POSE IN PRESS A collection of articles about Pose Method and Dr.Romanov in various publications.
220 TRAITHLON MAGAZINE (UK)
December/January 2001 #125
How to Use the POSE Run Method
It’s a fact: runners are prone to injury. Dr Nicholas Romanov and Graham Fletcher claim to help you reduce that capacity
We were born to run weren’t we? Yet how come this natural activity so often causes injury and why is it that the triathlete who can frequently complete the swim and cycle without problem succumbs to injury in the final phase?
The run is the pinnacle of the triathlete's race. It is the final lap before elation or despondency and like the other disciplines of triathlon requires focus, determination and skill. Unfortunately, running is often the cause of injury. It is uncertain whether the many injuries incurred while running are due to insufficient training, warm-up techniques or other causes, but a critical look at technique could provide us with some answers.
Down to specifics
By running technique we mean a specific system of movements of the whole body and its parts aimed at a horizontal transfer of the runner from point A to point B. Other sports, such as tennis, swimming and athletics, have drills and models for skill development and these would seem to be useful tools to carry over and apply to running technique.
The number of runners that are injured today is the same as the 1970s, despite improvements in shoe design and medical services. At present a complete model for efficient running technique is unavailable. But what is good running technique? If you watch runners closely, you will be able to easily distinguish between those that look easy, effortless, and flowing, as opposed to those that are cumbersome. However, a detailed analysis of running technique has found that the elite runner produces less vertical oscillation (vibration) of the body, has a lower oxygen consumption and lower relative heart rate, providing more economical movement. Therefore, correct running technique should fall within these parameters and ideally reduce running injuries.
 |
| Tim Don has put the Pose Method into good use - he flew through the run in Sydney |
The force as a guide
As certain forces exist in water for swimmers, so specific forces are experienced during running: gravity, ground reaction force, muscle elasticity, inertia and muscle contractility (the ability of your muscle to contract). Only one of these is dependent on internal events - muscle contractility. This requires the conversion of energy within oxygen into adenosine triphosphate (ATP - the fuel that your cells use) and this can be described as an internal force. The other forces are external. The optimal ratio between the internal and external forces exists when the internal force is reduced and the external is more fully utilized – enabling the athlete to run economically.
Posing makes sense
The most effective combination of these forces is found in the pose method of running designed by Dr Rornanov. The essence of the method is based on the necessity for the runner to interact efficiently with the ground (the point where all the forces interact) in order to move the body from one leg to another, The following descriptions summarize this concept:
- S (spring-like) shape of the body (the running pose): the element of running technique used to combine muscular elasticity and the rest of the body into a single system.
- Free falling: uses gravity as one of the main forces driving the body forward horizontally.
- Changing support: integrates forces that remove the foot from the ground while allowing gravity to pull the body forwards horizontally. Pulling the support foot straight (vertically) upwards using the hamstring muscles, allowing the foot to break contact with the ground quickly.
The S-like shape of the body allows the utilization of muscle elasticity, which can reduce oxygen consumption by 30 to 40 percent. To use the elastic energy from the muscles of the leg effectively, the foot should be pulled rapidly from the ground (using the hamstring muscles) rather than the usual push off. The foot should also land beneath the body's centre of gravity (right underneath your body) on the balls of the feet, allowing a much shorter support time.
Gravity is a vertical force, which can be transformed into a horizontal movement only under certain conditions which are demonstrated when the body over-balances (falls forward like a unicyclist leaning forward to move). At this point the foot must leave the ground quickly to allow the body to fall forwards.
Therefore, the key to successful running is to maintain the falling forwards of the body with minimal effort from the legs. The foot should not be in front of the body's general centre of mass because it will break or stop the body falling forwards.
The pose method of running is mechanically efficient and can be taught in a short period of time, reducing injuries and improving performance. It has proved a successful method for training and racing, as Tim Don has demonstrated this year.
Other articles in 220 Triathlon:
Back to Top
|
