Tai Chi is the forerunner of “Chi running” that many people are starting to get interested in. The underlying principle behind Chi running rests on being mindful and focused. If you want to change your fitness routine to do this form of exercise, then there are certain things that you have to know.
Chi running with a metronome is great for enhancing cardiovascular health. Emphasis is given to one’s core strength, posture and natural leg flexibility. When you walk or run, you need to establish alignment by maintaining a steady rhythm. How does one do this? The use of a metronome plays a significant role in building a regular cadence.
When you are a regular runner, establishing a steady rhythm is the key to avoiding getting a running related injury. Using a digital metronome can help runners maintain a steady running rhythm. It’s a gadget that you can just hold or attach to your shorts while running.
Making quick but small steps is an effective approach in chi running that will help you from avoiding possible injuries. Using a digital metronome for chi running is an excellent tool that puts runners in a better position to land with less weight and without pressuring your leg muscles.
If you want to use a metronome with Chi Running, you can start with a warm-up lasting 10 minutes. Program the digital metronome for approximately 88 beats per minute and try to match your foot strides with the beats of the metronome.
The body thrives on rhythms whether you are awake or asleep. When you feel tired at the end of the day, it is the natural flow of your physiological processes. If you get up regularly on a specified time and your sleeping time follows the same schedule, then your body has established a regular cadence.
When Chi Running with a metronome, your rhythm stays consistent but the length of your strides could change depending on your speed. This can improve your posture, breathing and relaxation of muscles designed to minimize unexpected injuries.
Good posture in Chi Running entails a straight back that leans forward slightly with knees bent. The metronome assists you in building up the right rhythm in such a way that you are able to slowly correct improper posture that you have long established as a regular runner. As with any new training routine, it’s advised to slowly adjust when Chi Running.
Professional workout instructors often say that many people do not know how to breathe properly when running. The right amount of oxygen has to enter into your system so that you can achieve great circulatory functioning to boost the health of your heart. Using a metronome for running is so amazing that you can establish a balanced tempo to help with improving your breathing pattern. When this happens, running doesn’t become tedious and you get to enjoy the rhythm.
The correct way to get the most oxygen into your system is to breathe “from” your belly. Using a metronome enables you set a steady tempo plus correct breathing allowing you to achieve a pretty fluid run that makes the running experience more rewarding.
When you have established a proper breathing technique when you do chi running, you can drive away tight muscles by being naturally relaxed. And when you achieve relaxation, oxygen can circulate freely through your system, which is quite beneficial to your overall health.
If you are relatively new to Chi running, it’s best to keep practising to ensure your running technique and form is correct. It is also recommended that you purchase a metronome to aid you in reaching a regular cadence that would work best for your specific weight and height. It’s not the speed with which you learn the principles; it is the actual application itself.
A digital metronome functions in such a way that you can align your centre when you have established a specific rhythm when you do chi running regularly. Maintaining a steady cadence will help you achieve a healthy balance with the right posture and you get to relieve stress and tension that often times disturb the normal flow of things.
Practice Chi running with a metronome by doing it gradually and picking up your pace from there. When you run, feel your foot switching one to the other while maintaining good posture. Then, you can adjust your speed based on what is comfortable to you. If you feel tired, then do a relaxed jog. You can do short bursts of 10-minute runs and you can decide to do it longer once you get used to the rhythm.
You don’t have to pressure yourself to do regular chi running smoothly. Make a plan first and follow it through by executing that plan. Based on expert findings and actual results by regular runners, the ideal cadence per minute is between 85 to 90 steps. For you to measure and reach a healthy cadence, have a metronome because it will significantly help you achieve this goal.
Small practical goals are easier to carry out than making long-term ones. How about doing Chi running with a metronome by taking a 10-minute short lap within your neighbourhood? At least, this is quite realistic than doing the run for about 45 minutes straight and exhausting yourself.
Here is something that you need to keep in mind. Follow a balanced diet, get the right amount of sleep, and do chi running as often as you can. Many proponents of health always make these as their standard guidelines in order to attain a healthy lifestyle. And when you do chi running with a metronome regularly, you will enjoy this activity and it will eventually become a part of your daily routine.
Video on Chi Running with a Metronome
Here’s a video demonstration on chi running with a metronome courtesy of ChiRunning.com
