Healing Waters of #GreatLakes to Assist #InjuryFreeRunning #Barefoot:

Part of my autumn, 2015 training has involved daily ‘dips’ in Lake Ontario (one of the 5 Great Lakes of Canada). We happen to live on the shores of Lake Ontario and have a family cottage on Lake Huron. Thus, I have grown up swimming in some of the coldest fresh water lakes on the planet. It never truly dawned on me the powerful healing properties of the Great lakes – until this fall season. As the air temperature lowered and the lake temperature lowered in kind, I decided to continue my daily early morning (6:30) dunks…just because!
After the 1st of these, I noticed a few things were happening to my body. These included:

1. the rush of blood to my heart and lung system
2. the increase in my breathing rate
3. the total elimination of aches and pains from my body (my dunks are always after a rather strenuous outdoor running workout)
4. the rush of adrenaline upon exiting the lake and drying off
5. the feeling of being alive, alert and ready to take on the day – an instant response
6. the positive mental state no matter what was going on in my life

Beyond this, I started training one of my 140.6 swim, bike, run clients on the rocks of a marsh close to where I live in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada (called Rattray Marsh). Michelle happens to run barefoot and came to me 5 years ago to learn to proper way to do so. She also competes in the Canadian Death Race (in the Rockie Mountains) where running barefoot over rocks, gravel and stone is the norm. I decided to incorporate the following into a typical 1 hour session:

1. doing hill reps running side to side, crossover, forward, weaving, shuffle on an 8% grade of rough, sharp stone, rock and gravel leading into the marsh. This fully activated Michelle’s feet
2. doing reps over a bed of sharp stone mixed with flat slate, focusing on a springing action from the mid-foot
3. running into the marsh, sinking in mud and pulling out quickly to build up fatigue tolerance in the legs
4. running through the bush over logs, tree roots, log bridges and up and down steps to improve balance and reaction time
5. running along the lake over river rock covered in slime to better activate the feet, improve blood flow through the extremities and increase proprioceptive activity from the feet through the rest of the body
6. running into and out of the lake (temperatures of 8 to 12 degrees celsius) over sand, stone, zebra muscle shells and logs) to promote better blood flow and flushing out of bodily toxins
7. backward up and down the far east hill of the marsh over sharp stone and gravel to stimulate the extensor chain group of muscles. These in turn improve posture, balance and decrease the risk of avoidable running injuries

Michelle experienced a total unlocking of her body which in turn helped her swim, bike and run injury-free over tough daily workouts. She also recovered from a minor calf muscle tear (incurred whilst pushing heavy wattage on her bike) after one session in the Marsh – we both attribute the speedy recovery to the healing powers of running barefoot over river rock and stone plus the plunges into the rather cold waters of Lake Ontario. There had been no other form of treatment.
This is not a research study with a sample size of 2. It is simply an Exercise Physiologist training one of his clients and discovering the healing effects of barefoot running on various rough terrain in the waters of a Great Lake. I don’t expect many (or ANY, for that matter) of you to rush out and train like Michelle and me. However, do yourself a favour and go barefoot over the stones and rocks of your backyard or neighbourhood AND walk barefoot through the next puddle of cold water you encounter. Then tell me that you didn’t notice positive energy coursing through your body!

coach Jeff

#Teen #running Group Learns #injuryFreeRunning #Barefoot from the #Coach:

For the past 10 years (2 times per year!), I have been invited to speak at the Credit Valley Hospital Teen Running Programme in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. This is a programme launched by Dan McGann – a medical Social Worker whose clients are mainly teenagers battling various mental health issues.

As a frame of reference regarding how Dan and I met, let me take you back almost 15 years. This is when Dan decided to run a marathon and joined a running clinic. I happened to be leading said clinic! Dan was 1 of a group of 25  whom I successfully trained to complete the Mississauga marathon. From then forward, Dan and I stayed in contact periodically. Eleven years ago, Dan talked to me about the viability of offering a 12 week running programme as a means of naturally improving the mental health condition of his teenage clients. The limited research at the time indicated that physical exercise (and specifically running) was intimately important in its ability to positively impact was the mental state of troubled teens.

