Pose Method clinic held at CrossFit Ferus in Fayetteville, NC. Covers running form and technique from an efficiency and injury prevention standpoint. Programming for marathon training and interval sessions described.

1. Pose Method Running
Suzy Goodwin, MS, CHES
ACSM, SNS, RRCA,
CrossFit L-1, CrossFit L-1

2. Who am I?
• Runner
– 40 lifetime marathons in
38 different states
– 5 lifetime ultras
• Coach
– Traditional endurance &
CrossFit communities
– Health education/lifestyle
• Student
– Pose method

3. Who are YOU?
• I’m a beginning runner.
• Age grouper- always after a podium spot at a local 5K!
• Endurance junkie. Didn’t you see my M-dot tattoo?!
• Races? Really?! I simply love to run!
• I have nightmares about 2 mile PT tests and do most of
my running under load with a rucksack.
• Crossfit enthusiast who hates seeing running on the
whiteboard. I’m here to work on my goat.
• A friend or spouse dragged me here…come ON, lady- I
was hoping just to tune out for 3 hours!

4. What’s Going On Today?
 Conventional Running
 Efficient Running
 Errors/Injuries
 Programming
healthcoachsuzy@gmail.com
www.runwithsuzy.com
• Fueling
• Shoes
• Race Strategy
What do you know about running?

6. What factors are involved in running fast?
The more we recruit gravity to forward, the less “work” has to be
done to move forward- Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson do this
flawlessly

7. Conventional Running Theory
• Movement forward is
generated by pressure
exerted in the opposite
direction (pushing).
• Draw on both quadriceps
and hamstrings exhaust
muscles prematurely
• No standard of running
technique
• Injury rates

8. Conventional Running Errors
• Stopping movement
– Landing in front, heel strike
• Creating leverage
– Pushing off in back
1. Tissue moves in direction that causes
undue stress
2. Works against gravity

9. Concept of Efficient Running
• Work WITH the laws of nature, not against
– Go where your bodyweight goes
– Muscle activity should “service” your body weight,
not vice versa

10. Concept of Efficient Running
• 6 areas of focus for successful technique
– Gravity
– Ground reaction
– Muscle elasticity
– Muscle contraction
– Torque
– Momentum/inertia
Pose Concepts

11. Pose/Posture
• Head is neutral and
forward
• Relaxed upper body and
shoulders
• Stable midline
• Each leg bent to create
a figure “4”
• Slight lean forward from
ankles

12. Pulling
• Use hamstrings for
change of support
• Utilizes ground reaction
and muscle elasticity
instead of muscular
energy
• Minimal, compact
movement
• Stride
frequency, forefoot
landing critical

13. Stride Frequency
• Similar to cycling
• As lean increases for
speed, so does stride
frequency
• Minimum cadence: 90
(180 steps per minute)
• Necessary for ground
reaction and muscle
elasticity to work
together and save
muscular effort

14. Falling
• Lean from ankles, not
from hips
• Use gravity to help.
Strong, natural force
• Retention of lean and
stable midline defines
our speed of movement

15. Landing
• Forefoot strike occurs
right below center of
gravity
• Heel “kisses” ground
• Heel striking happens in
front of center of
gravity, creating
deceleration at impact
– More shock, more
injuries (knees, lower
back)
Mid-Foot Landing

16. Put it Together: Practice
• Find your proper posture by standing straight and
tall, relaxing shoulders, and looking to the horizon.
• Head, shoulders, and hips form a straight line. The
only bend that occurs is a slight flex in knees and
ankles. Relax arms and bend 90 to 110 degrees.
• Run in place, with feet landing as close to your body
as possible. Land on ball of foot, not heel or toes.
Pose running- track example

17. Running Drills
• Carefully designed and
should be understood
as exaggerations of a
movement to enhance
your perception
• Categories
– Strengthening
– Posture
– Pulling
– Falling
– Combination
– Correction
– Flexibility

19. Running Errors
• Stopping movement
– Poor body posture (bent at waist “K”)
– Landing in front (braking)
– Landing on heel (no elasticity)
– Landing on straight leg (knee load)
• Creating leverage
– Pushing off in back (running “hard”)
– Prolonged contraction (foot on ground too long)
Dr R- Incorrect Running Form

20. Head
• Key to overall posture
• Look ahead naturally,
not down at your feet,
and scan the horizon
– “L” cue
– Brings neck and back
into alignment
• Don't allow chin to jut
out

21. Breathing
• Use nose and mouth
• Find a rhythm
– 2:2 ideal for steady pace
– 2:1 for sprint
• Take full breaths
• Maintain good posture

22. Shoulders
• Important role in
keeping your upper
body relaxed
• Low and loose, not high
and tight
• Remain level- shouldn't
dip from side to side
with each stride

23. Arms
• Arms provide balance
and equilibrium as
gravity pulls you forward
• Back and forth, not side
to side
• Degree of bend is
individual
– Begin at 120
• Keep hands in an
unclenched fist, with
fingers lightly touching
palms

