady process of increase. Trees grow year after year, and century after century.   Their root system grow in proportion to support each year’s new growth. Our systems must be nurtured in much the same way. We need to allow time for adaptations to occur.

How can this help?

•     The long run is the foundation of endurance. If you want to run long, you must run long consistently.  Try adding to your long run in smaller increments than you are accustomed to. Instead of adding perhaps 10% think of adding only 5% to your long run each week. Don’t increase your long run every time. Think of increasing one week and cutting back a little the next week. Only patience builds endurance. Be consistent over a long period of time 

2.       Have you ever noticed how trees grow vertically?  Yes we see some trees which have begun to grow at other angles, but they are the exception, not the rule. Even trees that seem to go every which way have to find some sort of balance. The Redwoods especially grow upwards toward sky with generally straight long shafts. Why is this so? Trees like to grow in the most stable, efficient configuration.

How can this help?

• Efficiency is a major component of endurance. Being able to do things with the least amount of energy expenditure possible is really what makes endurance possible. The person with the most endurance if asked to run in a very inefficient way would not go far.

o   Try this:  bend your knees and drag your knuckles on the ground beside you. Now run down the block, Can you imagine having to do this for thirty miles? 

o   Now try this, interlace the fingers on your two hands, rotate the palms away from you and reach skyward. Can you feel that to reach to your maximum you would have to raise the entire shoulder girdle and beyond that you might  feel some lengthening in your waist, even feel a different alignment in your hips, knees and feet. Now you are shaped like a redwood tree. Instead a long tree trunk you have a long relaxed, non compressed spine.

o   Run down the block and feel that this alignment is closer to optimal and helps conserve energy by using an alignment that lets your bones support you easily like the trunk of a tree.

One mistake people make is thinking that running is a simple movement. Running is a natural movement, but a complex movement involving the entire body. If you want to master something you must apply yourself with focus. An interesting read is Focus: The Hidden Driver Of Excellence by Daniel Goleman. If you want to know what Awareness Through Movement can do for your running (go to the video at the bottom of the page) click here. 

If you want to master your own running form click here.

         3.      The idea of endurance is primarily to do something for a long time but also to persist in the face of challenges. Notice that a long lived tree persists over years, decades, sometimes centuries or millennia. The Redwoods. Have seen fires, drought, heat, cold, ferocious winds, disease, and the influence of man, yet they persist.

How can this help?

One of the huge aspects of endurance is the mental aspect. Obviously there is certain toughness necessary to persist and also certain toughness fostered through persistence. Mental toughness and focus is a major factor in endurance. The ability to keep going no matter what, to embrace the difficulty is something that could take us beyond or known or ordinary experience.

But here is another factor. You have heard the saying that sometime you bend with the breeze, or you break. This is something that trees are experts in, swaying with the breeze. To acknowledge what is, to be flexible, to bend slightly and dissipate some of the force of the wind or the challenge rather than resisting rigidly is also a mark of endurance.

Try this:  The next time you think that you can’t complete an endurance workout, think about the limitless capacity to do we are endowed with in this physical existence. Think about the limitless ways that you could approach things. You can vary your pace.  If appropriate, you could add much more walking. You could put a break in the middle of your workout, you could fuel more. You could rearrange your schedule or taper for a very important long run or schedule more rest afterwards.  Maybe you could pay attention to each footfall, or remove all performance pressure from yourself and just do. Bend a little like the trees and you will find new limits. If you want to read the free e-book, The Runners Body/Mind (go to the sidebar and click on the  Runner's Body/Mind) click here.

S    4.     Support: Trees, especially redwood trees usually live in a forest, a community, an ecosystem. The forest system supports the growth of the individual trees in a number of ways.

How can we use this?

Personal growth and improvement always needs support. Runners need pacers, support crews, trainers, friends, mentors and coaches. We improve more when we work in a community than when we are do everything ourselves. Read, study and learn from others.

Running form coaching is an important part of your development. I am a somatic (body) educator and I would be happy to help you improve the individual aspects of your form. click here  for more information about Scott

All this from being outdoors with beauty that is hard to ignore. My view on Saturday’s run.

Perhaps you were inspired be nature this week. Have fun persisting

Scott :)

Please feel free to leave us you comments and questions.  We appreciate your feedback.