August 2013

The Pose Method® of running

by Coach Amy
In 1990 Madonna released her hit “Vogue” that had people all over the globe striking a pose on the dance floor. But many years prior, Russian athletes were striking a different kind of pose on the track, using a running method now simply known as “Pose”.
The Pose Method® style of running was created in 1977 by Russian scientist and track team coach Nicholas Romanov. The Pose Method teaches how to move the body through a series of poses using the least amount of effort, becoming more efficient and effective. Pose running is scientifically proven to reduce 50% of impact on the knees…as long as you do it correctly!

Here are some basic tips to get you started on your Pose journey:
1. Strike a pose by creating an “S” shape though the body. There is a slight lean forward with a small bend in 3 key areas: hips, knees and ankles. The “S” shape and the small bends create a springiness in the body which help to propel you forward. Remember – springiness does not equal muscular tension. Just relax!
2. Landing on the ball of the foot while in your “S” shape maintains the springiness of the body. Keeping your GCM (general center of mass, aka the hips) centered over the ball of the front foot helps to maintain this sense of ease and lightness as you spring along down the road.
3. As you land on the ball of your foot with your GCM centered properly, think about PULLING your front foot off the ground rather than pushing the ground away. This helps to reduce the effort of the leg muscles and decrease fatigue. And let’s face it, we want to look good but we don’t want to have to work hard while doing it.
4. Keep your strides short, quick and soft. Want to go faster, speed up the oscillations (Ooo! Fancy pants word).
5. Gravity is your friend, and you shouldn’t fight with your friends. Just allow gravity to do its job and everyone is happy.
6. Relax your face! And your shoulders! AND your arms! Imagine running with a potato chip between your thumb and first finger and not breaking it. And for you Paleo folks, imagine a kale chip instead.
7. The angle and speed of the arm swing is related to the cadence and speed of the run. BLADES! And “chin to hip”. (Shameless self plug…come to the workshop on Saturday and you’ll understand what those two things mean. Muuuahahaaaa)
As you move your body through the series of poses, you begin to create a pattern of effortless running. But remember, most of the poses are a result, not a cause, of proper body POSE-itioning. Haha, did you see what I did there? I inserted Pose® running into “positioning”. Yes? No? Ok…
So strap on your running shoes, channel your inner Madonna (or Russian athlete) and hit the road feeling light and springy and strike a Pose®!
Join Amy Saturday at 9:30 for a one-hour POSE workshop to become a more efficient, faster runner! Cost is $20 for CFM students or $15 for CFM Helen Challengers ($25 for non-members). Register here.

Lis is back from her vacay to the CrossFit Games & elsewhere! Join her & the rest of your CFM peeps tonight at Parq on Piedmont for Happy Hour from 6 to 8p!

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Goat work Choose a skill or lift to work on for 10 minutes (with your coach’s help!)
B. “Jackie” For time:
1000 meter row
50 thrusters 45/35
30 pull-ups

And coming tomorrow…“31 Heroes”

As many rounds & reps as possible in 31 minutes:
(choose your version)
8 Thrusters (Rx weight is 155/105#, scale as needed)
6 Rope Climbs (scaled do 12 ring rows)
11 Box Jumps (Rx: 30/24″, scale box height as needed)
This is a Partner WOD – Partner #1 will perform the work listed above. Partner #2 will run 400m with a sandbag or kettlebell (Rx: 45/25, scale weight as needed). Once Partner #2 returns from the run, Partner #1 will grab the sandbag/kettlebell and begin their 400m, while Partner #2 continues work wherever #1 left off.
Score is your total # of reps

This WOD was created specifically to honor the 30 men and one dog that gave their lives for our country on August 6, 2011. It is 31 minutes long—one minute in remembrance of each hero. The rep scheme is 8-6-11—the date of their ultimate sacrifice. Finally, this is a partner WOD. The men who gave their lives were from multiple branches of our military, working together as a team. In the workout you and your team member will constantly be taking the load from each other providing much needed support and relief. We realize that no physical sacrifice made during a workout can come close to the sacrifice our brave heroes made, but we consider this WOD a CrossFitter’s “moment of silence.” This is how we can honor those that gave all in the name of freedom.