The Run Walk Run Method

by Jeff Galloway

  Chapter 11:

  Running Form—Walk Breaks Help You Adapt to Efficient Movement

  My experience in doing running form evaluations for over 10,000 runners, backed by research, is that your body will naturally adapt to an efficient motion if you run naturally. This means that you should not try to run the way someone else runs, or force yourself to run in a way that is not natural.

  Strategic walk breaks will help your body make a form efficiency adjustment. Extra walk breaks can often allow for adaptations to avoid aches or pains. When the walk breaks are made often enough from the beginning, you can reduce the normal fatigue buildup. Each walk break allows you the conscious opportunity to monitor the continuous buildup of stress on foot, leg, muscle, joint, etc. If there are problems during the walk you can adjust stride, foot placement, posture, and walk-break ratio to stay energized without pain.

  Posture

  Most runners I’ve worked with run better and reduce pain by running upright: head over shoulders, over hips as you touch the ground. But if you are one of the few that naturally lean forward when walking or running (and don’t have back or neck pain) you should run the natural way for you. Back and neck pain are often decreased significantly when one maintains an upright posture.

  Good running posture: Visualize that you are a puppet on a string.

  Efficient running: Keep your feet low to the ground with a short stride and a light touch.

  Stay low to the ground: This allows the ankle to do most of the work, significantly reducing muscle fatigue. When the ankle is the primary running mechanical component, wear and tear on knees and hips can be reduced significantly. Muscle fatigue is also reduced.

  Shuffle! The resulting running motion is a shuffle. The ankle is an amazingly efficient lever that can keep you running forward with little effort. A shorter stride with the feet directly underneath stimulates a reflex action in the ankle with consistent propulsion.

  Stride: A short but natural stride also activates the ankle, significantly reducing aggravation on other orthopedic units. When the ankle is the primary mechanical component, wear and tear on knees and hips can be reduced significantly.

  A stride that is too long: Most of the aches, pains, and even injuries that result from the mechanics of running, have, in my experience, occurred due to a stride that is extended beyond one’s natural range of motion. Biomechanical studies show that as runners get faster, the stride shortens. Reducing stride slightly, with feet directly underneath, stimulates a reflex action in the ankle with consistent propulsion. This allows the body to keep adapting as you move forward.

  Feet and legs low to the ground: The more you lift your legs off the ground, the more effort required and the greater the chance for aches and pains. Again, a natural and efficient motion of the feet can reduce exertion, allow for better recovery between run segments and let the body adapt and repair. You’ll also find it easier to transition between running and walking.

  Light touch of the feet: Some people naturally run with a hard pounding motion. If this is not causing aches and pains, natural motion can prevail. But if you are experiencing any aggravations that could be linked to the heavy foot landing, work on a lighter touch. This is usually associated with a shorter stride, with feet low to the running surface. Those who make some pounding noise during a run can try to improve by doing this drill: During a 30-second segment of a run, listen to the sound of your feet for the first ten seconds. During the next twenty seconds try to reduce the volume by making form adjustments. Between each noise reduction segment, walk normally. Do four to eight of these during one or two runs a week.

  No aches and pains: As your body adapts to a smoother running form using the right Run Walk Run® ratio, aches and pains are reduced and often go away. Walk breaks stop the cycle of stress on the weak links and speed recovery. If you experience an increase in aches, pains, or fatigue, drop back to shorter run segments and more walking.

  Ease into a walk break, and then ease back into the run segment: In the chapter on drills, you’ll discover two simple exercises that can help you run more efficiently and smoothly. You’ll naturally transition into each walk break and then gradually get the body running again. This will further reduce the chance of aches, pains, and injuries.

  Chapter 12:

  Walking Form

  Most of us have a very efficient walking motion. The subconscious brain intuitively fine-tunes the motion of feet and legs to a range of motion that minimizes effort and energy. Over time, the walking motion becomes more and more efficient, reducing aches and pains.

  The best walking form for most of those I’ve coached is that which is natural to each. Indeed, most of the walking form problems I have seen are experienced by those who try to walk like someone else, or keep up with a walking companion especially when he or she has a longer stride.

  Shuffle breaks: Those who start walking or running after years of a very sedentary life should insert some shuffle breaks into their longer walks. Every 3-5 minutes, reduce your walking stride length to baby steps for 30-60 seconds. These strategic recovery breaks will reduce the constant use of the same muscles releasing stress on weak links.

  As with walk breaks for runners, each shuffle break allows you to take conscious control over your fatigue and aches at any time—and make walking form adjustments. Go through a short checklist to monitor weak links, overall fatigue, and mechanical issues with the goal of a natural range of motion. Do a periodic form check during each shuffle break using the principles below.

