Thomas Ploskina http://www.ploskina.com/blog I write about PHP, Pittsburgh sports, and my daily life in Perú Sun, 13 Jan 2008 17:49:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 en Running Style - Chi Running and Pose Method http://www.ploskina.com/blog/2008/01/13/running-style-chi-running-and-pose-method/ http://www.ploskina.com/blog/2008/01/13/running-style-chi-running-and-pose-method/#comments Sun, 13 Jan 2008 17:49:53 +0000 admin http://www.ploskina.com/blog/2008/01/13/running-style-chi-running-and-pose-method/ A friend of mine here in Lima recently gave me a book called Chi Running. It basically emphasizes the importance of posture and running form. The main goal is for you to create an imaginary line pointing from your head to your feet and to change from a heel striking runner to a mid foot landing. I found the book to be quite elementary in its methods difficult to implement due to poor descriptions and rudimentary drawings. However, I found myself agreeing with the general idea of body posture and changing to a mid-foot landing. I then discovered a web site stressing the “Pose Method.”

The Pose Method again emphasizes a mid-foot landing and using your hamstrings to pick up your foot while using gravity and a slight forward lean to pull you along. So far I’ve down about 5 or 6 runs practicing the methods and have found the need of increased leg motion tiring. I could previously do my 5 mile runs at about a 7:30 pace but now I’m dropping down to about 8:30 practicing the Pose Method.

I really recommend this style of running. It makes very good sense from a physics standpoint. The main thing I’ve noticed so far is lack of soreness. I use to have lower back soreness after my runs and that has all but disappeared. If anyone knows some running coaches in Peru please let me know. I speak pretty fluent Spanish so don’t worry about the language.

Here’s a little bonus. I use a Forerunner 305 GPS watch and here is an 8K I ran back in December. I am looking into developing a WordPress plugin for the watch data in the near future. Click here to see the run!

]]> http://www.ploskina.com/blog/2008/01/13/running-style-chi-running-and-pose-method/feed/ I Have Returned to the Blogosphere http://www.ploskina.com/blog/2008/01/11/hello-world/ http://www.ploskina.com/blog/2008/01/11/hello-world/#comments Sat, 12 Jan 2008 03:54:15 +0000 admin http://www.ploskina.com/blog/?p=1 I don’t even know why I even considered writing my own blog software when there are so many options out there. I chose Word Press simply due to its minimalistic and modular design. Modular and being written in PHP will make it easier for me to tweak things if the need arises. That said I’m really going to make a concerted effort to keep this thing updated with everything from PHP to the Steelers, Penguins, University of Pittsburgh Panthers, and yes even the Pirates. As bad as the buccos have been for 15 years 2008 is the year I return to my favorite childhood past time, baseball. You can also look forward to updates as I start to see more of Perú. I plan to visit the Amazon Jungle in addition to Machu Picchu and Ecuador.

Please join up and post comments and keep them somewhat civil!

Side note:

This will be a dual language blog. I plan to post in Spanish at times for some of my fellow South American friends.

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