Learning to run

I run quite a bit. I’ve always run. I thought I knew how to run. I was wrong!

Just over a week ago I spent a fantastic hour with The Running School at Woking (http://www.runningschool.co.uk/locations/woking/about-us/) working with an amazing coach – Andy Cornelius. Access had been arranged through my good friend Chris Fletcher – a former marine who I enjoyed a nice 30 mile run with last November. Chris works at the School’s Chiswick branch – Woking was just closer for me!

I was there to have my running style assessed, discussed, and to receive initial coaching as to how I can improve it. In order for this to take place a lovely use of video capture combined with the application of modern technology – and of course a running machine.

During the session I ran several times on the running machine whilst I was videoed from behind and also the side. Detailed explanations were given by Andy at every stage of the process helping me to understand exactly what I was doing and why.

Reviewing the initial footage on the computer I was amazed at just how efficient my running style was. Using slow motion, freeze frame, and using the mouse to draw graphics to help illustrate his points Andy explained every inefficiency in the way that I run. My left hand comes too far across my body. My footfall was uneven between the feet. My left foot crossed my right. My heels were too low. My kinetic flow and my knees weren’t optimum. My right hip flexor showed a lack of movement.

Andy used comparisons with footage of other runners to highlight what I should be doing. With this, and Andy’s detailed explanations, I understood exactly what I should be doing. Now, if only I could actually do it…

We went back to the running machine. Andy worked on just two things – the major ‘corrections’ that I needed to do for the maximum improvement. I needed my heels to ‘lift’ as they leave the floor, and I needed to make my arm movements “like your taking chocolate from your pocket and putting it in your mouth”.

We worked on each in turn and then together. At every stage Andy was coaching me with the perfect level of instruction. We would run for around 20 seconds each time, then review, then go back again and repeat. Andy explained that neurologically the optimum timing for these practice runs was around 20 seconds – any longer and I may start to lose form, any shorter and it wouldn’t be stored in my neurology.

In fact I was very impressed with Andy’s knowledge throughout. Technically he knows running inside out. We discussed POSE running and its problems, and Chi Running and its problems. How wearing minimalist trainers does NOT make you a 'barefoot runner'. Biomechanics, kinetic flow, biotensegrity, neurology - all were handled by Andy perfectly, and he perfectly applied them to running. Yet I was incredibly impressed with his coaching skills! It was almost like I was being given a coaching master-class. As you know, I’m a performance expert, and studying optimum coaching ability and installing it in others is an expert area of mine. The best bit is, Andy didn’t realise just how great a coach he was. He knows he’s getting amazing results with clients, yet, he just has this natural coaching ability. His language, his knowledge, his rapport, his use of words, utilising mirror neurons, focusing on the key areas that make the biggest difference, his modelling skills, his explanations – everything he didn’t was not good practice. It was exceptional practice.

To finish we set up the video capture once more. Lifting my heels and eating my chocolate new footage was recorded. I was already running faster, and it felt easier, more relaxed, and effortless. Reviewing the footage showed a massive difference in my running style. A massive improvement! Just by working on two areas, so much more had fallen into place.

Sure, there is lots of work still to do. That’s why I’m going back! In the mean time I’ve been putting in the deliberate practice so that my heels will naturally lift and my arm movement will be naturally efficient. I’m working on forming a new habit, a habit of running more efficiently. More efficiency means more speed, more stamina, less energy burnt, and most importantly a vastly reduced chance of injuries.

As someone who runs between 35 and 70 miles a week I wish I had found this service sooner. It has already made me a better runner. I’ve even improved the way that I walk as a result – hiking out with the huskies I now walk smoother and faster as well!

My conclusion is that anyone who runs MUST consider getting along to the running school. One session has already resulted in a massive improvement in my ability. They are also too cheap for their services – so get in quick before they realise this! I’m going back for more. I’d be a fool not to!

I asked Andy to put together a little video showing the difference before and after. Reviewing this footage I also understood what I needed to do in order to improve in practice, to not just sustain the improvements, yet to make them better as well. Have a look at the difference:

The Running School Woking - Gary Turner Before and After

In conclusion I am so pleased I went. I didn’t just go and become a better running; I also received a coaching master-class. I am very, very impressed. This blog post sounds like a testimonial, and I guess it is. Because great service and ability needs to be shouted about.

Should I eat breakfast?

There are so many myths about breakfast. Too many! Today I got asked the question as to whether breakfast is important, so I thought I’d do a brief blog post on it.

There is a common myth about breakfast being ‘the most important meal of the day’. ‘Breakfast’, or ‘breaking the fast’ of night is a common myth perhaps based on the other common myth of needing three square meals a day. Yet the only time you need to eat breakfast is if your body is telling you that you need to eat. In fact, the only time to eat is when hungry, and to stop when no longer hungry.

