August 29, 2006
HOW TO TEACH YOUR KIDS TO RUN? - Part 2
Note from the editor: This article is dedicated to the parents that are coaching their offspring and could use some help. Let's talk about the basics of teaching your 10-15 years old kids to run.
From parenting to coaching - First Essential Steps
- Admit the unpleasant reality: your kid doesn't know how to run. You can get an evidence of it by just comparing the video of your kid running with the video of an elite runner. As the guidance you can use the video analysis on the Pose Tech web site.
- You need to have an agreement with your own child to accept you as a teacher. Believe me, it'll not happen by itself just because you are the parent. To be a teacher of your child means to have a different relationship and you have to learn it. Most kids can't accept their own parents as teachers.
- Try to understand in an open discussion what real knowledge about running your kid has. It may surprise you in a good way, but mostly be prepared that he has no clue how to do this simple and "natural" exercise, called running. There is nothing wrong with that and there's no reason to be upset about it.
- Ask him to run as he considers right, which corresponds to his image of running and videotape him. Your kid needs to face the reality, he needs to see that there is a difference between how he sees running and how he actually does it.
- Depending on his age and experience he could have a predisposed knowledge of running from his teachers, friends and other sources, conflicting with what you are talking about. You'll need lots of knowledge and skill to get through and be accepted. Be patient and don't get cranky that your own child doesn't accept your approach.
- Know what you want to teach to your kid. It's important to get familiar with the major concepts of the running technique and understand what you're trying to teach. We suggest reading the Pose MethodŽ of Running book and studying the DVD. There is also a Beginner's Guide that would help you to get started.
- Select the necessary equipment - video camera, heart monitor, personal pace coach, stretch cords.
- Design a conceptual plan of what and how you want to achieve the goal*.
- Give him a step by step logic of running technique as a skill of using your own body weight in order to run forward. Ask him to lean forward in place to show how it works and extend this logic to running.
- Depending on his age give him a basic knowledge of gravity and muscle work as assisting gravity. Play a game with gravity: run away from it or catch gravity by leaning less and more. Your legs should assist you in doing this (catching or loosing gravity).
- Kids have a good imagination, so running should be presented as an image or images which are simple and easy to accept because of their familiarity.
- Teach him the perception of the body weight and falling forward together with the images of it in running.
- Build an image of running as an effortless movement, which could be messed up by heavy breathing and high heart rate. Those are different things!
- Keep asking your child what he feels and what his thoughts are during and after each step of learning. He must be able to articulate all these things in order to memorize what he learnt.
- Learning is a mental transformation, the process of opening one's mind, being ready to face conflicting emotions and to deal with them in order to get the most from learning.
- Give constant mental and emotional support and encouragement with a healthy dose of criticism. Be honest with expressing your emotions, but try to stay positive.
- Remember, run is simple and really natural, if you fall forward at each step.
Dr.Romanov
* An example of a suggested plan will be published in a forthcoming book.
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