Customer Reviews

Evolution Running: Run Faster with Fewer Injuries

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After reading "Born to Run" and investigating barefoot running techniques, I learned that I was a serious "heel-striker" and always have been. Forehead slap!

I set out to change my running form and unfortunately I went to books first instead of videos. Mistake. I wish I had found this DVD *first*. I have been investigating barefoot running, chi, and POSE, and much of it confused me, as authors tend to describe the same thing 20 different ways. And I'm sorry, a series of 50 still-frames printed in black-and-white across two pages of a book is NOT THE SAME as a VIDEO! There is simply no substitute for video when trying to learn a dynamic motion.

While this is not hollywood-quality production, it is more than good enough, and it has the information where it counts, mainly the ability to "see" what people with correct form are doing, compared to the inefficient stride that most amateurs are using. In this case a $25 DVD and 45 minutes of your time is worth weeks and weeks spent with a stack of books.

This DVD leaves little out -- it talks about "barefoot" running but avoids falling into the "cult of barefoot weirdos". It simply says barefoot runners are efficient, and that you can apply the same efficiency techniques while wearing shoes. Perfectly logical to me.

The DVD also covers using a metronome for cadence (way helpful!), and is very insightful about the theory of running uphill and downhill which most books say NOTHING about ... namely that very little should change in your form whether running flats, up, or downhill. Also a refreshingly logical perspective.

It also shows SIMPLE drills to help you feel the right way to spring off your feet. Which also makes complete sense because deep down running is simple. I shouldn't need a gym full of rubber bands and fitballs and 5 coaches to teach me how to put one foot in front of the other. The simple drills and images in this video helped me instantly "get it" instead of reading complex descriptions like "the foot should land and rotate at such-and-such position toward the medial axis of blah" ... or "think about running on ice" or "think about running on water" ... well, which is it, water, ice, what? Video is worth 1,000 wasted descriptions.

I might recommend that newcomers get this DVD in conjunction with *reading* about running technique of whatever method. Deep down they are all more similar than different -- there is only one way to run and land on the forefoot, after all.

If I came at this DVD out of the blue, I might not think much of it. But after reading through 10 books and websites about running theory and using myself as a guinea-pig, I now recognize that this DVD hits on ALL the main points of efficient running that I have been reading about everywhere else. They did a superb job at being concise and effective. The DVD is deceptively brief, there is A LOT here.

Even more importantly (bad for me though!) is there is a brief TROUBLESHOOTING section on the DVD. It lists about 5 or so major mistakes that people make when trying to change their form. Unfortunately I made them all, thanks to the books I read.

Like the title of my review says, I wish I would've found this DVD first. It makes total sense.

As far as negatives go, this DVD spends a bit too much time explaining the mechanics of why heel-striking is bad. I already knew that, so I had the "preaching to the choir" type of experience. I think most people who buy this DVD are already looking for an alternative to injury-creating running form, so they didn't have to harp on it so much. It's a small criticism though.

Another negative is that they didn't really explore the performance gains, and how to apply the new techniques to running FAST. I know that the coach is training champion triathletes, and their testimonials are in the videos, but the specifics on how much improvement a person can get from changing their technique would have made the video even that much more compelling. One person says she went from being a local elite to #3 in the world (impressive!) but there's no specifics on race times or data. They do say that you can be 4% or 5% more efficient, and that equates to a couple of minutes per hour off your PR times... and maybe that's as specific as they can get legally, or whatever, but it would have been nice to have more detail about real-world training and performance.

I'm just an average runner, and I'm ok with that. I will never experience what a 5 or even 6 minute mile will feel like. That's not a good or bad thing, it's just reality.

When I decided to study running form, I knew that I didn't want something too complex or too involved. I simply wanted an overview of running form with simple recommendations on becoming more efficient and avoiding injuries.

Evolution Running is the DVD I decided on, and it gave me exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I picked up some great tips on things like: stride length, vertical movement, uphill and downhill running, tempo, etc.

