Pain rather than the pleasure of speed frequently defines the experience of running, which means that sooner or later every one who makes like a gazelle discovers that they’re, well, not a gazelle.

Then again, how durable would a gazelle prove to be if its life span was extended 50 or 60 more years?

Susceptible to the same wear and tear problems people face, chances are gazelles would respond by modifying their running technique. An increasing number of runners are using the forces of gravity, and the laws of physics to govern their adaptations. They’ve taken up ChiRunning, an inventive form of exercise conceived by American marathoner Danny Dreyer (www.chirunning.com).

Gifted athletes such as Dreyer aren’t immune from joint pain, stress fractures or shin splints, the common maladies afflicting almost everyone who runs. While studying Tai Chi, Dreyer became fascinated by the possibility of blending many of its principles with those that govern running. He evolved a new technique, one that changed his running form and miraculously ended his pain. Today ChiRunning is widely embraced, especially among older runners who are particularly vulnerable to injury.

The merits of running are widely known. Evidence suggests that the fundamentals of Tai Chi and its attendant health benefits are an ideal complement.

“Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese martial art that has been practiced for many centuries,” explains Dr. Chenchen Wang, an assistant professor of medicine at Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston.

“It combines deep diaphragmatic breathing and relaxation with many fundamental postures having slow, gentle, graceful movements linked together in a continuous manner that flow imperceptibly and smoothly from one to the other. It has been advocated for development of mind-body interaction, breathing regulation with body movement, and hand-eye coordination.”
Since 1979, Dr.Wang has conducted a systematic review of Tai Chi studies undertaken in both eastern and western nations. Their focus was the physiological and psychosocial benefits of Tai Chi.

“Benefits were reported by almost all the authors of these 47 studies. Significant improvements in heart and lung function in healthy subjects were noted, and with patients who had coronary artery bypass surgery. Overall, Tai Chi appears to have physical and mental benefits. It also appears to be safe and effective in promoting balance control, strength and flexibility, and heart and lung function for patients with chronic conditions, particularly in older adults. Furthermore it appears to relieve arthritis symptoms, and helps to reduce stress, anxiety and depression.”

ChiRunning taps into natural sources of energy, such as gravity, which pulls you forward when you stop resisting its force. Learning to relax, concentrating on posture, and utilizing the power of core muscles are among its main tenets. Breathing is another critical aspect essential to the technique.

“Bio-mechanics supported by the laws of physics, not the laws of strength,” is how Dreyer puts it.

ChiRunning emphasizes motion rather than muscle. Running form is crucial—an upright perfectly aligned body functions more efficiently because it derives strength from core muscles. In contrast to other techniques, ChiRunning features less reliance on leg muscles, and greater utilization of gravity, which gives adherents a slight but distinctive forward lean.

And no ipods allowed! Focus is key.



Properly executed ChiRunning appears to help runners in a number of ways:

• Develops strong core muscles.
• Prevents over-striding, and heel-strike form, the principal sources of chronic knee pain.
• Relaxes peripheral muscles and keeps them supple.
• Strengthens abdominals, easing pressure on the lower back muscles.
• Eliminates shin splints by keeping runners off their toes.
• Uses gravity to reduce stress on the legs.