RMAX POWERED RUNNING

COURSE MANUAL
by

Joseph Wilson, Ph.D. and Scott Sonnon, Ph.D.

RMAX.tv Productions
Copyright 2006 by RMAX.tv Productions
All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever

without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in
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Disclaimer: The information in this book is presented in good faith, but no warranty is given, nor results guaranteed.
Since we have no control over physical conditions surrounding the application of information in this book the author and
publisher disclaim any liability for untoward results including (but not limited) any injuries or damages arising out of any
person's attempt to rely upon any information herein contained. The exercises described in this book are for information
purposes, and may be too strenuous or even dangerous for some people. The reader should consult a physician before
starting Clubbell®s or any other exercise programs.
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 How to use this Manual
This manual is a companion to the RMAX Powered Running DVD. If for some
reason you only have the manual, then you have only half of the product. In the
DVD we go over the physical techniques involved in running, trotting, walking and
sprinting. Without the visual aide of the DVD some of the concepts and
techniques discussed in this manual will be difficult to follow.

I suggest that you first view the DVD and then read through this manual. Find a
program that looks right for you. When you find that program, tweak it to fit your
specific situation and needs.

Good luck and I will see you on the track.

Joseph Wilson, Ph.D.

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 Introduction
Welcome to RMAX Powered Running.

Running is the oldest form of exercise. Running has been around as long as
people have been around, and it is consistently one of the top activities of people
that exercise. Everybody runs in some form or another. No matter what exercise
protocol you’re involved in, chances are it involves running in some form or
fashion. Whether you’re running on a treadmill, running on a track, or running to a
base, you are running in your athletic endeavors. You can’t possibly find a more
natural form of exercise.

Running is also consistently listed among the top ten ways that people get
injured. It doesn’t have to be this way. Done properly, running can ‘add miles’ to
all of your athletic endeavors.

Very few resources out there teach you proper form in running. In RMAX
Powered Running, we will teach you how to prepare to run, how to stretch, and
how to do recuperative drills after you run so that you’ll never be among the
injured.

I was blessed to learn these drills and protocols early on. I have been running for
nine years, and I have never missed a run. I have never had shin splints or heel
spurs. Nor have I ever pulled a muscle while running. These methods work. The
purpose of this book and DVD is to pass them on to you, so that you can run
more effectively -- and enjoy it.

Joseph Wilson, Ph.D.

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 A Very Short History of Running
Walking and running are the most fundamental abilities of man in daily life, as
well as in fighting. In ancient times when the means of transport were extremely
simple and crude, people attached great importance to improving their walking
and running abilities. You can be sure that as long as people have been walking
and running they have probably been racing. As soon as you introduce the idea
of competition into anything people will start trying to improve that activity.

In ancient China, by the advent of the Yuan Dynasty (1271- J 1368) a long
distance running race was held every year by the ruler inspecting his guards.
According to a Yuan Dynasty history book titled Chuo Geng Lu, the race covered
a distance of about 180 Ii (90km) and the winner was awarded a silver disc, while
the others were given satin of different lengths. This was actually a kind of cross-
country race that was held at regular intervals.

The first Olympic Games were officially held in Greece in 776 B.C. Running was
always a staple event at these games.

The simple activity of running has evolved from a basic form of transportation to a
specific sport to a means of exercise, and finally to a staple of almost any
physical education or fitness program.

That’s pretty impressive for a series of actions that consist of little more than
falling and catching oneself, over and over again.

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 Why Run?
Why do normally sane people put themselves through the agonies and ecstasies
of running?

For some it's the ideal way to keep their weight in check. For others it's the buzz
of competition and achieving personal bests. Many athletes run to improve other
areas of their game, or as recovery from other training. And then there are those
who run, quite simply, because they enjoy it.

Running is a rigorous cardiovascular exercise. It allows a person to burn an

average of 100 calories for each mile that he or she runs. Other popular
activities, such as biking and walking, only burn a fraction of those calories in the
same amount of time. While the average human being burns about 2,000-2,500
calories a day by simply existing, running 5 miles a day can burn an additional
500 calories, making it a legitimate way to lose weight. Furthermore, running is
an easily accessible activity -- with a decent pair of sneakers and some
determination, anyone can run.

