How To Run Naturally

Last Friday, at Slice C2 Bonifacio High Street, the Newton Natural Running and book signing of My Daily Race were presented. Selected participants, members of the media and bloggers were invited in the event.

I would focus right now on the Newton Natural Running talk by no less than Newton Natural Running certified coach, Jay Valencia. He shared the basics of natural running.

He recommended natural running as something to avoid and lessen running-related injuries. Given the sport as booming in the country, it is best that we invest to these information so we can endure the sport even if running was no longer the “it” sport.

He mentioned to start with athletic pose. If you tried to start running, make sure to slightly bend your knees and just jogging in stationary position, you will feel the right impact without much force in our ankle, hip, shoulder and head. The one that we usually do, as we start to take off, we usually make an effort too much that  at the end of the race, we can feel the shock in most of our joints and other major parts of the body. Just try doing a stationary jog as we do our usual run, we can feel the impact from our feet, ankle up to our head.

Next is the overstriding, meaning the natural running would suggest that we keep our stride just right below our torso. As we extend our legs beyond our center, we will feel a strain in our calves that we might not endure running in longer distances. Try stepping on something just below you as you take off, this is part of the natural running. If we maintain our pace, there’s less impact regardless of our pronation or cadence.

Coach Jay demonstrates the stretch on your calves.

Lastly would be the nature of the Newton shoes. As the product would suggest with the 3Ls: Lift, Lever, Land. He mentioned that the shoes will help you in your performance in running as you will really feel the strain in your calves at first but it’s what you should learn in natural running: if you wanted to avoid the strain, be in an athletic pose (slightly bending your knees) and avoid overstriding.

Last thoughts

The 30 minutes is quite quick for a very interesting topic on another different approach on running. An open forum was done immediately after the talk and it actually captured the crowd especially those beginning in the sport.

I hope Newton would conduct it’s running clinic soon that could be available for everyone. As the information that I shared with you were just excerpts of the talk, I strongly recommend you visit their Facebook page and leave a message there.