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What Should Runners Think About?
What do you think about when you are running? Does it make a difference? Research suggests it definitely can.A survey into what runners think about when competing identified four categories. These are relevant to participating in many sporting activities: - 1) Inward monitoring - focusing on how you feel while running. 2) Outward monitoring - focusing on aspects of the race such as distance, terrain and tactics. 3) Inward distraction - having thoughts irrelevant to the race such as solving 'mental puzzles' or what we are going to do after the race. 4) Outward distraction - focusing on surroundings irrelevant to the race such as scenery. The research concluded that inward distraction (3) should be avoided as it reduces awareness resulting in either running too fast and 'burning out' or running too slow. Inward monitoring (1) is useful for judging the required pace and also being aware of any warning signals such as muscle strain. The researchers believe that most attention should be focused outwardly on aspects of the race to minimise the influence of discomfort whilst remaining aware of the race situation. However, I would like to add another category, I call it 'interactive awareness'. This is thinking of how we are running in relation to terrain. This is not to be confused with what we are feeling or race strategy but to the actual movement. For example, when running are you aware of the location of your hip joints or which muscles lift the leg off the floor? Focusing on the act of running can help to 'free up' the movement if unnecessary tension can be identified. Misconceptions about our body will influence the way we run. The pelvis is part of the back yet many run with an excessive swing of the pelvis because the hip joints are held too tightly. The swaying action of the pelvis will also twist the lumber spine where the psoas muscle (hip flexor) has its origin. The psoas lifts the leg therefore inappropriate movement of the spine reduces efficiency and alters the direction of the pull. This type of thinking is neither inward nor outward, as it requires us to maintain awareness of who is running, how we are running and where we are running. For example, see if you can be aware of yourself reading this article. What parts of you are making contact with a surface? Is your jaw tight? If we are aware of the feet landing on the ground when running, we can appreciate the force opposing our weight as gravity helps us to move forward. Newton's third law of gravity states that 'the mutual actions of two bodies upon each other are always equal and in opposite directions', or more commonly known as, 'for every action there is an equal opposite reaction'. We do not have to be pulled down by gravity yet many runners appear to lose the battle. Contemplate this law when running and we can allow ourselves to 'go up' to go forward due to the action of the legs and utilise energy more efficiently. Another way to describe this is 'Thinking in Activity'. So on your next run try and maintain an awareness of what you are thinking. 'Interactive awareness' can exist concurrently with thinking about the race and surroundings. but if you find your thoughts drifting onto to something beyond your run to the point of distraction, let your awareness come back to your moving parts and the ground. Roy Palmer is a Teacher of The Alexander Technique and author of The Performance Paradox: Train Smarter to enhance performance and reduce injury. More information can be found at http://www.artofperformance.co.uk He works with sports people of all abilities to recognise and overcome performance-limiting habits.
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news Myanmar's Suu Kyi to get family letters, news mags (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has managed to wring small concessions from the ruling generals in the form of letters from her family and some international news magazines, her lawyer said on Friday. JCDecaux in talks for News Outdoor Group in Russia (AP via Yahoo! News) French outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux SA said Thursday it is negotiating to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp tightens grip on Premiere with new CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Rupert Murdoch tightened his grip on German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere by appointing News Corp executive Mark Williams as CEO in a move to get the company back on track. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (CBS News) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel 's current news flow, was picked up by a Google (NSDQ: GOOG) News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. After a lot of buck ... Help News pick Stadium's greatest moment (New York Daily News) The News is marking the countdown to the final game at The House That Ruth Built by reflecting on Yankee Stadium's greatest moments - and we're asking you - the reader - to help us pick out the best of the best. JCDecaux and News Corp. in talks to combine outdoor ad groups (International Herald Tribune) The News Corp. chief executive, Rupert Murdoch, has recently expressed nervousness about investments in Russia, where News Outdoor generated the bulk of its revenue last year. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (paidContent.org via Yahoo! Finance) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel's current news flow, was picked up by a Google News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. JCDecaux in talks to buy News Corp. billboard unit (AP via Yahoo! Finance) In a deal that would create the world's largest outdoor advertising company, French conglomerate JCDecaux SA said Thursday that it is in talks to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. Phila. mayor to announce grim budget news (The Philadelphia Inquirer) The Nutter administration is expected to announce grim budget news today, which is all but certain to lead to significant spending cuts - perhaps as high as 10 percent - in some city departments, according to three sources familiar with the budget. News Corp says Mark Williams interim Premiere CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp. executive Mark Williams has taken over as chief executive of German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere in an interim capacity, News Corp. said after the move led to renewed takeover speculation. Site: news - Google News 2009 Automotive News World Congress to Address Most Complex ... - MarketWatch
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for aerobics cardio City Parks Department offers aerobics classes (The Alliance Review) By NANCY WHITAKER The Review Slap on those shorts or sweatpants, get the old tennis shoes out of the closet and get ready to get fit. The University Times | The University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Student Newspaper Since 1949 (Niner Online) The Group Fitness Sampler is an annual event that allows students to experience an example of each type of group fitness exercise offered in the SAC. On Thursday, Sept. 4, over 75 students and 12 instructors gathered into the group fitness room in the SAC at 5:30 to begin their two-hour session of exercise class samples. Boogie Box Fitness Launches the Release of Their New Fitness Program on October 4th at the Irvine Marriott @ 11AM (Centre Daily Times) Are you ready to sweat, move & groove to the new way in fitness? Tae Bo and Zumba move over, Boogie Box is here and hands down, there is no comparison! It's what the public has been waiting for, the Boogie Box phenomenon is going to explode! Stay cool while you exercise with water aerobics (Bradenton Herald) It's too hot to exercise outside. Unless, of course, you're a camel or in a pool. Community notes (Arizona Daily Star) Vail/Corona de Tucson Exercise options (Orlando Sentinel) aerobics Health calendar (Honolulu Advertiser) ORGAN DONOR CENTER OF HAWAI'I free presentation, including testimony from a successful organ transplant recipient, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 11, 'Aiea Public Library; 483-7333. Indian River County community connection: Sept. 11 (Vero Press Journal) Check here for the latest community events and meetings YMCA joins forces with America on the Move (Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal) YMCA and America on the Move Foundation, Inc., have joined forces to be catalysts for change in their communities and to encourage families and individuals to take small steps toward a healthier lifestyle. Exercise heaven: High on Leggs Hill, new YMCA takes shape (The Salem News) The basketball court at the nearly completed Marblehead/Swampscott YMCA is big enough to host two games. At nearly full court. Simultaneously. "We could fit the whole of the current YMCA in the basketball court alone," director Paul Gorman said as he watched workmen install the vast hardwood floor. Site: aerobics cardio - Google News Cebu Lifestyle Productively fit - Philippine Star
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