You might be surprised to learn that how fast a person runs has little effect on the
number of calories that he or she will burn. The most important factor is weight.
For example, a 220-pound person running an eight-minute mile burns 150
calories, while a 120-pound person running at the same pace burns only 82
calories. Every person’s body requires an excess of 3,500 calories in order to
gain a pound or a deficit of 3,500 calories in order to lose a pound. Thus, a 180-
pound person who runs 5 miles each day will lose about 5 pounds a month.
However, as his or her weight goes down he or she will burn fewer calories per
mile.

There are as many benefits to running as there are reasons that runners run. It
may be to lose weight or to get fit. Perhaps they run to stay healthy and happy.
Running could even be a way to meet people, or to compete with solo or against
others in races. Whatever the case may be for each runner, the benefits of
running can be broken down into 3 main categories:

Health Benefits of Running

Running helps lower blood pressure by maintaining the elasticity of the arteries.
As a person runs, his or her arteries expand and contract more than usual,
keeping the arteries elastic and the blood pressure low. In fact, most serious
runners have unusually low blood pressure. Running also helps maximize the
potential of the lungs, and it keeps them strong and powerful. Deep breaths force
the lungs to use more tissue so that, in vigorous running, the 50% of normally
unused lung potential is utilized. Even smokers can sometimes recover full lung
potential through running. Finally, running strengthens the heart and helps to
prevent heart attacks. The large muscle exercise provided by running helps to

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keep the cardiovascular system efficient and strong. In fact, the heart of an
inactive person beats 36,000 more times each day than that of a runner, as
running keep the arteries open and the blood flowing smoothly.

The health benefits of running include:

Improved Cardiovascular Fitness - Running or any other exercise that

raises your heart rate for 15 minutes or more will improve your general level of
fitness.

Weight Loss - Running burns more calories per minute than almost any other
form of exercise. Lifelong runners will reduce their body fat content to their
healthiest level and will keep it there.

Improved Muscle and Connective Tissue Strength - Running will cause

increases in muscular strength and also in the strength of the connective tissues
of your joints. This will aid in injury prevention.

Disease Prevention - Many diseases can be prevented, or the symptoms of

those diseases lessened, by running. It has been demonstrated that running may
help prevent many types of cancers, reduce the chances of developing
cardiovascular diseases, and help decrease the severity of the symptoms of
arthritis and asthma.

Prevention of Osteoporosis - Weight-bearing activities such as running and

strength training have been proven to decrease the incidence of bone loss
diseases such as osteoporosis.

Mental Benefits of Running

Whether you do it to relieve depression or to find some time to think, there are
proven psychological benefits to running.

Stress Reduction - Running will reduce feelings of stress, depression and

anxiety. The physical exertion involved in running coupled with the release of
endorphins (a natural mood enhancing compound) and the increased confidence
of having a healthy and fit body all contribute to the stress reducing benefits of
running.

Most serious runners would probably say that their addiction to this form of
exercise goes beyond the physical benefits that they achieve from running.
Runners state that the intense exhilaration and euphoria that comes after a run is
what motivates them the most. In fact, this euphoria comes from a beta-
endorphin release triggered by the neurons in the nervous system. Intended to
alleviate pain, this release creates a feeling of extreme happiness and
exhilaration. Runners become addicted to this intense high, and it can often

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replace other addictions to drugs, alcohol, and even to food. While runners claim
that they gain more energy in daily life from running, it also helps to stimulate the
appetite, and to bring exercise and food into balance. Furthermore, as running
increases the efficiency of the major bodily functions, it improves sleep, eating,
and relaxation

Community Benefits of Running

Don't overlook the communal benefits of running! The running community is very
much a culture all its own.

Social Benefits - The act of training is, for the most part, a solitary activity.
However, local races and running clubs can provide a great place to meet new
friends, and can be the centre of social gatherings. Running with friends on a
beautiful day is a great feeling!