Overnight our brains and bodies will burn around 300kcal of blood glucose. This means we MAY wake up in a calorie deficit - homeostasis is what we are looking to maintain, and in respect to blood glucose it is around 1500kcals. If we drop below this calorie homeostasis the deficit will start to be made up by metabolising fat stores.

If you are allowing your body to work according to how it is 'designed' to work, you will only need breakfast if you are hungry. When you are hungry your body produces the hormone ghrelin, which creates the gentle 'pangs' of hunger to tell you to eat. Listen to your body, and it will tell you if you need it or not.

So what happens if you eat breakfast when you are not hungry?

It depends on what you eat. If you eat proteins and fats then you will get a minor insulin spike and a small part of it may become a fat store, or you’ll just pass through the excess in your waste. If you eat carbs then you get an insulin spike. Insulin has the ‘job’ of taking excess food energy, storing it as fat, and keeping it there.

It is the same at any time that you eat when you are not hungry. Your body will not need the energy or nutrients. The excess will be passed through as waste unless the excess is carbs, in which case it will become stored as fat.

I’m tapping this blog out as I eat a nice omelette, made of four eggs, spinach, cheese and tomatoes. It is full of nutrients and very low on carbs. Before this meal I have gone for a run with my huskies. After coming back I waited an hour before eating, as I wasn’t hungry. Only when I was hungry did I eat. 

Yet, if you REALLY want to see an omelette, check out the picture of the ‘uber-omelette’. My friend Jonathan Wong is an amazing chef and often posts pictures of his meals on Facebook. Eggs, red onion, tomato, mushrooms, seared cheese, garnished with spring onions - packed full of yummy goodness and cooked to perfection. This, my friends, is the ‘perfect’ omelette:  

Collapse anxiety quickly

Here’s a quick blog post to give you a quick intervention for getting rid of basic level anxiety.

In my experience the vast amount of anxiety has a structure (strategy, even ‘recipe’) where there is a stimulus (for example thinking about public speaking), which brings on a bit of self-talk (such as “oh-my-god-everyone-is-looking-at-me!”), which leads to the emotion of fear, which brings on the feelings of anxiety. The feelings then feed back into the thought process that feeds the fear and the circle continues and can spiral down into panic.

This brief and simple intervention targets the self-talk and collapses the structure.

Take your tongue and place it firmly on the roof of your mouth, just behind your teeth. When you do this, notice what happens to your self-talk. For most people, the self-talk will be impossible or at least becomes very hard to do.

(This is because of the way that the brain is wired and the way that neurologically we develop self-talk, though I’m not going into it here!)

Now, keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your teeth, think about the thing that was giving you anxiety. Notice what is different now?

Many people won’t be able to access the anxiety. If this is you, repeat the process several times so you can lean to think of that thing and remain calm and anxiety-free.

Without the self-talk there is nothing to create and sustain the anxiety. Simple.

My forthcoming book on anxiety “No Worries” is nearing completion. It is written, edited, and the final overall package is being put together as I post this blog. It highlights the complete system that I use with my clients to banish their anxiety forever.

In the meantime, I wonder how many applications of the above little intervention you can think of and put to use? Self-talk getting in the way? Just position your tongue and turn it off.

Let me know how you get on!

And if it doesn't work, here's a picture of my huskies, Harley and Max. As you look at these pictures notice how you start to relax and have warm feelings inside...and you are free from anxiety... ;

Photo reading and speed reading – how to do them, and how to use them within a structure for learning!

I devour books. I am constantly reading. I am looking to absorb the information as quickly as possible. To do this I utilise photo reading and speed reading inside of a larger methodology for learning. Here is how I do it, and along the way, you’ll learn the ‘bare bones’ of photo reading and speed reading too.

Photo reading is very misunderstood. Photo reading does not give the detail yet instead gives the overall context. It will give you the ‘gist’ of a book. I will know where to turn to find the detail. I utilise this to absorb 700+ page detailed degree course texts in under an hour. I don’t get the detail; yet, I get a fantastic broad over-view and generalised information. 

Speed reading provides the detail. It enables you to absorb a great deal of information very quickly and in detail. I cannot understand why this is not taught in schools.

I can explain all the processes I am using here in fine neurological detail. I could talk about the neurological processes for memory storage and retrieval; give understanding as to how we take short term memory into long-term potentiation, and so on. Yet this is just a blog post - the idea here is to give you the ‘bare bones’ to get you up and running and taking in information more quickly than before.

I will start with the structure that I use to learn and absorb the information from a book. I will then go through the process of photo reading followed by the process for speed reading. This is the process that I use to devour degree level texts in very short periods of time, such as this highly recommended text:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Psychology-Science-Behaviour-Richard-Gross/dp/144410831X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369386770&sr=1-1&keywords=psychology+gross

Structure

1. Photo read the book;
2. Speed read marking specific areas for detail reading;
3. Detail read specific areas of interest underlining and annotating, making notes in the margins;
4. Speed read again identifying further areas for detail reading;
5. Detail read this further areas underlining and annotating once more;
6. Utilise my imagination, looking for as many applications as possible to put the knowledge into practice, or see where the knowledge is applicable;
7. Cross reference other areas of learning to understand where I may get serendipity.

