LIBRARY - Reference(s)

The Art of Running

Submitted by Jean Fischer on Tue, 04/05/2021 - 08:16
Subtitle: 
With the Alexander Technique
By: 
Malcolm Balk and Andrew Shields.
Material type: 
Book (unspecified type)
AT Focus: 
Alexander Technique
2000
Format: 
Paperback
Size: 
215 x 175 mm.
Language: 
English
ISBN/ISSN/DOI: 
ISBN 185398132X / 978-1853981326
Publisher: 
Ashgrove Publishing (UK)
Mouritz Bibliography
Topic area: 
sports, fitness, leisure pursuits
Cover image: 
Biblio ID: 
BAL000PE3
Base ID: 
BAL000PE3
Short Description: 
A teacher of the Technique and an experienced runner presents his application of the Technique to running.
Mouritz description: 
Writing from his own experience, with humour and without jargon, Balk introduces the Technique and explains the many ways it can help running (jogging is not discussed). He presents a persuasive argument for the benefits to be derived from the Technique. He describes the characteristics of good and bad running styles and discusses how to run well, how to run badly, the dos and don’ts in running, breathing, and arm and leg movements, among other things. Many case histories and photographs of good running style. A revised version was published in 2006 as 'Master the Art of Running: Running with the Alexander Technique'.

Reviews

The Art of Running: Review by Annette Schmidt.
Malcolm Balk and Andrew Shield’s new book, The Art of Running with the Alexander Technique, is a gem of both inspiration and technical information. This slim paperback is filled with photographs that support the text. There are case histories from all levels of runners and in-depth explanations that illustrate the Alexander principles.The writing is clear, practical, specific, motivating, and often funny. A full chapter on how to run well provides specific information, much of which is also a great help for teaching walking as well as running. I appreciated the specific sections on the following:breathing, ten great reasons for lying down, benefits of the Alexander Technique for runners, and a final section for competition and the winning edge. The book is helpful for the novice or an experienced runner, as well as the Alexander teacher. The back cover claims that the authors “show the reader how to achieve and maintain fitness without injury and how to overcome self-imposed limitations to enjoyable and successful running.” I believe it to be a true claim.

After reading The Art of Running with the Alexander Technique, I was encouraged to try running using the Alexander principles. I made this attempt at running sixteen-years after my knee injury curtailed my recreational running. I have succeeded in being able to run again with joy, thanks to my Alexander training and to the techniques described in this book.

© Annette Schmidt. Reproduced with permission.

Annette Schmidt (www.silverfoxstudio.net)

This edition © Mouritz 2005-2014. All rights reserved.

The Art of Running: Review by Jan Pullmann.
Im musischen Bereich hat die Alexander-Technik (AT) seit einigen Jahren Bekanntheit und Anerkennung erreicht. Dies spiegelt sich auch in der Anzahl der publizierten Bücher über die Verbindung von AT und Singen bzw. Instrumentalspielen wieder. Im sportlich/athletischen Bereich dagegen ist die AT noch eher unbekannt. Um so begrüssenswerter, dass neben Steven Shaw's sehr interessantem The Art of Swimming nun ein weiteres Buch über die Verbindung von AT und Sport erschienen ist. Malcolm Balk, Alexander-Lehrer, Läufer und Trainer und Andrew Shields, Sportjournalist, haben ein unterhaltsames und ohne viel Fachjargon beladenes Buch über AT und Laufen geschrieben.

Sie erzählen Alexanders Geschichte und seinen Entwicklungsprozess und erklären "primary control ", "faulty sensory awareness ", "inhibition and direction " und "non-doing " im Zusammenhang mit Laufen und Training. Auch beschreiben sie das "Liegen auf den Büchern " als wichtigste AT-Übung, wobei mir die Erklärungen und Hinweise etwas zu allgemein und unspezifisch sind. Des weiteren wird der "Lunge ", ähnlich der Position eines Fechters im Ausfallschritt, erklärt, mit dem Hinweis, wenn man seinen Schritt entwickeln, die Verletzungsgefahr verringern und seine Zeiten verbessern will, ohne mehr Training, soll man den "Lunge " lernen und üben!