  Posture: Most people walk efficiently when in the upright position: head over shoulders over hips as you touch the ground. But as in running, if you are one of the few that naturally lean forward when walking (and don’t have back or neck pain) you should walk in the way that feels natural for you. Back and neck pain are often decreased significantly when one maintains an upright posture.

  Efficient walking: Use a short and natural stride with your feet and legs low to the ground and with a light touch.

  Stride: As in running, a short but natural stride allows the ankle to do most of the work, significantly reducing muscle fatigue. When the ankle is the primary mechanical component, wear and tear on knees and hips can be reduced significantly.

  A stride that is too long: In my experience, most of the aches, pains, and even injuries that result from walking occur due to a stride that is extended beyond one’s natural range of motion. Shortening the stride with feet directly underneath stimulates a reflex action in the ankle with consistent propulsion. This allows the body to keep adapting as you walk forward.

  Feet and legs low to the ground: The more you lift your legs off the ground, the more effort is required and the greater the chance for aches and pains. Again, a natural and efficient motion of the feet can reduce exertion, allow for better recovery between run segments, and let the body adapt and repair.

  Light touch of the feet: Some people naturally walk with a hard pounding motion. If this is not causing aches and pains, natural motion can prevail. But if you are experiencing any aggravations that could be linked to the heavy foot landing, work on a lighter touch. This is usually associated with a shorter stride. Those who make some pounding noise during a walk can usually improve by doing this drill: During a 30-second segment of a walk, listen to the sound of your feet for the first 10 seconds. During the next 20 seconds try to reduce the volume by making form adjustments. Between each noise-reduction segment, walk normally. Do four to eight of these during one or two walks a week.

  How to walk faster: Many of my clients have improved the pace of their walk through practice.

  Here is the procedure:

  Follow this routine during the middle of a recovery walk day between runs or during the warm-down walk on a running day.

  Warm up by walking very gently for at least 5 minutes, then do the following drill.

  For 10-20 seconds, pick up the cadence of the walk by shortening your stride.

  Walk gently for 30 secon
ds

  Keep alternating segments, finding a cadence or rhythm that is quicker.

  Ease back on the cadence if you lose smoothness.

  On the first day, do this for ten minutes.

  Increase the amount of time you do the alternating segments by 3-4 minutes on each successive session.

  The goal is to have 20-30 minutes total in this workout.

  Do this once or twice a week to maintain adaptations.

  Chapter 13:

  Drills to Transition from Run to Walk…and Walk to Run

  The following gentle drills, which are used at my beach retreats and other individualized sessions, have helped thousands to run faster and more efficiently. They can also help you develop an efficient technique for easing into a walk break and easing into the run segment.

  Each targets a few key capabilities. When you put all of them together, your running and walking motions are smoother and more efficient, and times are often faster in races. The drills also help you run lighter on your feet, while strengthening key muscle groups. When runners do these regularly, I’ve seen significant reduction of excess motion in feet and legs, with reduced impact. Running is easier when you run more smoothly, and the improved cadence of your feet and legs can also result in faster running.

  The drills will stimulate activity in the conscious, executive brain. This will keep you focused on the task and exercise control over the emotional, subconscious reflex brain.

  When?

  These should be done on a non-long-run day. It is fine, however, to do them as part of your warm-up and before a race, an MM, or a speed workout. Many runners have also told me that the drills are a nice way to break up an average run they sometimes call boring. To receive continuing benefits they must be done once or twice every week.

  Cadence drill (CD)

  Everyone can benefit from doing the CD because it helps to pull all the elements of good running form together at the same time. The CD rewards you for finding an efficient but shorter stride with feet directly underneath the body. This makes it easy to transition into a walk break.

  Over the weeks and months, if you do this drill once every week, you will find that your normal cadence slowly increases, naturally. During this drill you are shifting control into the conscious brain—counting, adjusting, and empowering the right side of this frontal lobe to find more efficient ways of running and easing into the walk.

  Note: My Run Walk Run® timer will beep or vibrate (or both) and simplifies timing on this drill. It is available at www.JeffGalloway.com.

  Warm up by walking for 5 minutes, and then running and walking very gently for 10 minutes.

  Start jogging slowly for 1-2 minutes, and then time yourself for 30 seconds. During these 30 seconds, count the number of times your left or right foot touches (not both).

  At the end of the 30-second interval ease into a walk for about 30 seconds.

  On the second 30-second drill, increase the count by 1 or 2.

  Repeat this 3-7 times. On each successive CD, try to increase by 1-2 additional steps.

  If you reach a count that you can’t exceed, just try to maintain the previous count with a smooth motion.

  Start each new CD with a blank slate. Whatever your count on the first one, just try to do more on the second.

  In the process of improving cadence, the right side of the conscious brain coordinates a series of adaptations which help the feet, legs, nervous system, and timing mechanism work together as an efficient team:

  Your foot touches more gently.

