Pose Method: let gravity help you!

Wanna run with an heart rate of 10 bmp below your normal HR? According to this video it is possible with the use of the so called 'pose method'.

Basically it nothing more than keeping your body tilted forward as shown by the picture below. On the left Dr. Nicholas Romanov who came up with this method tiltiign forward, on the right a 'regular' runner with an upright upper body.


With this pose you also alter your step where you don't push yourself forward but simply 'lift' your leg at the end of the stride. And as the still might suggest you probably will use fore foot landing as well as you don't extract your leg that far foreward.
This tip might be useful for a lot of recreational runners as they tend to run with a rather upright upper body. Pay attention next time you go running by looking at other runners but also at yourself. Fore example if your run in an builded area; look in a large shop window for your own reflection.

The picture above is a still from the BBC video below on the pose method.
Dr. Romanov is not just any runner. As a scientist he was part of the 2000 and 2004 British team for the triathlon on the Olympic games.

The guinea pig is this video is tested running at the same speed running regular en running using the pose method. usig the pose method he runs at a 10bpm lower HR.

Stretching:Yes or No? Don't change your habit!

I've written before on the topic of stretching. Should you do it yes or no and does it help?

Recent research has shown that, with recreational runners there is no difference in the risk your run (nice phrase in this context) on injuries related to your exercises.
With or without strechting one in six runners, in this research experienced an injuries. The risk of an injury was more related to high BMI (overweight) or prior injuries.

The 'test subjects' that changed their habbit and started stretching or stopped strechting ran a risk higher risk. On average roughly one in four experienced injuries.
The researches can not explane this results but to me, of course the disclaimer is in place - I'm not an expert -, is that it has to do with the changed muscle tone after stretching. It will have an effect, even minute, on your running style and every change in style makes you more prone to injuries untill the change has settled in and became the new standard.
So if you want to change; don't or (to my humble opinion) do it gradually....



more details on MedicineNet