24. Torso
• Upright and straight
• With head up and looking
ahead + shoulders low
and loose, torso and back
naturally straighten
• Allows for efficient,
vertical position that
promotes a stable
midline
• Optimal lung capacity
• “Running Tall”

25. Hips
• Center of gravity
• With your trunk and back
upright and straight, hips
naturally fall into proper
alignment
• Errors during running =
lower back pain
• Think of pelvis as a bowl
filled with marbles- try
not to spill the marbles by
tilting the bowl

26. Legs
• Slight knee lift, quick leg
turnover, short stride
– Facilitates fluid forward
movement instead of
wasting energy
• As foot strikes the
ground, knee should be
slightly flexed so that it
can bend naturally on
impact
• Visualize locomotive
wheels at ankles

27. Ankles/Feet
• Land directly underneath
body
• Foot hits ground lightly,
landing on forefoot, then
quickly roll forward
• Keep ankle relaxed as
foot rolls forward
• Feet should not slap
loudly as they hit the
ground. Aim for springy
and quiet

28. Key Technique Points
• Keep knees bent
• Keep 90+ cadence
• Land directly under
general center of mass
• Don’t push off (bounce)
• Stay compact
• Do as little work as
possible

29. Remember 3 Keys
• Posture
– Midline stability
• Falling
– Use gravity to your advantage (efficiency)
• Pulling
– Ankle straight up under hips
This concept takes minutes to learn , but a lifetime to
master! If you lose your way, come back to the basics

30. Running Drills
• Carefully designed and
should be understood
as exaggerations of a
movement to enhance
your perception
• Categories
– Strengthening
– Posture
– Pulling
– Falling
– Combination
– Correction
– Flexibility

32. Common Injuries in Running
All injuries come from stopping a movement or
creating leverage
• Improper movement patterns
• Unnecessary muscle activation
• Muscle work against gravity and bodyweight
• Too much distance and speed for current skill

33. Plantar Fasciitis
Cause
• Too much load on the
plantar fascia leads to
tissue breakdown
Why
• Toe landing
• Excessive push off
• Tight calves or Achilles
tendon

34. Calf Strain/Achilles Tendonitis
Causes
• Weakening of muscle fibers
• Overstressed tissue
Why
• Toe landing
• Toe push off
• Tight calves
• Inadequate warm up
• Bad stretching habits
• Hill running
• Uneven surfaces

35. ITB Syndrome
Causes
• Heel strike
• Landing on outside of
foot
Why
• Weak glutes
• Tight hips
• Tight quads
• Sitting for extended
periods

36. Standing Desk
• Two-tier shoe rack:
$19.99
• Foot Stool: $10-30
• Long term solution to
knee issues: priceless

37. Low Back Pain
Causes
• Heel strike
• Over rotation of upper
body
Why
• Weak midline/core
• Tight and/or weak hips
• Muscle imbalances

39. Programming
Conventional Theory:
• Single sport
• Volume  speed  technique (if ever)
• High volume
Outcomes:
• High injury rates
• Burnout

41. Programming
CrossFit Endurance Theory:
• Base regimen of 3-4 CrossFit WODs per week
• Technique  Speed  Volume
• Interval heavy
• Time trial efforts/long runs bi-weekly
Outcomes:
• Improved performance
• “Injury-proof” body

43. Programming SI, LI

44. How Do I Calculate Interval Times?

45. Race Success
• Smart programming-
quality, not quantity
• “Don’t let your ego
write a check your body
can’t cash”
• Warm up using drills to
improve technique
• Self care
• Accountability

47. Running Warm Up
• Roll the bottom of the foot (no shoes): 1-2 min
each foot
• Do your mobility joint exercises: 3-5 min
– Ankles, hips, shoulders
• Stand in Pose, pull 10-15 on each leg, fall and
change support: 2 min
• Drill/run 5-15 min, depending on the length of
the run
• Practice finding your fall/cadence for your run
– use a metronome to set cadence. Minimum goal
90/foot/minute (long run), up to 100+ (short run)

48. Team WOD
• Groups of 3
• 12 minute AMRAP
– Run 200m
– Rest
– Burpee
• Score: total # burpees
Focus on running technique!

49. Remember 3 Keys
• Posture
– Midline stability
• Falling
– Use gravity to your advantage (efficiency)
• Pulling
– Ankle straight up under hips
This concept takes minutes to learn , but a lifetime to
master! If you lose your way, come back to the basics

50. Key Technique Points
• Keep knees bent
• Keep 90+ cadence
• Land directly under
general center of mass
• Don’t push off (bounce)
• Stay compact
• Do as little work as
possible

52. Required Reading
• Pose Method of Running- Dr. Nicholas Romanov
– www.posetech.com
• Power, Speed, Endurance: A Skill Based Approach
to Endurance Training- Brain MacKenzie
– www.crossfitendurance.com
• Chi Running: A Revolutionary Approach to
Effortless, Injury Free Running- Danny Dreyer
– www.chirunning.com
• Evolution Running (DVD)- Ken Mierke, Joe Friel
– www.evolutionrunning.com

53. Ask Me Some Questions!
www.runwithsuzy.com healthcoachsuzy@gmail.com