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Imserba Webstore - Evolution Running: Run Faster with Fewer Injuries
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List Price: N/A
Our Price: $23.05
Your Save: $ -23.05 ( % )
Availability: N/A
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: DVD
EAN: 0978193138278
Number Of Items: 1
Publication Date: 2005
Region Code: 0.0
Running Time: 45
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Editorial Reviews:
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The Ultrafit Multisport Training Series
Athletes in every sport except running devote enormous attention to perfecting even minute details of the movements they will be required to produce in competition. Running coaches just tell their athletes to run longer and harder. Runners, and their coaches, have basically ignored technique for years, assuming that their natural stride will give them efficiency and injury resistance. We have found that this simply is not the case.
For the past decade, African runners have dominated distance running at its highest levels. Research on what makes these runners faster consistently demonstrates normal VO2 Max and lactate threshold levels for elite runners. Their height, weight, and limb-length ratios all fall into the normal category. Clearly and consistently, what sets the great African runners apart is that they are more efficient than their competitors, running faster without expending more energy. Experts in running economy agree that running barefoot through childhood contributes significantly to the extraordinary economy of these athletes. We're not suggesting that you run barefoot. We are suggesting that you take the time and effort to learn the techniques that may be more natural running barefoot, and implement them into your shoe-running technique.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: I Wish I Had Found This DVD First
Comment: After reading "Born to Run" and investigating barefoot running techniques, I learned that I was a serious "heel-striker" and always have been. Forehead slap!
I set out to change my running form and unfortunately I went to books first instead of videos. Mistake. I wish I had found this DVD *first*. I have been investigating barefoot running, chi, and POSE, and much of it confused me, as authors tend to describe the same thing 20 different ways. And I'm sorry, a series of 50 still-frames printed in black-and-white across two pages of a book is NOT THE SAME as a VIDEO! There is simply no substitute for video when trying to learn a dynamic motion.
While this is not hollywood-quality production, it is more than good enough, and it has the information where it counts, mainly the ability to "see" what people with correct form are doing, compared to the inefficient stride that most amateurs are using. In this case a $25 DVD and 45 minutes of your time is worth weeks and weeks spent with a stack of books.
This DVD leaves little out -- it talks about "barefoot" running but avoids falling into the "cult of barefoot weirdos". It simply says barefoot runners are efficient, and that you can apply the same efficiency techniques while wearing shoes. Perfectly logical to me.
The DVD also covers using a metronome for cadence (way helpful!), and is very insightful about the theory of running uphill and downhill which most books say NOTHING about ... namely that very little should change in your form whether running flats, up, or downhill. Also a refreshingly logical perspective.
It also shows SIMPLE drills to help you feel the right way to spring off your feet. Which also makes complete sense because deep down running is simple. I shouldn't need a gym full of rubber bands and fitballs and 5 coaches to teach me how to put one foot in front of the other. The simple drills and images in this video helped me instantly "get it" instead of reading complex descriptions like "the foot should land and rotate at such-and-such position toward the medial axis of blah" ... or "think about running on ice" or "think about running on water" ... well, which is it, water, ice, what? Video is worth 1,000 wasted descriptions.
I might recommend that newcomers get this DVD in conjunction with *reading* about running technique of whatever method. Deep down they are all more similar than different -- there is only one way to run and land on the forefoot, after all.
If I came at this DVD out of the blue, I might not think much of it. But after reading through 10 books and websites about running theory and using myself as a guinea-pig, I now recognize that this DVD hits on ALL the main points of efficient running that I have been reading about everywhere else. They did a superb job at being concise and effective. The DVD is deceptively brief, there is A LOT here.
Even more importantly (bad for me though!) is there is a brief TROUBLESHOOTING section on the DVD. It lists about 5 or so major mistakes that people make when trying to change their form. Unfortunately I made them all, thanks to the books I read.
Like the title of my review says, I wish I would've found this DVD first. It makes total sense.