Dan proceeded to get approval from the hospital and minimal funding to launch the Teen Running Programme. Remembering back to his time training with me, Dan asked if I would attend one of the sessions and speak to the kids about:

1. my squat-scoot style of mid-foot, safe, efficient running
2. my philosophy around barefoot running
3. my aversion to wearing any form of ‘coffin’ (running shoe)
4. my enthusiasm toward the positive influence of running on mental health
5. my Team Over The Top mantra “Believe and Achieve” and how this applies to the kids’ day to day lives
6. my technical approach to running safely before all else (practice perfectly or don’t bother – you’ll simply get hurt and quit!)

I was only too willing to do so. Thus began a 10 year journey of me addressing the kids and the kids addressing the old coach. I learn as much about life from the kids as I impart on them. We make a promise to each other at the beginning of each presentation – “all of you promise to be present with me for the next hour and I promise that you will learn a new, valuable lesson”. Inevitably, we both keep our promises!

My approach is:

• have the kids show me their current running technique
• take them through a few drills to lock in my squat-scoot technique
• get them barefoot to activate the whole body in preparation for the squat-scoot technique
• to demonstrate my Squat-Scoot technique – barefoot, of course – and then have them go through various drills geared toward my tight, light, compact, forward style (the 4 pillars of my safe technique of running)
• to introduce the Barefoot-Science patented graded pad insert system (it actually STRENGTHENS the feet and the rest of the body instead of BRACING it as per orthotics and ‘coffins’)
• to discuss the challenge of running (it’s the single most difficult thing the teens will attempt in their lives) and the endorphin stimulant release from running that helps improve the mental state
• to understand that life is about choices and BELIEVING that you can ACHIEVE things beyond your wildest dreams – without drugs, anxiety, depression

The teens inevitability feel a reduction in negative stress and anxiety by the end of my session with them. They also comment on how much better it is to run barefoot – less pounding on their joints, quieter impact, more feedback to the rest of their body. This further reinforces to me (and Dan) the importance of physical activity for mental well-being. Drug treatment and therapy still play important roles BUT now it is proven that regular physical activity (and especially running) is an integral part – not just of Dan’s programme but of many offshoot pogrammes now offered throughout Canada.

Much more work in this area needs to been done yet. With the commitment and willingness of health professionals to ‘think outside the box’, the future is much brighter for all youth battling mental health issues.

Going barefoot at any time, anywhere is critically important to one’s overall well-being. So what the hell are you waiting for? Get barefoot and thrive!!

 

coach Jeff

Transforming #InjuredRunners One at a Time – #InjuryFreeRunning #Barefoot:

One of my running clients recently referred three of his colleagues (who had experienced a myriad of running injuries over the course of a number of years) to me. The purpose of the referral was to assist the three in learning how to run again – safely and efficiently. My client had been referred to me 11/2 years ago for the same reason. After a few technical training sessions with me, he was back running – without pain nor what I call “avoidable running injuries”.

When I met with the three ladies, the training session went as follows:

• a discussion about their running injury history (2 of the three have severe plantar fasciitis, the third has a number of ‘itis’ issues – all avoidable!)
• a discussion of their treatment(s) to ‘fix’ their injuries
• a discussion about their current injuries, treatment, ‘coffin’ (running shoe) use
• an analysis (visual) of their running technique
• an assessment of their degree of body symmetry (leg length discrepancy)
• an assessment of their running muscle sequential firing

What became immediately obvious with all three ladies was the following:

• they had NO idea how to protect their body against the downward force of gravity (putting themselves at major risk of impact force trauma)
• all three had been prescribed orthotics, one had been prescribed ‘special’ socks to cure plantar fasciitis, one had ‘therapy tape’ running from her ankle up the side of her lower leg – apparently, to alleviate muscle inflammation. None of these had fixed the ladies’ injuries
• all three were asymmetrical – 2 on the left and 1 on the right side – indicating they were locked up through the hip and pelvic areas, causing imbalance impact problems when running
• all three hit the ground hard with knees locked and impact points in front of the body – contributing to their excessive supination of the feet and lack of firing from the calves and gluteals
• all three had no idea how to brace the whole body and maintain a tight, light, compact, forward running position

