Training | Merisoiu Technique Institute

February 27, 2017August 14, 2017

Running With Lower Back Pain – Testimonial Client Experience

Richard experienced sore back after running. We knew it was a non-specific lower back pain (i.e. not caused my disc problems, accidents etc) so we could work together.

Over the 12 months we’ve worked once a week to develop strength, flexibility and mobility through natural movement. We also corrected his running form to make it less destructive on his joints and body as a whole.

There were many many changes in his running form over the past 12 months which lead to NO MORE BACK PAIN!! during or after running.

But it’s not over. Next steps: fine tune technique, optimise performance and address other subtle imbalances, tension and restrictions in the body.

Well done Richard!

This is what we look at on the Running Technique Workshop. Of course, changing the way you move and use your body takes time, but on the workshop you will leave with a few concepts that, if used, can make a huge difference.

While same results cannot be guaranteed, with practice, natural running technique will help you run faster, further, with less effort and fewer injuries.

Book your spot for the next workshop in East London, Canada Water.

February 23, 2017August 14, 2017

How Your Arms Make Your Running Heavy And Breathing Difficult

If you want to run lighter, breathe easier when you run and reduce the risk of injuries think about your arms. What you do with your arms, where they’re going, how they’re moving and everything in between.

I explain in the video and also show how your arm direction affects your running, making it heavy and it also affects your breathing.

When your arms cross your body midline the following happens:

your shoulder start to curl inwards
that leads to the chest closing up
which compresses the chest and rib cage
that leads to difficult breathing
your alignment is also off as the shoulders drop forward
your hips fall back
your general centre of mass in behind you
your lower back takes a lot of pressure
your lower back is sore

To avoid this chain reaction you arms should move forward, and your elbows lightly brushing your body.

Check out the March 2017 Running Technique Workshop in East London.

If you live in Surrey we have weekly classes dedicated to runners. Get in touch for more information

Dracula’s Retreat link as promised in the video click here.

February 14, 2017August 14, 2017

Running Effortlessly Using Gravity

runinng-effortlessly-using-gravity-running-technique-style-alexandra-meri

When it comes to running lighter and with less effort one of the most important lessons I’ve learnt from my coach is to use gravity – free energy. And that’s one of the lessons Pose Method of running teaches as well.

In this video I explain and also show you how to use gravity, but to have it in writing the idea is that:

To avoid pushing off, which created pressure on the body and joints, you want to learn forward from the ANKLES

Avoid bending from the hips; body has to learn as a whole, as a plank, from the ankles; it’s a FREE FALL feeling (i.e. falling on your face)

Keep the feet under the body; if your foot goes ahead of the body you will stop your free fall and will experience a lot of pressure on the joints, especially knees

This article and video links to the previous article and video on How runners damage their knees.

If you wish to know more about our dedicated Running Technique Workshops and Classes in London and Surrey email support@themtechnique.com or fill in the form below the video and we will reply within 2 working days.

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February 7, 2017August 14, 2017

How Runners Damage Their Knees

Are you a runner? Do you suffer from knee pain but there is no structural damage that you are aware of (i.e. meniscus, ligament damage etc)? Not yet at least!

Then you should consider looking at HOW you run, your running form, more than for how long and how fast you run.

In this video I explain the main mistake runners make from a technical point of view. That main mistake runners make that lead to damaged knees is OVER STRIDING. Yep. Shorten your stride and you will be using your body in a less destructive way, because when you over stride you:

1. Lock your knee

The moment you lock out your knee it cannot absorb the impact as is would when it is slightly bent. When it is slightly bent you are using the knees and muscles aroudn the knees, the stabilizor msucles as suspension to take on the pressure. When you lovk your knees all you do is put all that pressure and impact on the joint itself.

2. Break your fall

In the POSE Method of running Dr Romanov talks about using gravity to move the body forwards, leaning the whole body from the ankles (not bending from the hips). However, when you over stride all you do is break your fall. Add a locked knee to the equation and you have the recipe for knee injuries.

3. Push off

When you over stride the only way to move on is to push off with the back leg. When you push off you stretch out the leg and you also get a reaction from the ground (for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction). The harder you push off the harder the reaction from the ground.

There are a few other reasons when you don’t want to over stride which I haven’t covered in this video but will in future videos.

Watch the video below and if you wish to enquire about our Running Workshop please fill in the form under the video and we will get in touch within 2 business days.

Enquire about Running Technique Workshops:

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December 19, 2016

Run Lighter And Reduce Running Injuries – Running Workshops

Do you want to run lighter and reduce the risk of running related injuries?

Whether you are into parkruns, marathons, short distance running, trail running, road running, obstacle course races the way you run will impact your body instantly.

Shin splints, knee pain, lower back pain, shoulder and upper body pain they are all related to your running form, to how you use your body.

Thus join our running technique workshops in London and train like an athlete.

Watch the video to understand what you will do and learn on the day.

Also please share around. Looking to pass down this knowledge to as many runners as possible.

EARLY BIRD TICKETS are available for the January and February workshops.

November 2, 2016

Factors Leading To Running Injuries – Transition Speed

You are a long distance runner, but want to switch to interval training to get faster. I get you, it’s normal and a natural progression.

Do read the short article on Change to begin with, then come back to this one.

