Rocky Mountain High...and how to run efficiently

I'm on a business trip in Colorado right now. I used to live in Colorado Springs, and it's been 4 years since I've visited the state.



Maybe it's the majestic, snow-capped mountains, with hopes of snowboarding at the end of my trip


Or, perhaps the Schizophrenic weather:

"a state characterized by the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements."
-It snows by morning, and is sunny and clear by afternoon

There are a ton of cool restaurants out there, too.

But maybe, its the new allowance for marijuana to be legally smoked?

Either way, the place gives off a vibe of another world. The city of Denver has a higher energy, the people seem healthier, and there is plenty of opportunity to engage the wilderness in recreational activity.

You see people running and wanting to buy organic food, others making high-level business negotiations, a guy in spandex cranking out a hill-sprint on his bike, and others 'checking out' to do their thing with an intellectually stimulating book, or psychoactive compound of choice.

This brings about some interesting conversation for sure - but one thing that I can't seem to escape from, is people asking me for fitness advice...


It kinda 'comes up'. I guess being a personal trainer and living what I teach has something to do with it - as I certainly am not looking for opportunities to talk about work.

I noticed something though: What I take for granted and teach as 'standard policy' to my clients, has the potential to completely revolutionize someone's world - even someone who is already active and 'healthy'. I don't say that lightly.

One example:

Apparently there is a 'craze' about mid-foot or 'ball of foot' running. I thought that was how humans run most efficiently. But, I guess there are those who insist upon heel-striking, taking huge steps, giving themselves shin-splints, bad knees and lower back problems. Why? Ask them.

If that's you...STOP IT! Use your posterior chain (muscles of the back-side of your body), and PULL yourself across the ground, taking shorter steps, and using your muscles to propel you - not your bones/ligaments to crash-land upon.

Its the only way to run well - in my humble opinion.

Practical tips summary:

1) Take short steps
2) Land mid to ball of foot
3) PULL the ground/treadmill towards you...like a chicken scratching the ground
4) Think "glute-hamstring-calf" in terms of muscle engagement
5) In so doing, propel yourself forward, by pulling backwards - NOT by reaching forward with bigger steps and landing on your heel.
6) Keep your hips relatively forward, your upper back extended, and pretend like a rubber band is around your hips/lower back, pulling you upwards at 45 degrees
7) Breathe through your nose, and out your mouth: This will filter the air going into your lungs, and help you control your breathing.
8) Try exhaling as your left foot lands...it may prevent a type of side-ache caused by the jostling of the liver (which is on the right side of your body)

Have at it  - let me know how it goes,

JG