My work with them included the following:

1. barefoot running on 3 different surfaces to activate the sensory & proprioceptive centres in the feet. They immediately got lighter and landed under the knees and hips, feeling no impact pain
2. a series of exercises to activate the extensor chain of muscles releasing the locked up hip/pelvic area and eliminating leg length discrepancy
3. the introduction of Barefoot-Science dome-patented foot strengthening insert system to replace orthotics and all other bracing, pseudo-healing devices (there was instant activation of the running muscles, a positive change in posture, an increase in muscular strength throughout the body)
4. the demonstration of a series of running exercises to lock in  my Squat-Scoot technique of safe, efficient running – guaranteed to protect the body against ‘avoidable’ running injuries

After only 1 session with me, all three ladies report a dramatic reduction in pain from their injuries as they get back to short, easy runs and a vast improvement in their ability to move quietly and efficiently. The plan is to progress from level 1 to 7 as per design with the Barefoot-Science inserts, do as much technical work barefoot as possible to lock in the sensation of full running muscle activation and to get the ladies away from orthotics and bulky, stiff ‘coffin’ running shoes into ultra-light, flexible, 0-drop, minimalist footwear.

My goal is to have ALL runners moving regularly without avoidable injury. By following the above format, you also can learn how to run safely, efficiently and powerfully – the Squat-Scoot way!

coach Jeff

 

 

#Barefoot #Running #InjuryFree on the #CabotTrail:

The coach just returned from an 8 day trip to beautiful Cape Breton, Nova Scotia – part of the east coast of our beautiful country – Canada. The key focus of the trip was traversing the Cabot Trail which winds around the coastline of most of Cape Breton.

Everything about the holiday was ‘over the top’. My wife and I had the opportunity to visit many of the beautiful vistas indigenous to Cape Breton:

1. Sydney, staying in a suite overlooking the ocean
2. Louisbourg, the fortress built by the French back when they occupied the island and defended it against the British
3. Ingonish Beach and the Keltic Lodge, where the coach swam in the Atlantic Ocean, climbed over a natural stone barrier covering only 100 metres and swam in the fresh water of Lake Ingonish. It doesn’t get much better…
4. Pleasant Bay, where I ventured to to edge of the cliffs overhanging the Atlantic – breath-taking
5. the Skyline Trail on the west side of the island, where we came face to face with a giant bull mouse and calf. Thank God I was barefoot and able to run quietly out of harm’s way :-))
6. Baddeck and the Black Rock Falls, where we hiked in about 2 kilometres and viewed the spectacular falls from basically directly underneath. If it was up to me, I would have scaled them barefoot…:-))
7. Glace Bay and the coal mines located UNDER the Atlantic Ocean, where we took a guided tour deep into the mines. This was one of my personal highlights of the tour – even though I couldn’t go in barefoot:-((

There were a number of other highlights centered mainly around the spectacular hiking trails with beautiful vistas overlooking an ever-changing ocean. The weather was perfect, the people were salt-of-the-earth, the seafood was to die for, the peace, tranquility and serenity of the environment and the people made us long for the same back in Ontario. Of course, there is no way that will happen!!

I noticed a few things that somewhat surprised me relative to my barefoot running along the Atlantic coastline and especially swimming in the salt water of the ocean. I was able to run rather effortlessly on all types of terrain – mostly likely helped by the calm of being on holiday and the clear, pollution-free air. Further, even though I was tired after hours of daily hiking, climbing and running, after a short swim in the ocean, I was revitalized. No fatigue, no soreness/injuries, no cuts left open (the salt water is a GREAT healer). I know that going barefoot helps me flush out toxins from my body, improves the blood circulation through my whole body, improves my ability to ‘square up’ and maintain balance and exercise daily without unnecessary discomfort.

If you do get a chance to travel along the Cabot Trail and hike its many pathways, do it BAREFOOT! Heck, try and swim across to Prince Edward Island whilst you’re at it!!!:-))

 

coach Jeff