ChiRunning: a revolutionary approach to effortless, injury-free running

Foreword

Introduction to the New Edition

Setting Up the Conditions for Energy to Flow

What's New in the New Edition

The Midfoot Strike

The Process of Discovery: The Subtleties of ChiRunning

Gradual Progress: A Practice and a Process

Introduction: Running Lessons from a T'ai Chi Master

Run Like a Child

ChiRunning Versus Power Running

The Discovery of ChiRunning

T'ai Chi Lessons

How to Use This Book

Chapter 1. ChiRunning: A Revolution in Running

The Benefits of Running

Why People Get Injured

Power Running: No Pain, No Gain

The Chi in ChiRunning

Cooperating with Two Forces: The Force of Gravity and the Force of the Road

Make Your Running a Practice

Discovery and Unfoldment

Chapter 2. The Principles of ChiRunning: Moving with Nature

What Happens When You Resist or Don't Follow the Law?

Going with the Flow

The Key Principles

Needle in Cotton: Alignment and Relaxation

Gradual Progress: The Step-by-Step Approach

Balance in Motion: Complementary Balance and Physical Balance

Chapter 3. The Four Chi-Skills

Focusing Your Mind

Body Sensing: High-Speed Access

Breathing: Tapping into Your Chi

Relaxation: The Path of Least Resistance

Chapter 4. Form Focuses: The Basic Components of Technique

Part I. An Overview of the ChiRunning Form: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running

Part II. The Form Focuses

Posture

The Lean: Gravity-Assisted Running

Lower Body Form Focuses

Pelvic Rotation

Upper Body Form Focuses

Gears, Cadence, and Stride Length

Let's Go Running

Focus List

Chapter 5. How to Learn ChiRunning

The Stages of Learning Effortless, Injury-Free Running

Learning Program for Beginning Runners

Learning Program for Intermediate and Advanced Runners

Ten Lessons for Learning the ChiRunning Technique

Life After the Lessons

Chapter 6. Program Development

The Formula for Success

Form, Distance, and Speed: The Three Development Stages of the ChiRunning Technique

Creating a Running Program

The Well-Rounded Running Program

Intervals

Long, Slow Distance Run

Fun Run

Hill Run

Tempo Run

Cross-Training for Running

Program Upgrades: When, How, How Much

Illness and Running

Shoes and Equipment

Chapter 7. Hills, Trails, and Treadmills

Uphill Running

Downhill Running

Trail Running: A Healthy Addiction

Treadmill Running

Chapter 8. Transitioning Into and Out of Running

Transitioning into a Run

Preparing Your Mind

Preparing Your Body

Transitioning Out of a Run

Ending a Run

Cooling Down

Stretching

The Post-run Mind

Chapter 9. Troubleshooting: Injury Prevention and Recovery

The Difference Between Productive and Nonproductive Discomfort

Trying Too Hard

Common Running Injuries

Chapter 10. Peak Performance and Race-Specific Training

Racing

Race-Specific Training

Great Training Tips

Race-Day Tips

For Triathletes

Running a Marathon

Chapter 11. Getting the Most Chi from Your Food

Principles of ChiRunning Applied to Diet

The Pyramid

Non-Identification: Getting Yourself Out of the Way

Practical Steps for a Healthy Diet

Running and Weight Loss

Recommended Reading

Chapter 12. Run as You Live, Live as You Run

Guidelines for ChiLiving

Opening New Doors

Appendix A. Guide to the Muscles Referred to in the Book

Acknowledgments

Index