Risks

Injuries - Any physical activity can result in an injury. Muscle strains, sprains,
connective tissue injuries and bone injuries are all possibilities when undertaking
any program of exercise. A beginning runner is especially susceptible to muscle
strains and connective tissue injuries because the muscles and tendons are
doing work that they are not used to doing. That’s why it is important for a
beginning runner to start slow and to make all increases gradually. This will give
your muscles and ligaments a chance to strengthen. All runners, no matter what
their fitness level, will have occasional injuries. It is an unavoidable part of
engaging in a healthy physical lifestyle. When properly managed, injuries should
not be a major problem.

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 The Four Gaits
There are different types of running and different types of runners. We are going
to cover the four basic types of running. We will refer to these types of running as
gaits. In human locomotion there are four gates: Walking, Trotting, Jogging, and
Sprinting. As the gait changes the body’s structure will also change. If the
structure changes in motion, then the breath is going to change. Therefore, the
most efficient way to run is to integrate the appropriate breath with the structure
and movement being expressed.

Walking

Walking is the most obvious form of locomotion. Unfortunately, because of social

movement prohibitions and traumas and possibly even activity, we can change
the nature of our gait so that, as we walk, we end up reinforcing slight injuries.

When the gait is no longer anti-gravitational you begin to distort the structure,
which can lead to a host of debilitating injuries over time. Even something as
simple as foot turnout eventually becomes reinforced because the more that it is
walked on, the more that the fascia tightens to hold it in place. This can change
the entire structure. Proper alignment is essential, and it is the first step to
efficient walking.

To properly align yourself you must line up the crown and the coccyx. The crown
is not in the middle of your head. Rather, it is at the top of your head. If you
imagine yourself as a marionette, the crown would be the spot above your spine
from which you are hung. Lift from your crown, not in the fashion of a military
stance but in a marionette-like manner, so that everything feels like it is dangling
from that point of attachment at your crown. Your spine should feel like a string of
pearls beneath your head. Your head is primary control, as it’s called in the
Alexander technique. Everything dangles from primary control, and is relaxed
underneath.

Once you’ve got this alignment down, you’re ready to take your first step. The
foot moves forward asymmetrically. We’re using the entire pad of the foot so that
it moves heel to mid foot to ball of foot, and then finally propulsion comes off the
toes. If you imagine that the foot is divided into three portions it will help you to
get a mental picture of all four gates. So heel, mid foot, to ball of foot and then
locomotion continues from the toes as a result of the stored elasticity of the
connective tissues releasing.

The foot is designed such that it has an arch. If you look at this arch you’ll see
that there’s a sort of rubber band pulling it together. As this rubber band of
connective tissue pulls together it creates locomotion for the subsequent stride.
So as you’re propelling the foot down you’re loading the elasticity which takes

9
you to the next step. If you heel strike when you walk you’ll be embedding that
cumulative impact in your knees, especially if you have a foot turn out.

I call this heel strike manner of walking the penguin gate. You see this frequently
in people who participate in different types of asymmetrical sports, such as
baseball, fighting, kickboxing, and wrestling. They are asymmetrical sports
because the player adopts a stance or footwork from predominantly one side of
their body, such as a left side lead in boxing. If this position is never changed the
foot turnout is reinforced.

When walking properly you should constantly be working to have your feet
aligned as though you were walking on railroad tracks. Heel, mid foot, ball of foot,
and toes propelled to the next.

It is difficult for most people to address the breath while walking, because walking
doesn’t elicit much exertion unless you’re going uphill. If you’re focusing on your
breath, think of exhaling as your foot engages the ground. This should be a soft
exhale. As the inhalation happens you should be relaxing. The rule of thumb for
walking is that you should be able to carry on a conversation or sing a song by
yourself. If you’re having a conversation with someone you’re walking heal to
ball of foot. If you can carry on a conversation you know that you’re exhaling.

Trotting

The next step in human locomotion is the trot. The way that you differentiate the
trot from the walk is that, first of all, the frame of your arms comes up slightly. So
if you’re walking you’re on a flat surface. A trot will keep your forearms married
about parallel to the ground, close to your floating ribs. Instead of heel striking
you’ll be contacting the ground with the mid foot, while absorbing the shock of
impact with your hips and your knees.

