It’s that time when we often set goals for the coming year. In the dark days of winter, is a treadmill part of your plans?
Although I much prefer running outdoors, there are times when a treadmill is a good option. Interestingly, ChiRunning outdoors and treadmill running share some similarities in terms of form and efficiency.
Forward Fall: In ChiRunning, you lean slightly forward from your ankles to let gravity assist your forward motion. On a treadmill, the belt moves underneath you, so there is less need to "push off" with force. This mimics the forward lean effect by reducing the need to propel yourself forward.
Cadence and Relaxation: Both ChiRunning and treadmill running emphasize maintaining a steady, smooth cadence (typically 170-180 steps per minute). This reduces impact and stress on your joints and promotes a more fluid motion.
Reduced Ground Force: Since the treadmill belt is moving, it encourages you to lift your feet quickly rather than stomping or overstriding. In ChiRunning, a focus on lifting the feet (rather than pushing off) helps reduce ground impact, similar to the experience of running on a treadmill.
With its focus on efficiency, ChiRunning brings these principles outdoors. Why not even bring that image of a treadmill outdoors? Especially when fatigued on a long run, one thing to try is to imagine that the road or trail we are on is a treadmill. We are stationary, and it is the road rolling towards us.
With our ChiRunning technique we just need to focus on having a good column and falling forward slightly. The ‘earth as a treadmill’ can be a helpful image. Instead of pushing harder, relax the body and mind and picture the road doing the work as it floats toward us. Play around with that!
I wish you well with whatever your 2025 running goals are. As always, feel free to contact me with any question. Cheers!
