This Week's Podcast: Pain-free Walking and Running
Danny and Katherine Dreyer are the co-authors of three of the most valuable books ever on human bipedal locomotion: Chi Running, Chi Walking, and Chi Marathon.
The promise of their methodology is that you can walk or run a lot farther and faster, without pain or injury.
I can personally testify to its effectiveness, AND to my own ability to learn something great and totally forget about it for, like, a decade and a half. (I took a Chi Running lesson around 2006, found it amazing, and ended up totally forgetting about it and injuring the hell out of myself 10 years later when Josh got me into ultra-running.)
I met Katherine and Danny at their home in Asheville, where they regaled me (and now you) with tales of ultra-running and pain, and discovering how to apply the principles of Tai Chi to running, and starting a business and movement.
And to make it worth your while, they also spill the beans on how to walk and run with mindfulness and ease, rather than distraction and pain.
I was so inspired, I decided to become a Chi Running instructor. The approach to movement will definitely benefit everyone in the Sick to Fit world, helping us walk/jog/run farther and faster, without damaging ourselves.
Oh, and since the interview, I've put down my headphones, stopped listening to audiobooks and podcasts while I run, and now use the iPhone's Chi Running app to give me cues to move with alignment and relaxation. (If you're a walker, they also have a Chi Walking app that gives slightly different instructions.)
On my first such run, I was aiming for a perceived exertion level of “ridiculously easy.” Imagine my delighted surprise when, after six miles, I discovered that I had run a 9 and a half minutes/mile average pace – about a full minute faster than my usual easy run these days.
This stuff works!
I talk more about it in the podcast, in the “Running News” feature. Listen here: http://plantyourself.com/danny-katherine-dreyer-pyp-346/
Is It Possible to Be a Flawless Coach?
If you've ever tried helping someone change their behavior to be happier and more successful, you've probably gotten caught in the "I want this for you more than you want this for you" trap. I know I have, lots of times, even after becoming an experienced and accomplished coach.
And the minute the other person senses you've got a horse in the race, what happens?
They pull back. They get defensive. They make excuses. They start looking for reasons why it's not going to work.
And here's the irony, pointed out to me yesterday in a call with my own coaching mentor, Peter Bregman: The more we care about people, the more likely we are to create resistance to the changes they already want to make.
During yesterday's live videocast, Sarah Bofinger (a trained WellStart Health coach) and I talk about strategies for coaching flawlessly, even when we feel a really strong urge to just shake the other person and tell them to just f-king do it already.
If you're on Facebook, you can watch the replay on Plant Yourself or as part of the Sick to Fit group. If not, it's publicly available on YouTube as well.
You'll discover the power of body awareness, and how to deal with your own issues without polluting the coaching conversation with your "hidden" agenda.
And if you want to train with me to become a flawless and effective (aka kickass) coach, this is the last week to register for the final coach training of 2019. Check it out at WellStartCoach.com.
Join Our "Healthy Scavenger Hunt" in New Orleans: March 5-8, 2019
Josh and I are so excited to announce the theme of our New Orleans Health Retreat: The Healthy Scavenger Hunt.
Imagine joining a group of like-minded, health-conscious, fun-loving people on a 3-day adventure to discover a healthy lifestyle in America's most decadent city.
We'll be navigating New Orleans on foot, bicycle, and public transportation. Enjoying great food, music, history, culture, and nature.
Building our capacity to live healthy and loud under just about any circumstances.
And forming community.
With Josh as our "camp director" and guide, you'll experience New Orleans - and the healthy, plant-based, movement-centric lifestyle - in a fun and creative way.
Read more and see if it's for you: http://sick2fit.com/nola
What I'm Reading These Days
Good Habits, Bad Habits, by Wendy Wood. A research-based guide to changing habits that's full of great stories, as well as correctives to a lot of the popular misconceptions that still abound regarding how we can match our behaviors to our values and goals.
Through the Eyes of a Stranger, by Will Bonsall. Will was my guest on episode 224 - definitely worth a listen if you missed that one. Will is a veganic permaculture farmer and, just as excitingly, a philosopher of sustainable civilization. If you wonder what a future human race that isn't racing to destroy the planet might look like, you'll love this novel about a young man from a culture similar to ours encountering a sustainable, just, and happy civilization.
Farming Biz Opp
One of my favorite comedy sketches, courtesy of Mitchell and Webb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pDTiFkXgEE
Be well!
Howard