As far as negatives go, this DVD spends a bit too much time explaining the mechanics of why heel-striking is bad. I already knew that, so I had the "preaching to the choir" type of experience. I think most people who buy this DVD are already looking for an alternative to injury-creating running form, so they didn't have to harp on it so much. It's a small criticism though.
Another negative is that they didn't really explore the performance gains, and how to apply the new techniques to running FAST. I know that the coach is training champion triathletes, and their testimonials are in the videos, but the specifics on how much improvement a person can get from changing their technique would have made the video even that much more compelling. One person says she went from being a local elite to #3 in the world (impressive!) but there's no specifics on race times or data. They do say that you can be 4% or 5% more efficient, and that equates to a couple of minutes per hour off your PR times... and maybe that's as specific as they can get legally, or whatever, but it would have been nice to have more detail about real-world training and performance.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Comment: Great DVD! Very helpful in explaining what to do and why. No more ankle pain when running, not as tired at the end and better time.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Very Good -- Not Great
Comment: The DVD explains the perfect running style. However, it's hard to change your running style on your own, by watching a presentation. The DVD does give some running drills (I would have liked more) and some tips. The information presented seems correct, but at times, it seems like an advertisement to hire them to coach you. If you buy the DVD, be sure to watch ALL of it (including the FAQ and problem solving in the extras sections) before you try to change your running style. Most people (including me) try to point their foot too much when they change to a forefoot landing stride. Even now, I'm not sure I'm doing it right. Maybe I should hire them to coach me...
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent Short Video with Actual Runners Demonstrating Running on the Forefoot with Drills
Comment: Excellent straight forward technical video explaining the forefoot running technique that explains why heel running is not only inefficient but contributes to injury by increasing shock loads on parts of the body that are ill equipped to deal with it. The over riding principal is that landing on the forefoot eliminates braking experienced by heel running and that forefoot running mimics barefoot running that is more natural and more conducive to the body's natural ability for shock absorption. Not an easy or immediate adjustment for traditional heel runners like me, the strength of the foot has to gradually build up, but improvements can be felt quit readily particularly if coached by an observer. The DVD includes discussion of quicker shorter strides keeping foot strike below the hips and not ahead that contributes to injury. A plus is that actual runners demonstrate the techniques and drills. A second section shows the drills exclusively that assist you in performing them. The narrator's monotone voice is a bit sleep inducing, too bad he didn't have multiple speakers to break his rhythm, but it's a lot of good information in less than 30 minutes and a great price.
Customer Rating:
Summary: You CAN do it
Comment: I would say that Joy didn't make one of her stupidest purchases ever. Rather, she did the stupidest thing possible by not making a gentle and smooth transition. It took me almost 3 years to pull it off.
First you just need to build up the small muscles in your feet. Just because you run a lot doesn't mean you have strong feet. Most runners actually have weak feet because they have nothing more than glorified pillows strapped to them. I started by going barefoot in the house all the time. Then I would do light jogging on grass 2-3 times a week for 10 minutes or so at a time. Then I went slowly through 3 different shoes, each one with less cushioning than the previous, each one with less heel lift.
It took me nearly 3 years before all the little (and big!) aches and pains in my plantar area, achilles and lower calf went away. Whenever I felt plantar fasciitis or achilles tendonitis settling in, I'd just back off for a few days, doing less or no running and massaging the hell out the bottoms of my feet and the lower calves. The transition is done, however, and I'm glad I saw it through. I'm in my mid-50s and run faster & farther than I have in years. (I can break 20 for the 5K.) I've been injury free for a long time now, and I can run 20 miles in shoes that weigh 3 oz., have no arch support (I have HIGH arches!) and hardly any cushioning. You can roll them up into a little ball.
You can't simply take years of investment (15 yrs. in Joy's case, 35 in mine) in a particular FORM of running -- to which your entire musculature has adapted! -- and expect to change it in the course of a few months. No pity for Joy, and her podiatrist (who keeps in business, in my opinion, from supporting the kinds of shoes that wreak havoc on us and create lazy feet) is just plain dumb. No other call.
There are no shortcuts here (unless you're very young with few miles under your belt). You have to be wise, patient, and totally committed to seeing it through.
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