#InjuryFreeRunning #Barefoot Preparation for Winter

As the temperature in my neighbourhood (Port Credit, Ontario, Canada) dropped to a rather chilly 2 degrees Celsius or 8 degrees Fahrenheit for a few days last week, the reality of another fast approaching winter running season dawned on me. It got me to thinking “I better get myself prepared for the inevitable ‘MINUS’ temperatures IF I wish to run barefoot outdoors this winter. There actually may also be a few of you thinking the same thing. Over the years, I have found a few techniques that help prepare my feet especially to the harsh conditions of winter in my ‘hood. They are as follows:

• I run on damp or wet grass areas (wet grass is much colder at this time of year than dirt, gravel, asphalt or concrete) for at least part of every early morning run
• I run through ANY puddles of standing water (best after an overnight rain) along my route for the same reason as above
• I stand, walk or run in the nearby lake, river and stream that all flow through my hometown. The average water temperature at this time of year is 5 to 10 degrees Celsius or 38 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are lucky enough to be near bodies of water, do the same thing as often as possible during your runs. If not, try to find at least a creek or stream that is near you. Again, failing that, do extra running on dew or rain-dampened grassy fields
• I go barefoot throughout my day as often as possible in the gradually colder temperatures. I find that this is great at toughening up the skin of my feet to the harsher temperatures, helping me to fend off frostbite and ice or salt stone cuts in the dead of winter
• I will try NOT to miss any early morning runs (5:30 a.m. is my usual start time) when the temperature is at its lowest point and the grass has the heaviest amount of moisture. This forces my body temperature to adapt and increase the flow of blood to my feet, thus keeping my toes alive and well and speeding up my transition to safe winter barefoot running

Whether you are a barefoot runner who has NEVER run barefoot in a cold winter, a runner who is transitioning to barefoot running or simply a runner who has gone to minimalist footwear, you will benefit from doing at least a few of the above activities barefoot. They will help you balance better, sense terrain changes better and centre better over your feet. For those still running in full-on ‘coffins’ (thick-heeled, thick-soled mega shoes) and not interested in running injury-free, good luck. 

Coach Jeff

 

NEW CLINIC: TOTT T-TEAM CIRCUIT TRAINING #injuryfreerunning

 

INDOOR GYM CIRCUIT TRAINING FOR INJURY FREE RUNNING

Date: Friday, Sept. 5 to Friday, Nov. 7, 2014 (10 weeks)

 Time: 6:00 to 6:30 a.m.

 Location: Velocity Sports Rehab Centre

                   167 Lakeshore Rd. West

                    south-east corner of Lakeshore & Mississauga Rds. in Port Credit

                    905-891-1999

 Content: a 12-station circuit training programme

               – each station focuses on a different part of the body, developing power, endurance, speed, agility and full core

               – 30 seconds of maximum effort at each station

               – no rest between stations

               – a short water break between circuits

               – use of equipment, your own body weight and a mix of both

               – goal is to complete a minimum of 3 circuits in 30 minutes, working our way to the goal over10 weeks

               – also, we will attempt to increase the volume of effort at each station whilst maintaining safe, efficient technique

Leader: Coach Jeff Stapleton

             – creator & designer of the T-Team

             – MSc. Exercise Physiology

             – Level III NCCP certified coach

             – President – TOTT

Cost: $125.00 per person payable via Interac on-line email money transfer, cash or cheque payable to Jeff Stapleton

Space is limited. Register early to avoid disappointment. This is your opportunity to train with the best to become your best!!

email coach@naturalrunning.ca for details

Techniques to Safely #Run #Barefoot Down Mountainsides #InjuryFreeRunning

One of my Team Over The Top barefoot runners, Michelle Bolhuis, is in training for the Canadian Death Race (Rocky Mountains, Whistler, B.C.) that takes place in late July.

She just competed in the 50K Ultra Mountain race in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. At a pre-CDR training camp in Alberta, Canada, it became painfully obvious to Michelle that she needed more effective techniques for running down mountainsides barefoot…if she was to come anywhere close to finishing both of the above events. Thus, she asked me for a few tips to help her better handle the challenges ahead.

Having run barefoot down numerous mountain trails over my running career, I knew that Michelle needed to learn more than simply how to run on hills. She had to learn how to survive running barefoot down some steep, rugged mountain terrain. We worked specifically on balance, reaction time, lowering centre of gravity, arm action, body positioning and foot speed. Running barefoot down the side of a mountain may not be the most difficult thing to do…but it’s close!!