There is no DVD that will make one a champion runner overnight, but Evolution Running will give anyone some great concepts to ponder. The information I reveived from this DVD will certainly be put to good use and I'm really glad I chose it.

You don't have to be an elite runner to learn to run like the elite runners! All runners, especially those who are just starting on a new running goal, would benefit from this video.

I bought this DVD 3 years ago, when I first started running barefoot, and the ideas in this DVD are based on barefoot running techniques. Almost all of the advice in this video is spot-on, and the vast majority of runners would benefit from using this DVD to improve their running form.

I coach track (distance and middle distance events) at the high school level, and I pass this DVD around to my athletes, especially ones that are prone to overstriding and heel striking. I was a heel-striker for 25 years, and this resulted in repeated injuries, including 5 cases of plantar fasciitis. Using the techniques from this video (and applying them to barefoot running) I have been injury free for the past 3 years.

The advice in this video isn't really new--Jack Daniels and many other coaches have taught these techniques for years--but this DVD brings a lot of great ideas on running form together in one place, and does what no book can do--show you clearly the difference between proper running form, and the way most amateurs run (overstriding with slow cadence).

My only gripe is the advice given about running downhill. He claims that you can land with your foot slightly behind the spot directly below your center of mass, when running downhill, and this is plain wrong. Besides coaching, I also teach physics at my high school, and I know that landing behind your center of mass produces a net torque on the body, which can only be counteracted if you are *accelerating* downhill.

Still, the advice about downhill running isn't bad, in that most runners will land too far in front of their body when running downhill, and will slow their cadence below their normal pace. The idea of landing closer to the spot right below the center of mass is a good goal--a wrong idea can still lead to a different way of thinking about running, and lead to a better downhill run, with a faster and smoother cadence.

Ken does a really great job of breaking down the basics; strike point, leg position, cadence, efficiency all in a simple format. The graphics used in the production leave a little bit to be desired but they convey the main points to support his philosophies on technique. The way he has broken down the efficiencies is easy to understand and when illustrated with some top national champion triathletes it becomes very obvious what the proper running technique looks like.

I have shaved minutes off my 5k times and now running with much less (none) pain.

I have recommended this to pretty much everyone I run with... especially those that show poor form.

If you want to gain more speed through efficiency and run with less pain drop the $30!

I bought this video in hopes of finding some tips on running with less knee pain, and I'm glad I chose this one. I do triathlon's in the Clydesdale division and I've had knee pain from running workouts. After watching the video I ran 18 miles in three days with zero knee pain. I'm very happy with the purchase and recommend it for anyone who's looking for tips on reducing injury.

I would say that Joy didn't make one of her stupidest purchases ever. Rather, she did the stupidest thing possible by not making a gentle and smooth transition. It took me almost 3 years to pull it off.

First you just need to build up the small muscles in your feet. Just because you run a lot doesn't mean you have strong feet. Most runners actually have weak feet because they have nothing more than glorified pillows strapped to them. I started by going barefoot in the house all the time. Then I would do light jogging on grass 2-3 times a week for 10 minutes or so at a time. Then I went slowly through 3 different shoes, each one with less cushioning than the previous, each one with less heel lift.

It took me nearly 3 years before all the little (and big!) aches and pains in my plantar area, achilles and lower calf went away. Whenever I felt plantar fasciitis or achilles tendonitis settling in, I'd just back off for a few days, doing less or no running and massaging the hell out the bottoms of my feet and the lower calves. The transition is done, however, and I'm glad I saw it through. I'm in my mid-50s and run faster & farther than I have in years. (I can break 20 for the 5K.) I've been injury free for a long time now, and I can run 20 miles in shoes that weigh 3 oz., have no arch support (I have HIGH arches!) and hardly any cushioning. You can roll them up into a little ball.

You can't simply take years of investment (15 yrs. in Joy's case, 35 in mine) in a particular FORM of running -- to which your entire musculature has adapted! -- and expect to change it in the course of a few months. No pity for Joy, and her podiatrist (who keeps in business, in my opinion, from supporting the kinds of shoes that wreak havoc on us and create lazy feet) is just plain dumb. No other call.