Die Autoren geben eine Liste von "Dos " und "Don'ts " des Laufens, wobei sie besonderen Wert auf die Rolle der Augen und der Arme legen. Sie betonen die Vorteile eines aufrechten Laufstils ( "running tall ") wobei der Rücken zurück und aufwärts ( "back and up ") gedacht werden soll (S. 82). Dass der Rücken sich eigentlich antagonistisch längt und weitet und die Aufrichtung des Körpers über das Freigeben der Vorderseite angeregt wird, findet leider keine Erwähnung! Unter "Trainingsanweisungen " wird zur Bestimmung der maximalen Pulsfrequenz noch die Formel: "220 minus Alter " angeführt, die aber inzwischen als überholt gilt, weil zu ungenau. Das Buch wendet sich eher an Läufer (Leichtathleten), als an Jogger (Freizeitläufer), doch macht der humorvolle Stil Lust aufs Laufen und in dem eher allgemein gehaltenen Text, mehrmals unterbrochen durch persönliche Fallgeschichten, versteckt sich der eine oder andere nützliche Tip. Exzellent sind die vielen Fotos, die Läufer mit guter Koordination zeigen!

Für AT-Lehrer, die sich fürs Laufen bzw. für eher mentale Aspekte von Sport/Training/Hochleistungssituationen interessieren, seien auch folgende Bücher empfohlen: Marathon-Training von Manfred Steffny, und Sporting Body, Sporting Mind von John Syer u. Christopher Connolly.

2002 © Jan Pullmann. Reproduced with permission.

This edition © Mouritz 2008-2014. All rights reserved.

The Art of Running: Review by Marta Baron Holczer.
Malcolm Balk is both an Alexander Technique teacher and an experienced runner. He has been applying the Alexander Technique to running for the last 20 years.

Malcolm conceives the act of running as an invaluable opportunity to develop our creativity, have fun and learn to adapt and deal with change. Being fit for life is an end that he considers worth working for. In order to reach that target, he applies the principles of the Alexander Technique as the means to improve the use of himself while running. Running provides a good challenge if we are to apply Alexander principles and he states that it is possible to run, competitively or not, maintaining a good use of ourselves. The means he advocates to accomplish the desired end are to do with refusing to make of running a repetitive and mindless activity.

Basic concepts on the Alexander Technique such as faulty sensory appreciation, primary control, direction or inhibition, are explained for those who are not familiar with them. He also explains some concepts related to physical culture, such as fitness or level of training. This provides some useful information for those who have heard of these terms but are not sure of their meaning and implications.

It is worth reading carefully the chapter where Malcolm goes through the actual procedures to learn how to run being aware of the way we use ourselves. It is interesting to note that he does not take for granted that everyone should be able to run without compromising the postural mechanisms. For this reason, he goes through misconceptions about running and gives useful tips regarding breathing, use of the eyes, use of the arms, change of pace and so on. Runners as well as people interested in the Alexander Technique should find it useful to read this chapter.

There is a whole chapter that provides procedures designed to improve awareness while running. These are not specific exercises but they take into consideration the use of the whole self.

There are several case studies of people coming from different backgrounds and they provide a whole range of experiences related to running and the Technique. On the other hand he provides more than 80 photographs to illustrate what he explains.

This book is a valuable piece of work quite simply because it gives us an insight into a very common activity nowadays. Any Alexander Technique teacher is likely to have pupils who are runners and would like to improve their performance or are in trouble because of it. Teachers wanting to learn something about the mechanics of running, those who would like to challenge themselves and get fit without misusing themselves, or those who simply want to read someone else’s experience with this Technique can enjoy and learn a great deal with this book.

© Marta Baron Holczer. Reproduced with permission.

This edition © Mouritz 2005-2014. All rights reserved.

Share links