In a nutshell, ChiRunning uses the force of gravity to help pull you forward, with you leaning forward slightly from the ankles (not the waist) and setting your feet down – flat, or in what is called a mid-foot strike – just long enough to support your body weight. You move your feet in a circular motion to the rear of your center of mass, with the circle and your lean more pronounced the faster you go. Your skeletal structure, rather than your musculature, is used to absorb the impact shock, which is greatly reduced from what I’ll call “regular” running. While it’s not for sprinters, for casual or long-distance running, it’s the bomb!

There are more details to it, enough so that it isn’t something that will just come to you instantly: you have to learn how to do it and practice. I recommend that you start with the book, ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running. Much more importantly, I recommend that you take one of the ChiRunning clinics that are offered in various areas of the country. My wife and I attended one of these, and while they’re not cheap ($250 per person for the full day), it was worth every penny. The only downside was that I was suffering from tendonitis in my left knee, which – had we known about ChiRunning earlier! – I wouldn’t have had.

The bottom line, though, is that ChiRunning works. You have to invest some time and effort learning how to do it right, but after that, it’s smooth sailing. That’s been our experience, at least.

If you get the book, be prepared to read through some metaphysical observations by the author. I’m not discounting anything he says, but most readers are probably just looking for a better way to run.

Check out ChiRunning.com to learn more, and enjoy your run!

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