There may be some of you facing a similar challenge to Michelle or you may be looking for techniques to improve your overall downhill (especially trail) running. If, so, the following tips will be of assistance:

• switch-backs – run parallel to the mountain and switch back within the limits of the path
• weave – angle to the side of the mountain then angle back. You basically weave back and forth
• quick feet lift – essential for bare-footers to avoid roots, ridges etc. The feet are lifted slightly higher than when running on a flat section with the knees remaining bent and stable
• arms out as stabilizers – doing this helps to expand the centre of gravity, improve balance & better control downward momentum
• side-to-side striding – allows for better reaction to obstacles, improves balance, lowers the centre of gravity (thus decreasing the risk of falling forward)
• cupping the feet – done when striking a sharp object (stone, rock, stick). This is an instinctive curling of the toes along with a quick lift of the foot. It helps you avoid cuts, slivers etc. that can stop your run
• bracing the core whilst squatting lower than normal. This helps you absorb the impact of the downhill grade, protect your quads & hip flexors from premature fatigue and react faster to sudden changes in terrain
• high knee lift when in mud – if you hit muddy, slippery sections where sinking below ankle level is a possibility, doing this prevents the feet from bogging down and sliding off the course

Using the above techniques may not guarantee a world record downhill barefoot running record but they will help you arrive safely at the finish line!

coach Jeff

JOIN COACH JEFF for an upcoming clinic and enjoy #InjuryFreeRunning!

http://www.naturalrunning.ca

Protecting the Toes When Running Barefoot #InjuryFreeRunning

One of the many complaints I get by those trying to go ‘minimalist’ (such as the Vibram FFs) let alone barefoot, is “I keep stubbing my toes. Lots of blood & bruising…no fun for me!”.

I fully understand the frustration. During the 1st few years of running barefoot (but, mainly, when wearing the FFs in the colder Canadian weather), I would regularly ‘stub’ my right big toe…to the point where I sheared off most of my toe nail & suffered innumerable cuts, bruises & abrasions. These never stopped me from running BUT they were frustrating. I realized that,with my right leg slightly longer & my right foot slightly bigger, I was anatomically more prone to ‘stubbing’ my right vs. left big toe.
Thus, I developed a way to keep my toes more parallel to the ground, ‘flick’ faster off the surface from the mid-foot, stay tighter in my glutes to help me hold a ‘level’ running position & push off from my mid-foot with a subtle heel ‘graze’.

Lo & behold, I also found that I NEVER ‘stub’ my toe whislt running barefoot. My conclusion is the FFs (& other ‘footwear’) allow you to let the defences down, get a tad lazy &, voila, ‘stubbed’ toes. Follow the above tips – & save your toes!!

coach Jeff

Join COACH JEFF for an upcoming clinic #InjuryFreeRunning!

http://www.naturalrunning.ca

Drills to Toughen Feet for #Barefoot #Running #InjuryFreeRunning

Short of singeing the soles of your feet on hot asphalt (believe it or not, some of my friends did this when they were kids to get ready for a summer of barefoot activity!), there are drills that, if done regularly, will prepare your feet for the rigors of barefoot running. They are as follows:
* find a gravel, stone-laden or roughed up asphalt (not hot!) path and gently run the soles of your feet over the surface repeatedly for 5 to 10 minutes daily until you have peeled off the ‘soft’ exterior skin & built up a rough layer of skin

* go barefoot as often & long as possible during your day on any & all surfaces

* do all off-road exercises (plyometrics, free weights, aerobic machines barefoot where permitted)

* graduate to runs of 250 to 1000 metres on rough surfaces with no breaks

* intersperse these with short running efforts on uneven trails, river rock, creek beds etc.

You will automatically brace your core, land lighter vs. the downward pull of gravity, cushion your feet, curl your mid-arch to lessen the pain from hitting sharp objects…and run absolutely injury-free (with the exception of the odd scrape or cut on your foot sole!). This is a minor price to pay for safe, efficient running.

Coach Jeff

JOIN COACH JEFF for #InjuryFreeRunning in an upcoming clinic!

http://www.naturalrunning.ca

Why ZERO Injuries doing the Squat-Scoot #Running #Barefoot #InjuryFreeRunning

If I wasn’t so certain about the effectiveness of the Squat-Scoot method of mid-foot running for avoidable (‘itis’) injury-free running, I would have disappeared into blog heaven ages ago.

Virtually all of the ‘research’, commentary, tweets etc. throwing a damper on barefoot running do NOT include experienced barefooters & those they coach in the research process.

Thus, I am left to ask – “Where the hell are you with your analytical monitoring devices”. You sure as shootin’ are not out testing me and my Team over The Top barefoot or minimalist squat-scoot runners nor are you testing extensively and accurately my barefoot running colleagues from North America, Africa, south-east Asia, South America, India & Sri Lanka.

All of the safe, injury-free barefoot runners of the world do the following:

• brace powerfully & without fatigue from the mid-chest to the mid thighs
• consciously land slightly forward from the mid-foot arch and flick the foot quickly off the ground
• keep the knees bent throughout the full running circuit by squatting low and stacking the shoulders hips and knees over th efeet
• drive forward from the arms with the shoulders square and dropped down – no excess rolling action. My runners accomplish this by doing lots of full range isometric upper body exercises
• fire consistently from the calves to the hamstrings gluts to the gluts to the quads without fail. This ensures quiet, injury-free, quick running
• listen intently for the silence of their feet. If they hear any noise from slapping the earth, they pause, re-focus on bracing and continue

One day, the world will wake up and understand that are forefathers and mothers were correct –  less on the feet when moving is more…when done properly!!

Coach Jeff

Join COACH JEFF for an upcoming clinic #InjuryFreeRunning!

http://www.naturalrunning.ca