I was in a shopping mall yesterday and spent quality time with my family. I stumbled into a bookstore and I saw a book entitled Chi Running. The book really caught my attention and since I don’t have a budget to purchase the book, I decided to search it instead online.
So what is Chi Running and how it can help you lose weight? Based on my research, this kind of running regimen was developed by Ultramarathon and Tai Chi practitioner Danny Dreyer along with his wife and team. This type of workout is a sequel to Dreyer’s Chi Walking, which are both revised or modified forms of moving that conjuncts to subtle inner focuses of Tai Chi’s walking and running routines.
So it’s basically a method of running instructions based on Master George Xu’s Tai Chi concepts. The foundation of Tai Chi is correct posture, mental focus and relaxation, all of which are included in Chi Running technique. Let’s take a look first on Chi Running’s history before we discuss its weight loss benefits.
History of Chi Running
Danny Dreyer is an advocate of running which he believes as one of the best and simplest exercise routines for health and fitness. After years of personal running journeys, he began to study Tai Chi with Master George Xu in San Francisco. He later combined some Tai Chi techniques into his running program and Chi Running was developed.
Some aspects of Chi Running were also influenced by Total Immersion Swimming, another workout technique created by Terry Laughlin. Through Dreyer’s experience and the help of his team, he created Chi Walking and later formed Chi Living, Inc. His company’s primary goal is to commercialize his workout invention and market instructional materials such as DVD’s, books and instructional courses.
In 1999, Chi Running became popular through the marketing efforts of Dreyer’s company. It has taught the many benefits of natural, almost barefoot kind of running to thousands of people worldwide. Today, Chi Running has 170 certified instructors scattered in 21 countries. The book (which I saw from the bookstore) has been translated into 10 languages with over 300,000 copies printed.
In 2008, Chi Living, Inc. began a partnership with New Balance (shoe maker) to market a running shoe designed for Chi Runners that practice a midfoot strike. In 2009, a revised edition of Chi Running was released in the US by Simon and Schuster.
Principles of Chi Running
Running has gotten bad reputations in comparison to other workout routines. Through the years, many fitness experts recommendss jogging or walking instead of running because of higher probability of muscle stress, injuries and pain. Despite its health and weight loss benefits, running is now least prioritized for most people who regularly exercise.
This is the main objective of Chi Running, to disprove this myth and make running the best physical activity for health and fitness. Its principle starts from the very basic of traditional running program. It focuses on power, strength and speed to force the practitioner along the course as fast and as long as possible. Below is a quote from Danny Dreyer’s book:
“Running does not cause injury; incorrect or inefficient running technique is the true culprit.”
However, Chi Running focuses more on efficiency and relaxation, emphasizes the form over conditioning that most athletes and usual practitioners do. In short, the runner’s physical improvement is much more crucial than speed.
Chi Running is a stress-free routine that can benefit both seasoned and first time runners. The goal is to run as natural as possible, with less prone to injuries and pain. Just like Yoga and Tai Chi, Chi Running’s approach is to achieve a mindful practice, making you to be more efficient in running and apply self-awareness on different aspects of running such as the course with less time and finish line your less priorities.
Traditional running is a hard work and will make you tired easily. That is if you are running inefficiently. Applying Chi Running makes running fun and much easier, which also gives you more benefits including weight loss. Practitioners have testified that Chi Running changed their workout routines and improved their over all health.
Chi Running Techniques
Running relaxed with less resistance from your body is the main approach of Chi Running. It will greatly lessen leg muscle stress, pain and injuries because you are not forced to heavily to run. It is based entirely on the same principles of Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi, which works on core muscles, integrating the mind and the body and promotes long-term application.
This running technique will sharpen your mind which enables you to have mental edge to finish the course. However as said earlier, what matters is the quality of your running experience and the sustainability of your well-being instead. Chi Running includes landing with a midfoot strike that uses a gravity-assisted forward lean and engaging core strength for propulsion instead of strength. Other techniques includes the following:
- body loosening exercises before running
- aligning the body in a vertical column
- leaning forward while running (gravity-assisted)
- running with a midfoot strike
- opening the stride out the back
- less arm swing
- keeps arms from crossing the center line of the body
- maintain consistent cadence
- speeding or slowing down depending on the angle of the lean and not cadence
- body relaxation especially the lower extremities
- body scanning to eliminate discomfort, tension, stress or pain
- form focusing to maintain alignment
These techniques of Chi Running will make your running routine much easier, enjoyable and healthier for your whole body. This means that you will certainly help yourself lose weight through Chi Running approach.
How can Chi Running Help you Lose Weight?
Like any other workouts, Chi Running is a perfect body exercise that will work all your muscle parts. Which in turn burns more calories and fat. Since it’s based on Tai Chi, Pilates and Yoga, it guarantees that you won’t just lose weight, but you will also achieve inner peace and improved mental health.
This techniques is predisposed to running, a natural and barefoot-like running is one of the best workouts to get healthier and fitter body. Plus, it helps relieves stress, gives you positive mood and you will definitely feel great and healthy. Chi Running aims to be the premier way for fitness, disproving every myths such as pain, muscle stress, injuries and the notion that running is only for athletes.
If you want to fasten up your weight loss with Chi Running regimen, you have to incorporate proper and healthy diet along with other physical activities that you can insert into your workout schedule. Also, if you haven’t try any weight loss products to help you lose weight, then consider taking any diet pills that are proven effective and safe for consumption.
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