There are no shortcuts here (unless you're very young with few miles under your belt). You have to be wise, patient, and totally committed to seeing it through.

Two of the main guides to natural (including barefoot) style running are the Evolution DVD and the Pose DVD+Book. I have both, and like both, but the material is quite different. The actual recommended running styles are very similar and both stress avoiding the traditional heel striking style caused by expensive sports shoes to avoid their associated injuries and to improve efficiency. I also browsed articles about Chi running but found too much "eastern philosophy" cluttering up the main running information, so I settled on just Evolution and Pose as the source material for my journey.

The Evolution DVD is a very simple but complete explaination of natural (forefoot/midfoot) style running and has the descriptions right in the video demonstrations. You can easly grasp the concepts and start to apply them, and probably become a reasonably good natural style runner. It also has a nice simple (but seemingly complete) set of drills. But, almost guaranteed, you will not be perfect and will have some flaws which need an experienced instructor/coach to identify and help correct - if perfection is your goal. If all you want is to become a good amateur/recreational runner (and minimize injuries) then this is a great choice.

The Pose book has a huge amount more background description, sometimes quite a bit too much and too wordy so you can easily fall into skimming and/or become sidetracked. But in the end it is more detailed, and the Pose method is based on much more detailed scientific research (not to say there is anything different or magical about its end conclusions). The DVD by itself is not really enough, most folks will need the book to go with it. There are quite a few more drills (you DONT need the separate drill DVD, the main drills are covered in the book and the main DVD). But everything seems (to me) to be more complex (maybe more detailed and better?) and I suspect most folks will need a Pose Instructor/Coach to really become reasonably fluent with its specifics. The Pose website lists contact information for Pose clinics and Pose coaches worldwide, and if that is not for you then their forum encourages runners to video their running and post that video for Pose instructor online analysis.

So, what is the summary? I suspect most amateur/recreational runners will get most of what they need, quickly and easily, from the Evolution Running DVD. If you are a serious runner who worries about where you place in local events and/or actually wants to formally compete, the considerable time and effort put into mastering Pose is almost certainly the right answer for you.

In both cases, either switch to barefoot running ([...]) or get minimal shoes (minimal or zero heel/arch/cushioning, flexible sole, extremely light) and then start SLOWLY to practice and buildup your new forefoot/midfoot natural style. And in both cases try to get to one or more clinics with an experienced NATURAL instructor/coach (and absolutely **NOT** just a typical shoestore or community center "running" coach).

I got this DVD because of all the good reviews, and I am glad I did. My very first run after watching this DVD was like night and day. And I thought-- because I've read similar books-- that I had pretty good form as it was. Seeing proper technique on video has really made a difference, and I now realize that I was over striding even though I was already striking with the mid part of my foot. Running has become so easy now that I've started doing it twice a day. I have no hamstring or quad fatigue. My obliques have become more involved and seem to be working in conjunction with my gluts which have become the main muscles propelling me forward-- I can feel my gluts doing most of the work now, but these muscles are so big and so powerful that it feels easy to use them to drive myself forward.

In my opinion this is simply a must have video for any class of runner who wants to become much more efficient or enjoy their runs more.

Probably the single best thing I have done to increase both my times and my endurance in the last year was to buy this DVD. While I am not professional, I do run with the elite at major triathlons around the country. I have suffered with nagging injuries for some time. With the help of this instruction, I have been injury free for the longest time in over 10 years!

16 years in the Defense industry (to include Marine Infantry) and this is the first time I fully realize how wrong my form has been. The military grades people on physical fitness and members are expected to take a test twice a year. Needless to say, there is A LOT of running through out the year. NOT ONCE did I ever see a video or recieve instruction on the correct way to run. We are just given "go fasters" (running shoes), told to put them on and to "GO FASTER!".
After countless trips to the chiropracter and icing and heating and treating...I bought this video. It is AWESOME. I highly HIGHLY recommend it to others. I just wish I would have known this stuff 16 years ago.