Abs and Running

Another idea from Esther Gokhale is the "inner corset".  This is the contracting of certain abdominal muscles and the lower back.  This inner corset should be engaged during vigorous activity in order to protect the spine.

One application of this is for running form.  Lately, I have been experimenting with running short distances while activating the inner corset.  One thing I immediately noticed is that it seem to lead to correct foot position on the landing.  As long as I can hold the corset, my foot strike seems to be well-positioned; when I start to lose the corset, my foot strike becomes more "clunky".

It could be that focusing on the correct footstrike by consciously trying to land in the right position might not be the way to go.  Instead, if the core is activated and the torso is in correct alignment, then the feet may naturally land under the center of gravity.

Right now, I can only hold the corset for a few minutes.  It will take some time to build up the endurance in the particular muscles.  Hopefully, over time it will become automatic and will lead to improvements in my running form.