  Extra, inefficient motions of the foot and leg are reduced or eliminated.

  Less effort is spent on pushing up or moving forward.

  You stay lower to the ground.

  The ankle does most of the work, reducing leg muscle fatigue.

  Your run will glide naturally into a walk.

  Acceleration-glider drills (AG)

  This is another cognitive drill that keeps you focused on each component of running form. By using it 1 or 2 times every week, you develop a range of speeds, with the muscle conditioning to move smoothly from one to the next. The greatest benefit comes as you learn how to glide, or coast off your momentum directly into a walk break.

  Do the AG on a non-long-run day, in the middle of a shorter run, or as a warm-up for a speed session, race, or MM.

  Warm up with at least half a mile of easy running.

  Many runners do the CD just after the easy warm-up, and then the AGs, but the drills can be done separately also.

  Run 4-8 of them.

  Do this at least once a week.

  No sprinting! Never run all-out.

  Don’t do these if you have an injury.

  Stop immediately if you suspect that you are irritating a weak link.

  After teaching this drill at my one-day running schools and weekend retreats for years, I can say that most people learn better through practice when they work on the concepts listed below—rather than the details—of the drill. So just get out there and try them! The glide segment of this drill has been the best way I’ve found to train someone to move efficiently from a run into a walk break.

  Gliding—This is the most important concept. It is like coasting off the momentum of a downhill run. You can do some of your gliders running down a hill if you want, but it is important to do at least two of them on the flat land. Your goal is to use your momentum, if only for 5-10 strides, gliding smoothly into a walk break.

  Do this every week—As in the CDs, it’s important to do them 1 or 2 times a week. If you’re like most runners, you won’t glide very far at first. Regular practice will help you glide farther and farther.

  Don’t sweat the small stuff—I’ve included a general guideline of how many steps to do with each part of the drill, but don’t worry about getting an exact number of steps. It’s best to get into a flow with this drill and not worry about how many steps you are taking—especially on the glide.

  Smooth transition—Each time you shift gears you are using the momentum of the current mode to start you into the next mode. Don’t make a sudden and abrupt change, but strive for a smooth transition between modes.

  Here’s how it’s done:

  Start by walking for 30 seconds. Walk gently as you would walk during a walk break

  Ease into running with a shuffle for 8-10 steps. This helps you transition from walking into running after a walk break.

  Next, ease into a slow jog for 8-10 steps and then a regular, easy pace for about 15 steps.

  If you have aches and pains or have no time goals, start your glide.

  Over the next 30 steps, those with time goals and free of aches and pains should gradually increase the speed to a fast but not all-out pace (approximately 5K race pace). Before an MM or a speed workout, gradually get into the pace you plan to run for that day.

  Now it’s time to glide, or coast. Allow yourself to gradually slow down to a shuffle and then a jog using momentum as long as you can. You can train yourself to do this seamlessly.

  Continue to ease yourself into a walk break. As you do this regularly the transition will become smoother and smoother.

  At first you may only glide for maybe 10-15 steps. As the months go by you will get up to 20, then 30 and beyond. You’re gliding!

  Walk for about 30 seconds as you would during a walk break.

  Repeat. Be in the moment! Do 4-8 of these.

  Learning a smooth transition between running and walking: As you do this drill every week, you will feel smoother at each mode of running. You’ll also develop a smooth and natural transition between running and walking…and running again (and again).

  There will be some weeks when you will glide longer than others—don’t worry about this. By doing this drill regularly, you will find yourself coasting or gliding down the smallest of inclines, and even for 10-20 yards on the flat, on a regular basis. Gliding conserves energy, reduces soreness and fatigue, and helps you maintain a faster pace in races with less effort.

/>   Chapter 14:

  Solving Problems by Adjusting Run Walk Run®

  The Run Walk Run® method is as close to a panacea for running problems as I’ve found during my more than half a century of running. By adjusting the amounts of running and walking, the body can recover better, adapt, erase fatigue, and avoid injury. This allows one to run farther, reduce or eliminate aches and pains, continue running while letting an injury heal, cope with heat, etc.

  You are the captain of your running ship. By taking cognitive control over problems and setting up a strategy, you shift mental action into the conscious brain and away from the subconscious, emotional brain. As you adjust the Run Walk Run® strategies you further empower the executive brain to evaluate, adjust, and come up with the right balance for that moment. The human, conscious brain activity will override the subconscious brain, allowing you to stay positive and focused. You can then manage the stress level, and reduce or eliminate the production of negative attitude hormones associated with running.

  Don’t get stuck in a rut. Run Walk Run® adjustments can solve many problems and manage many more. But you must take action as soon as possible and continuously make adjustments as they are needed.