Note: The free weekly lessons ended for the 2011 season on Monday October 17th.  Join our email list to receive periodic updates on new lessons, tips upcoming events, etc.

The lessons are meant to teach Fundamental Chi Running (description below) and are organized in a curriculum that lasts approximately 8 weeks.

The lessons are now held in the Parking Lot of Hog’s Back Park.  Entrance to the Parking Lot is accessible off of the north side of Hog’s Back Road between Riverside Drive and Colonel By Drive.  Meet under the Gazebo at the Hog’s Back Canteen. See map at bottom of this page.

Lessons will not be held on Ontario Statutory Holidays (Victoria Day May 23, Civic Holiday August 1 and Labour Day Sep 5 and Thanksgiving Oct 10.).

The goal of the complete curriculum (approx. 8 weeks) is to teach "Fundamental Chi Running" (See description below). We welcome new Chi Runners and encourage attendance from experienced Chi Runners who are looking for a review, or additional help with the fundamentals described below. We are teaching a curriculum designed to allow you to learn the fundamentals of the technique in an easy, fast and efficient way.

There is no charge and everyone is welcome regardless of Chi Running knowledge or running ability. If you are following a training program and Mondays are normally your rest days, no problem, the lessons will have very little actual running and will consist mostly of light drills designed to help with your form. We will be outdoors so please dress appropriately. Rain or Shine.

If you are completely new to Chi Running, our recommendation is to ensure you have reviewed Chapter 4 of the book "ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running". Chapter 4 describes all the aspects of the Chi Running technique. Prior review of Chapter 4 is essential in understanding where the single aspect focused on in each session fits into the overall technique. The book can be purchased at Chapters, Coles, Amazon, etc. for approximately $15.00 or the Chi Running web site www.chiliving.com.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact certified Chi Running instructors Mike Stashin (mstashin@runeffortlessly.com) or Eric Collard (info@ecinc.ca) who are both responsible for instructing the Free Chi Running Skills Development Sessions.

Fundamental Chi Running

The essence of the Chi Running technique is being able to fall forward with relaxed muscles in the legs and feet instead of pushing forward with tensed muscles in the legs and feet.

The individual components of the Chi Running technique contribute to either creating the forward fall, moving your body efficiently with the forward fall or both.

There is quite a bit of information to absorb and implement with respect to the Chi Running technique. So much so that if the information is not introduced in a gradual manner, the student risks being overwhelmed both mentally and physically.  To avoid this risk the Monday night sessions focus on teaching you the absolute minimum required to allow you to run without using the muscles in your lower legs and feet and to know what it feels like. This is the hardest thing to learn on your own and that is why we spend so much time on Monday's working on it. Many Chi Runners unfortunately learn other, easier components of the Chi Running technique but never this one fundamental aspect from which most benefits of Chi Running are derived (Click here to see YouTube video).

We teach you how to setup and feel the forward fall using posture, relaxed ankles and lean.  We then add circular feet and arm swing to the forward fall to complete the fundamentals that allow you to begin to Chi Run.  Once proficiency in the fundamentals is achieved the student is then ready for more advanced Chi Running technique including further refinement of the fundamentals, pelvic rotation, elimination of the use of the muscles in the upper legs, cadence, speed, etc.

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

ChiRunning® is a registered trademark of ChiLiving. For more information see www.chiliving.com.