BY There are plenty of assessment packages out there for runners these days, from the simple treadmill analysis that you get at the specialist running stores to some more detailed versions that work with 3D modelling. Focus Pilates has recently introduced another, more functional methodology into the mix, and I was invited to try it out.
The Runity program claims to be a full body running assessment that aims to check for imbalances in your form and strides, and also check out your overall muscular condition. Intrigued at how different this might be, I called the chief coach Daniel Dittmar at Focus Pilates and set myself an appointment.
It starts with an interview, where Daniel asked about my training routines, distance and racing goals along with any history of injury. This was followed by a detailed movement screening, which might be familiar to some of you who have done assessments at gyms before. Going through a range of poses and stretches, the idea is to discern how stable your core is and how flexible you are.
What’s interesting to find here is that for many of us, the left and right sides of the body have slightly different ranges of movement.
Running and walking on the treadmill was then conducted, and instead of just focusing on the feet, the video capture recorded the whole body’s movement at various speeds.
Besides stride length and cadence, the post analysis also focused on heel height, ground contact time, trunk angle, vertical oscillation of the body.
The analysis software tracks down to tenths of a second, and Daniel pointed out some interesting facts that no other assessments have highlighted to me before, including the fact that my right leg is consistently slower and lifts lower than my left leg. This, in turn, affects many other components of my stride, including the overall vertical oscillation.
This was all further detailed in a full report sent to my email, but based on the initial 40-minute observation Daniel was already diagnosing where my weaknesses were. He taught me a series of corrective conditioning exercises and cadence drills to target my weak areas. Many of the drills are much more detailed versions of the exercises that we often do as runners, but there were also a bunch that I have not encountered before.
Rather than just describing the exercises, Daniel explained what they targeted, and how they were beneficial. I was taught to move my limbs in angles I didn’t even think were possible, and while they did hurt a little, I was now firing muscles that I didn’t even realise I had.
After just an hour in there, I came out feeling a lot more enlightened about what I was doing wrong and how my muscles were imbalanced.
It didn’t end there though, as a detailed report came through in my email along with an invitation to join the Runity online account, where a customised conditioning plan was laid out for me with videos illustrating the exercises and program that I was advised to adhere to.
The full Runity package involves three private consultations, starting with the assessment, then a follow-up and review. The whole deal will cost you S$420, but you do get the support of the coaches and a very detailed, constantly updated program.
Daniel observes, “Running is a very popular form of exercise, but recreational runners often have issues with being efficient. What we aim to do here is determine exactly where you can improve by studying every bit of your form from head to toe, and then prescribe exercises and drills to make you a more efficient runner. This also reduces the risk of injury in the long term.”
In under an hour, Daniel already managed to pick so many easily correctable imperfections with my form. I actually left the facility feeling enlightened, and a few weeks working on the drills has already left me feeling better during my own training.
Find out more about the Runity program at www.focuspilates.com.sg
Comment (0)