 Photo read

1. Read the front and back covers;
2. Read the contents and acknowledgements;
3. Speed read the first and last paragraphs of every chapter;
4. Carry out ‘photo-reading’:
   
   - Defocus eyes (imagine looking at a point several inches beneath the book
   - Align your finger at the centre top of the page
   - Let your eyes (still defocussed) follow just above the tip of your finger as you run your finger down the page. Don’t try and read. Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your teeth to turn off yourself talk. An A4 page should take no more than a couple of seconds.
   - Turn to next page and repeat until the book is complete
   - Carry out mind-mapping exercise from memory (Google ‘mind mapping’ for the process)
   - Carry out a light physical activity for at least 10 minutes

To store this information in your memory repeat this process for three times the first day, once the second day, then once every three days, then once the week after, then once the next month. To retain the information and maintain the quality repeat once every six months or so.

Speed Reading

Turn off sub vocalisation. (Do not ‘read’ the words in your mind.) Place your tongue firmly on the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth;

1. Align your finger under the first line, look at the word just above your finger, and sweep your finger quickly to the right, following the words just above your finger.  You are taking in the ‘image’ of the words and using the finger prevents ‘back-skipping’;
2. Repeat for the next lines all the way down the page and continue.

 (With practice you will learn to not need the tongue or the finger movement. Practice also increases speed. Make sure your practice is ‘deliberate’, ensuring that you get the process right!)

As I have explained, this is just a bare bones blog post. I hope you find it of interest. If you do, please read my other blog posts and let me know what you think! I regularly give workshops and talks on elements of performance, such as the information contained in this blog. I often work with businesses helping them deliver performance, or working with particular psychological approaches to their staff. Should you wish to talk about the services I can offer, and the benefits that I can give please get in touch!

As always with my blog posts, your feedback is appreciated!

This is me at Change Phenomena, the National Hypnotism Conference, explaining photo and speed reading to some of my friends. I also have a nice black eye as a result from heavy kickboxing sparring the day before! (Photo by Paul Friend)

Hypnotherapy, what treatments is it good for - what do the studies say?

On Saturday I attended Change Phenomena – the National Hypnotism Conference. Last year I was a speaker, this year I got to sit in the audience and learn. Some amazing speakers and I learnt some amazing things. The first speaker was my friend Adam Eason, who presented on ‘Evidence Based Practice’, putting forward a strong case for all hypnotherapists to work towards a science based model. I fully agree. 

As part of his brilliant presentation he put forward findings from Wark, David M. “What we can do with hypnosis: a brief note”, American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, July 2008. The ratings used those devised by Chamless and Hollon (1998). This was a systematic review of ‘proper’ peer reviewed scientific studies into the efficacy of hypnotherapy as various treatments. More studies are obviously required, yet, this puts forward a useful list of treatments with proven empirical effectiveness. 

Hypnotherapy as Empirically-Supported Treatments:

"Specific" empirically supported treatments:

• Anxiety and asthma attack
• Headaches and migraines

"Effective" empiracally supported treatments:

• Cancer pain
• Distress during surgery
• Surgery pain (adult)
• Surgery pain (child)
• Weight reduction

"Possible" empirically supported treatments

• Acute pain (adult)
• Acute pain (children)
• Anorexia
• Anxiety about public speaking
• Anxiety about taking a test
• Asthma
• Bed wetting
• Bulimia
• Chemotherapy distress
• Cystic fibrosis
• Depression
• Duodenal ulcer relapse
• Fibromyalgia
• Haemorrhage
• High blood pressure
• Hip and knee osteoarthritis pain
• Insomnia (primary)
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Nausea and hyperemesis
• Obstetrics Apgar score
• Obstetrics pain
• Smoking cessation
• Trauma recovery
• Wart removal

 I hope you found this interesting – it presents some good scientific evidence as to the effectiveness and efficacy of hypnotherapy with particular treatments. 

Also speaking at Change Phenomena was Steve Murray. Steve is a Consultant Cardiologist and utilises hypnotherapy in his work with his clients. An important quote from Steve was “My dream – hypnotherapists attached to every cardiology unit.” When medical practitioners speak in this way you know that hypnosis has its place in helping people to become better. 

As thanks to Adam for his presentation, and also providing us with the list of references to support each of the treatments above, please take a look at his latest book Hypnosis for Running. I was lucky enough to write the foreword, and find the contents of the book invaluable in my day to day running. Please take a look!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hypnosis-Running-Training-Maximise-Performance/dp/0957566700/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369048151&sr=1-3&keywords=adam+eason