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Recently I read a book called The Running Revolution, by Dr. Nicholas Romanov and Kurt Brungardt. The book is a great resource on running technique and self-assessment. It’s perfect for beginners and will keep them coming back for years to come.
About the Author
Dr. Nicholas Romanov was an athlete who went on to coach two Olympic teams. He is also the creator of the Pose Method of running. Much of the book is centered around the concepts he has been teaching for decades. The co-author, Kurt Brungardt, is a personal trainer and an experienced writer.
Section One: Preparation
The book is divided into four parts. The first section covers preparation for running. This includes the story of Romanov’s journey to the United States and his transition from athlete to coach. Romanov details how to use a journal to track progress and provides some simple proprioceptive awareness techniques.
“‘Running Revolution’ is a great starter book. It covers the basics of physical preparation, injury, and programming well enough to start a novice runner on the right track while teaching him or her every detail of running form.”
The section includes two chapters that provide a series of mobility exercises and a couple strength exercises, as well. These exercises can be used as a routine to keep you limber or as a warm up. You’ll also find information on shoe selection and a discussion of barefoot running. I will describe one of my favorite parts in detail later in this review, which teaches you how to use digital capture to become your own coach.
Section Two: Technique
Section two explains the technique of running. It is split into ten lessons that cover every nuance of running form. The Pose Method is a complete system that helps people with their running form. It places a heavy emphasis on foot-strike, namely, a forefoot strike. In these sections, you’ll find how your foot should land, where it should land, and why it should land that way. You’ll learn details about the rest of your body, as well.
The Pose Method’s three elements of running
Section Three: Transition
The third section explains how to transition from the way you’re running now to the technique described in the book. It expounds on the self-assessment video method described in the first section and shows you how to perform drills to correct the problems you might find when you watch the videos.
“Not only does ‘Running Revolution’ teach you how to perfectly capture yourself on video, but the topic is then revisited to show you what to look for in each video you create to make corrections and view progress over time.”
There are also bonuses in this section, such as how to run on different terrains (treadmill included) and injury care. Common injuries are briefly covered, including how they come about and how to correct them. However, the book’s focus is on avoiding these altogether, so the author does not linger here long.
Section Four: Programs
The final section of the book provides a few training programs for races ranging from 5K up to marathon. There is also a detailed running workout. Romanov’s method is an intuitive one, so a portion of this section is dedicated to teaching you how to choose for yourself how to proceed in your training.
Be Your Own Coach
One of the strongest aspects of the book is its description of how to coach yourself. As I mentioned above, Romanov teaches you how to capture yourself on video. You will learn how to create videos of yourself and what to look for to make corrections and view your progress.
I’ve reviewed a lot of great books on running lately. I’m also a runner and a longtime coach myself, so I was familiar with the details about running form and the Pose Method. As such, I had few expectations regarding this book, but I was surprised by how great it was. On the topic of running form (in particular, forefoot running) there are no equals.
“Experienced runners and coaches will probably already know all the basic information provided, but may still need to learn some of the finer points of running form. This resource will be a great addition to their library.”
The greatest strengths of this book are its details on technical development and self-assessment. However, a lot of this information is centered around the Pose Method and may be unnecessary for people who have already learned this technique from a coach. If you’re already trained in Pose Method running, keep in mind there might not be much new information in The Running Revolution.
My Recommendation
The Running Revolution is a great starter book. It covers the basics of physical preparation, injury, and programming well enough to get a novice runner on the right track while teaching him or her every detail of running form.
Experienced runners and coaches will probably already know the basic information provided, but may still need to learn some of the finer points of running form. This resource would be a great addition to their library.
“Running Revolution” is available for $10.75 at Amazon.com.
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