When you want to change your training regime, to transition from endurance to speed, you must remember:

1. Your nervous system dictates how long the transition will take. Force it and you may end up injured.

2. Your slow twitch muscles fibers – needed for endurance – are more developed while the fast twitch muscle fibers – needed for fast, explosive movements – are less developed. Give them time to develop. You can’t hurry the adaptation process.

3. Think of this new training regime as if you were starting from zero, as if you were a beginner – thus begin with easy exercises, practice a beginners routine 6-8 weeks and then go to the next routine, more difficult, more challenging.

For coaching or advice email support@themtechnique.com or book a consultation

Want to know when the next running technique workshop takes place leave your details below and you will receive the updates.

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May 9, 2016

Cross Frog Jump – Natural Movement Fitness – The Merisoiu Technique Institute

Strenghten your core muscles and whole body, while bringing mobility and flexibility in the same exercise

Benefits:
– strengthening core muscles
– joint mobilisation
– upper and lower body strength

We named this exercise Cross Frog Jump as it is a progression of the frog jumps or frog leaps. This exercise and more are part of the Merisoiu Technique Institute Academy. Contact us to learn more about the MTI Academy

We hold monthly Free Taster sessions. To try out one of our classes click here to contact us.

* Music: www.bensound.com

March 28, 2016

Complexity Of Movement Enhances Your Problem Solving Skills

Complexity-Of-Movement-Enhances-Problem-Solving-Skills

The more complex the movement it the more your brain develops, enhancing your brain-body communication and coordination. What that means for you?

Everyday you perform complex tasks that requests a lot of back and forth communication between your brain and all other areas of your body, inside and out. Some of them we are conscious of, others are automatic and beyond out control.

Improving the communication brain-body mean you will handle these tasks more effectively and efficiently, with less risk of damaging your body. Complex movements involve using several muscles and joints in an exercise (i.e. squats or lunges).

But there is more than the physical. The more complicated the movement is (and now I mean more than how many muscles and joints are involved, but complicated movement) the more focus, thought and problem solving skills you have to put into it.

Just like a muscle your focus and problem solving skills will improve as you master movement, or Body Mastery as I call it. And where do you think you will use these? In your life, your job, as a mother or father, passing these skills on to your children.

You see, what you do in training is not, or shouldn’t be, only about fitness and health, as we see them from the outside. It has ramifications throughout your life and impacts the lives of the people around. We must look and develop beyond the surface, if we are to be motivated and consistent in anything we do.

Unleash Your Physical Potential 12 Weeks Programme was created to develop these skills, and many others. Sure, it involves physical development – improving your fitness, stamina, strength – then we also have nutrition. But beyond the surface there is much more going on, you develop the skills, discipline, perseverance and focus you will always need no matter what you do in life or who you are.

The online programme is very complex, but I have structured it in such a way so you can take small bites and learn complex movements step by step. After 12 weeks of guidance from me, and another 12 weeks developing by yourself (there are 2 parts on the programme) you will have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and several training routines, to develop the body and mind.

WHO IS IT FOR

There are 2 groups of people who’d benefit from this programme:

1. Those getting back into fitness or getting into fitness and want to do it the right way

2. Those already fit but with the desire to learn more, develop new skills, improve performance, and learn new exercises and techniques.

Have a look at the programme, sign up for a plan, and let’s take your health, fitness and life to the next level. Unleash Your Physical Potential

March 4, 2016

The Best Exercise For Your Triceps

Have you ever thought whether there is a different exercise out there, more interesting and less boring than the usual diamond pressups and triceps extension? Among the best arm workouts you can do is this funny looking exercise, which uses only your own body weight? Yeah, you hear me right, I am an advocate of body weight training. That’s because for the majority of people, body weight training is enough and it can be progressed and regressed.

Furthermore if you practice this triceps exercise you not only tone your triceps bu you also:

improve your posture (probably the number 1 benefits of this triceps exercise in my opinion)
strengthen your core muscles (abdominal muscles, side of the abdomen, back muscles, hips and diaphragm)
protect your lower back and reduce the risk of low back pain (for many people standing exercises or pressups and planks can be detrimental if they do not have good core control and body awareness; problem solved with this triceps exercise)
stabilize your shoulder joint (stronger in a safer way)
stretching and opening up the chest and shoulders
shoulder mobility
mobility in wrists and ankles
finger strength (particularly if you practice on uneven terrain, such as the outdoors)

What does all this mean to you? It means you can have a toned, strong, fit, healthy and truly powerful body in a safer way (this is key). Well….you must do other exercises of this type as well, do develop the body all round.

When I say “of this type” I mean exercises that work more than just big muscles in the body, think about posture, fingers, toes, mobility, flexibility and much more.

Remember, you are as strong as your weakest link.

That’s why I believe this is triceps exercise is among the best out there. One that enables you to strengthen your body in a safer way than other methods.

Here’s a video we made at one of The MTI Online Academy : The Crab Walk or Inverted Crawl.

February 23, 2016

How To Make Your Morning Exercise Routine More Interesting And Fun

Here’s a method which will help you get out of monotony, make exercising more fun and different and reduce bias in the choice you make when you choose your exercise.

We unconsciously do more of the things we are good at and which we love. This means progress slows down to the point where we make very little progress. When you have a Personal Trainer or a Coach, they will give you exercises you are not good at, but when you have to choose alone we tend to be biased without realizing.

So here’s a way to solve this problem and to also make things more interesting. This is not a method of training to get results though. If your training needs set repetitions and sets, a certain structure, then this is not going to work. But it will make things different.