TRIATHLON SECRETS OF EFFORTLESS POWER:

A FOOLPROOF PRACTICE FOR ALIGNMENT 

I advocate mindfulness and technique as the most effective paths to athletic excellence.  While I can’t claim any spectacular podium finishes recently to back up my advocacy, I have enjoyed training and racing without any chronic injuries for over three years. (OK, so I slam into the occasional pickup truck on my bike.  See prior blog.) 

Efficient and graceful swim, bike and run technique, along with healthy doses of diligent mindfulness have empowered me to delve further into the ultra-tri arena this year.  With fast recoveries, I have raced long every 5-6 weeks, with some epic workouts in between.

Technique Programs:

I have worked with basic Total Immersion Swimming principles and techniques for a few years, giving structure to my own creative investigation into swim technique and form.  As a result, I’ve seen substantial improvement in my swimming splits.  (Of course, coming out of the water sooner means that athletes whiz by me on the bike in countless six-packs.  I don’t mind; humility seems to enrich me more than glory.)

I’ve also spent eight months implementing ChiRunning techniques into my running form.  While my running splits have not dropped consistently across the board, I ran one of my fastest half-iron splits at Mooseman, in early June.  (Stay tuned next week for more on the value of running technique.)

So what about the bike?  “It’s not about the bike,” says Lance.  However, it is about bike technique.  Since there does not seem to be a packaged bike technique program like Total Immersion or ChiRunning, I am endeavoring to create just that.  It’s called Zendurance Cycling.  By February 2008, I will be offering Zendurance Cycling Technique clinics.  I will also produce the first in a series of DVD’s.  Stay tuned…

Here it is:

OK, enough promotion.  The real focus of this blog entry is to discuss a foolproof practice for body alignment that applies equally to efficient and economical swim, bike and run technique alike.  But don’t reserve it just for your triathlon training; you can practice this technique constantly throughout your daily activities and inactivities.  It’s a universal technique that appears in Total Immersion, in ChiRunning and you will find it in Zendurance Cycling as well.  This alignment principle has to do with the position of the head and neck.  When we are not mindful of our posture, we tend to slump.  Our core muscles disengage, the pelvis tilts, our shoulders drop down and forward, our chin sticks out, the head tilts up and back, and the neck curves.

In the classic slump posture, spinal alignment is dismal.  Neuro transmission up and down the spine is compromised.  This misalignment impedes digestion, breath, balance, proprioception, movement, clear thinking and probably immune function as well.  We might be just as apt to slump while standing or sitting, throughout the day.  It is a clear and obvious sign that the brain and the body are no longer connected.  While it may seem like some kind vacation, it’s not a real healthy one.

So, how do we keep track of all these elements of good alignment – engaged core muscles, correct pelvic orientation and shoulder placement, good chin, neck and head alignment?  Should we dangle little signs in front of our eyes, little cue cards arranged in a moving mobile.  How about programming an iPod with verbal cues that endlessly repeat?  After all, we’re tri-geeks.  We don’t mind being regarded as absolute dorks.  (People who know me often notice that I dress like a Looney Tunes cartoon character sometimes.  “Hey, I may not look like it, but I’m a freakin’ Ironman.  That gives me license to look little loopy, and still enjoy a modicum of respect.”)

No, we don’t need to go to such extremes in the name of correct alignment and athletic excellence.  There is one very simple practice that virtually guarantees you will adhere to all of these elements of correct alignment.  Simply retract your chin and lower jaw while lengthening the back of your neck… presto!  Virtually everything else “falls” into place.  It really is that simple.

Here are a few pointers to make sure you get it right:  First, retracting (or tucking) the chin and lower jaw does not mean bowing your head down and forward.  It may feel like that at first, but use a mirror to discern the difference.  When you do this correctly, you will feel as if there is an energetic cord extending out from the crown of your head, as if you are suspended from the ceiling or the sky.  The crown of your head is not above your forehead; it is located directly above your spine, near the back of your head.  (If you have studied Total Immersion, or one of the other swim technique programs, you may be familiar with the image of a cable that passes through the crown of your head and your spine, strung from one end of the pool to the other.)

With your head in this position, the back of your neck and your entire spine feels elongated.  You may feel as if there is more space between the vertebrae of your spine.  Your pelvis orients itself naturally, and your neck and shoulders should relax.  Your arms and shoulders are now supported from below, by your core, without the need for all that tension in the base of the neck and across the shoulders.  Your chest is open so breathing is easier and deeper.

This universal alignment technique enhances neural function between the body and brain, as it corrects the position of the occipital joint – the union of the top of the spine and the skull.  Enhanced neural function means better balance and proprioception – essential factors for improving any movement technique.

After you establish the correct retraction of your chin and lower jaw using a mirror, close your eyes and take an “experiential snapshot” of what this feels like.  Begin to practice this technique as continuously as you can, throughout your daily activities.  Be especially attentive when you are training, since your awareness is heightened at this time.  Eventually, it will become second nature.  Remember, this is a postural/alignment practice that applies equally to efficient and graceful swim, bike and run technique, as well as most any athletic activity.  Every time you train, regardless of the activity spend some time in the beginning of the session to get this right.  The payoffs are huge!

Finally, you can also begin to practice “tongue placement” whenever you are not speaking and your breath is slow enough that you can breathe through your nose:  Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, just above the gum line of your top front teeth.  Relax your tongue and soften that connection.  What is the function of this technique? T’ai chi recognizes an orbital circulation of energy in the body; that rises up the spine, to the crown, and then descends down the front of the body, returning to the base of the spine.  This tongue placement is necessary to complete that orbit, so that the energy of the brain can be grounded again.  It is a powerful technique that helps us to stay grounded and aware of our bodies.  It balances the yin and yang polarities of our energy.

I’ve discussed clear and pure intent in prior entries.  As we train through endurance athletics, we can train our bodies and our minds together.  The quest for purity in our body-mind union is a golden path towards health and happiness, one that surely enhances our lives and the lives of those around us.  Pursuing athletic excellence with clear and pure intent leads to multi-faceted excellence in many areas of our lives.  What a precious opportunity we have each time we train!  Now that is something to be very grateful for!  Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

Namaste, Zenman