| In this article, Danny Dreyer shares on developing | | | | am I paying this guy for" [laughter] But I will tell |
| proper posture for walking and running. Danny | | | | you, he was trained in the old way in the old |
| Dreyer is the author of ChiWalking and ChiRunning. | | | | school and this was how they started people and |
| Kevin: You are an expert at this topic, I have | | | | I tell you, I am so thankful that I learned, because |
| been to some of your seminars and I have | | | | in those three weeks I was standing there and |
| absolutely loved this approach to walking running | | | | there isn't a whole lot to do but focus on what |
| and it is so radically different. I want to tell | | | | you are doing. |
| everyone out there is, if you have views about | | | | Kevin: Right. |
| walking and running I want you to listen to this | | | | Danny: And it was fabulous. It really altered my |
| with an open mind because this could possibly | | | | approach to the alignment of my body. And then |
| change the way that you approach it for years | | | | I had to work out getting that down while I was |
| and years to come. So Danny, why don't you tell | | | | standing still, so that when I am moving with my |
| us a little about your story? | | | | running and walking, I could still feel that same |
| Danny: Well, basically I have been running for | | | | stand every time my foot came down on the |
| about 35 years. In 1991, I started off just doing | | | | ground. |
| ultra running; I didn't start off with 5kms or 10 | | | | Kevin: Got it. |
| kms I just went off to ultra running. | | | | Danny: So when you are walking or running your |
| Kevin: Explain what ultra running is. | | | | weight is supported basically by one leg at a time. |
| Danny: Basically an ultra marathon is, any distance | | | | Every time you come down on your leg while |
| longer than a marathon. So it goes from 26.3 | | | | you are running, your whole body weight is on |
| [laughs] all the way up to any amount, in fact | | | | that leg. When you are walking and you step |
| there are some that are 3000 miles. | | | | forward, as you go on to that leg, your whole |
| Kevin: Wow! | | | | body weight is on one leg while you pick up your |
| Danny: I didn't do that. My distance is 50km, 50 | | | | other foot. So that is the similarity between |
| miles, 100kms, 100miles. I have done a couple 100 | | | | walking and running. So while you are on that one |
| milers and I call myself a retired 100 miler at this | | | | leg, it's very important to have your posture |
| point. But, I got into ultra running and in order to | | | | correct so that your weight is supported more by |
| run those kind of distances I really needed to | | | | your structure than by your muscles. That's |
| learn to become highly efficient with my running. | | | | where your energy efficiency begins. |
| Kevin: Sure. | | | | Kevin: And how do you feel that posture? So |
| Danny: So I wasn't burning up all my fuel plus I | | | | how would I feel that I am in proper alignment? |
| was not banging myself up over the race course. | | | | Danny: Well, one way to be able to feel is - - it's |
| Then I took my first Tai-Chi class and there was | | | | interesting because what you are looking for in a |
| a tai chi master from China that was teaching us | | | | posture stand, in a correct posture stand, is if you |
| how in Tai-chi you have a centre line that runs | | | | are standing beside a full length mirror you'd want |
| down through the axis of your body, from your | | | | to stand in a way that you could see that your |
| head to your toes. | | | | shoulders, your hip bones and your ankles formed |
| Kevin: OK | | | | a perfectly perpendicular line and they were in line |
| Danny: You rotate through the center line and if | | | | with each other. |
| your posture and alignment is correct then your | | | | Kevin: OK. |
| body weight is supported by the center line not | | | | Danny: Most people stand with their hips a little bit |
| your muscles. And then you can relax everything | | | | forward, I would say 75 percent of all people in |
| else because Tai-chi is done in very aligned state, | | | | the United States and I would say [laughs] 10 |
| but a very relaxed state. So your arms and legs | | | | percent of people outside. We have lousy posture. |
| are really relaxed. The whole thing about Tai-chi is | | | | And our hips are too far forward as we are just |
| to get chi to move through our body directing it | | | | standing there because we slouch a lot and things |
| with your mind but letting the Chi move through | | | | and so I would suggest, to start people up with |
| your body. And I combined that with trying to | | | | basic posture. Stand on your two feet have them |
| keep my posture line really straight, trying to | | | | about hip-width apart, and you want to not lock |
| keep my arms and legs really relaxed, and at the | | | | your knees, it's a big mistake. |
| same time trying to fall forward because I had | | | | Kevin: OK, and then. |
| been playing with this thing of leaning into the pull | | | | Danny: Stand on your legs so stand on your two |
| of gravity. To help propel me and it completely | | | | feet, feel the balance on your two legs. So one |
| rocked my boat, I mean, I was never the same | | | | leg isn't holding more weight than the other and |
| runner after that. So I have been working on | | | | then you want to balance it so that you don't feel |
| perfecting this technique now for 10 years and | | | | the front of your feet more than you heel. So |
