About ChiRunning®

ChiRunning is an exciting new approach to running for fitness that combines the running form with the mind/body focuses associated with martial arts such as T'ai Chi.

There are three primary benefits to ChiRunning vs. however you probably run today:

Reduced Soreness and Injuries

ChiRunning emphasizes efficient biomechanical running form to reduce use of muscles and the pain and pounding that the body takes during recreational jogs or competitive runs.

65% of all people that run regularly will be injured at some point during the year and have to take time off. Because of this statistic, running has been branded a high-injury sport, but the simple truth is running itself is not the problem — it's the way most people run that causes injuries. ChiRunning shows you how to reduce or eliminate the risk of common injuries and how to relax your body while running to reduce muscle use and in turn, dramatically reduce post-run muscle soreness.

Improved Running Efficiency

Few people would question that golf or tennis lessons will improve your results in those sports, yet when it comes to running, most runners are completely self taught and have never really questioned whether there is a better way. As a result, many runners have dramatic inefficiencies that are leading to fatigue, slowing them down, and causing a rash of running injuries.

Chi Running changes running from something you do with your legs, to something you do with your mind and entire body in collaboration with the forces of nature (specifically gravity). Rather than your legs pushing you down the road, you learn how to use a strong set of core muscles and engage gravity to propel you forward while relaxing your arms and legs. The result is a highly efficient running form that requires much less overall effort, reduces pounding on the body and reduces your bodies recovery times by 50-90%.

Mind/Body Connection

ChiRunning changes the way you think about running from being a fitness activity or a sport to being an holistic practice, more like T'ai Chi or Chi Gung. In fact, many of the principles of ChiRunning originated from Tai Chi and similar martial arts.

ChiRunning uses a process called "body sensing" to teach you how to connect your awareness and attention with your body sensations to really listen to what your body is saying and interpret what it needs. As you learn ChiRunning skills you will also learn how to evaluate and apply them as various situation arise, making running into an ongoing opportunity for self-growth and development. This increased mind/body communication will naturally spill over into the rest of your life and help you make choices and decisions more grounded in your own well being.