| been teaching it for about that long and we are | | | | you balance that way. And then you also want to |
| having great results with people, you know, | | | | balance inside to outside on your feet. So you are |
| especially people that are afraid of injuries. When | | | | not a pronater caving in on the inside and you are |
| you said you want people to do this with an open | | | | not bowlegged when you weight is all on the |
| mind, it's like you know, running has one of the | | | | outside. |
| worst reputations for hurting people -- Suspended | | | | Kevin: Got you. |
| disbelief is when you have a belief that when you | | | | Danny: You want to really create balance from |
| think running is going to hurt you, I want you to | | | | the bottoms of your feet in all three directions, |
| suspend your disbelief momentarily while we | | | | side to side, inside to outside and front to back. |
| explain this, but we have gotten people that have | | | | Once your legs are aligned, then you want to |
| really come back from knee surgery, or avoided | | | | straighten up your upper spine, you know, where |
| knee surgery, you know, all kinds of athletes that | | | | you are not hunched over, just want to kind of |
| have found that not only feels better afterwards | | | | straighten up a little bit to where you are not |
| but they don't get hurt while they are doing it. | | | | pulling your shoulders back, it's like how the |
| Kevin: Wow. | | | | marines do it that's really not correct. You know, |
| Danny: So two things that we really emphasize | | | | you just want to straighten your spine a little. |
| and teach people in ChiRunning is energy | | | | Then I just have people lift up, put their hand up |
| efficiency and injury prevention and those are our | | | | under their collar bone and kind of lift up their |
| hallmarks. That is exactly what we are at. Not | | | | collar bone. Well this helps you breathe easier and |
| necessarily just with the lead athletes or anything. | | | | helps you align your spine better. And then the |
| We'll take anybody who has never had a pair of | | | | other thing they do like in the yoga class is just, |
| running shoes on. We turn them into a fabulous | | | | links on the back of your neck pretend like you |
| runner. | | | | are trying to really make the back of your neck |
| Kevin: Wow! And when you say ChiRunning, I | | | | longer and this will naturally drop your chin in a |
| mean, you apply the same principles to walking | | | | comfortable way. Then once you get your legs |
| too, so there are people on the call who just | | | | kind of aligned, and your upper body aligned, what |
| want to learn how to walk more efficiently, this | | | | you want to do is look down and see if you can |
| applies. | | | | see your shoe laces and if you can't see your |
| Danny: Oh. It's across the board. Walking and | | | | shoe laces, then your hips are too far forward or |
| running as long as you are bi-pedal we call it - yes, | | | | you need to quit drinking beer. |
| it definitely works for walkers too and the basic | | | | Kevin: [laughs] |
| principles that I learned from Tai-chi I brought into | | | | Danny: And so what you want to do is if you |
| running and walking. Running and walking even in | | | | can't see your shoes laces, put your two fingers |
| themselves have technique that is different from | | | | on your upper hip bones, they are not really your |
| each other but not that different. | | | | hip bones, they are your aliac crest, your pointers, |
| Kevin: Let's talk about those principles. How were | | | | put your two fingers on that and just move your |
| you able to go to that Tai-chi class and say | | | | pelvis to the rear so that you can see your shoe |
| "alright, this is what I am learning here" and how | | | | laces. |
| are you able to directly apply that? | | | | Kevin: Got you. |
| Danny: There was my Tai-chi class, I'll tell you, the | | | | Danny: And if you do that and look into this side |
| first three weeks I was there and that was the | | | | view, the rear view mirror at the same time you |
| class that was twice a week for an hour and a | | | | will be able to see that actually you are standing in |
| half. | | | | a straight line, even if thought it might feel like |
| Kevin: Oh my! | | | | you are y bent over at the waist a little bit. You |
| Danny: First three weeks of class, all I did was | | | | are actually straight. And when you get into this |
| stand there. The master had me just work on | | | | where your feet are balanced and your posture is |
| my posture. Then he got me into this correct | | | | perfectly straight, you don't feel any work going |
| posture form that Tai-chi uses. And then he had | | | | on in your body at all. Its like, it's hard to explain, I |
| me stand there and then he went away and you | | | | don't feel any muscles. When I was doing this |
| know, and talk to other people in his class, they | | | | three weeks of standing there, I could stand |
| were about 30 people in the class and everybody | | | | there and just about fallen asleep. |
| was at different levels. | | | | Kevin: Wow. |
| Kevin: OK. | | | | Danny: Yeah, you just don't feel your body. It |
| Danny: And for twice a week, for an hour and a | | | | doesn't ache, your back doesn't hurt, your knees |
| half, for three weeks all I did was stand there in | | | | don't hurt, you find this balance point where you |
| class. Yes and I kept paying and am going "what | | | | don't feel a thing. |