Your breath then has to follow your structure and movement. It won’t be a very
deep breath. You’re not going down into the depths of your supplementary
breath. In walking you encountered the normal depth of breath, and you were
able to carry on a conversation. When you start to trot you shift down to access
the second breath volume, complimentary breath. There’s a huff that happens
with each mid foot strike, so that as you hit mid foot you go to propel then you
move to the ball of your foot, for the next Mid foot, ball of foot, mid foot, ball of
foot, mid foot strike. Exhalation happens on that mid foot strike.

Exhaling on impact and shock absorbing with your structure is the way that you
prevent shock from embedding in your knees. Notice that if you’re trotting and
heel striking the short impact produced by the movement sends shock up to your
knees. When your knees are injured you can’t handle that sort of poor
absorption. Even if you currently have healthy knees, you will pay for poor form

10
10 years later. Think of the attention that you pay to proper form as the retirement
plan for your joints.

Make sure that you are exhaling, and make sure that your heels aren’t picking up
very much, but instead just rotating off mid foot to ball of foot. That’s all the back
weight that you need for the subsequent strike. Your hands should be held just
above the floating ribs. This will allow your shoulders to come out so that they
can come slightly off your rib cage. By coming off your rib cage in this manner
your shoulders are moving through a mini vibration drill with each step.

A vibration drill uses your structure to massage your entire body. It is

accompanied by a relaxed exhale as your weight is evenly distributed between
your feet. You can do a simple vibration drill by gently jumping up and down in
place. The key is exhalation and keeping your knees soft. (The DVD has footage
of the vibration drill for ease of reference.)

Jogging

Jogging tends to be the most poplar and the most abused gait in running. This is
because people generally try to put sprinting energy into a gait that can’t sustain
it. It’s like taking jet engine fuel and putting it into a Volkswagen. Yes, you will go,
but not for very long.

When jogging you’re moving from mid foot to ball of foot. You’re not landing as
you do in the trot. Rather, you’re staying mid foot and just adjusting to ball of foot.
The load on the legs comes from that temporary mid foot, ball of foot transition.
It’s springier than the walk or the trot, because you are accessing more stored
elastic energy. You’re creating this rubber band in the arch of the foot, and
loading it by coming pressing down on the ball of the foot and mid foot. That
stored elastic energy is what propels you into the next step.

When you’re jogging that stored elastic energy changes the nature of your frame,
your frame being your arm position. The arms begin to come upwards a little so
that your hands are up around your heart level. That elastic energy in your legs
will send a requirement up your structure to move you asymmetrically, because
as you push off from the leg you’re reaching. Your arms are pumping out and
reaching for distance.

If your frame is changing and the type of impact is changing then your breath
must also change. Movement, structure and breathing; all three must be
integrated efficiently. Think of exhalation on impact. You’re going to exhale
through about three or four steps. This is not an arbitrary number. You have four
volumes of breath. The normal breath is just a slight little huff. That’s what we talk
with. You reach down into the complementary breath when you are under slight
exertion, like when you are trotting. The lowest level of breath that you can
access is the supplementary breath. The fourth depth, residual breath, you can’t

11
expel. It remains as long as you are an animate creature. We can only go deep
as our supplementary breath. This is why we refer to it as trinity breathing in
CST.

In jogging we’re starting to tap the breath deeper, from complimentary to

supplementary breathing. When we breathe it is upon that mid foot to ball of foot
strike. Our frame is coming up to our solar plexus. The heart is pumping to
increase blood flow. Increased blood flow is needed, because as you jog you’re
creating an effort level and you’re going to need to shift nutrients and shift
lubrication around your body. You also need to shift away toxic byproducts.
Finally, you also need to transfer the lactic acid built up into fuel. People normally
view lactic acid as a foe, but it’s a fuel. And you will transform it.

Sprinting

Sprinting will change your gait so that you are mostly on your toes. Your foot is
loaded and the rubber band of connective tissue stays taught the entire time.
You rarely if ever come close to a heel strike in sprinting. Your foot proportion is
mostly ball of foot to toe.

As you push off the back leg, you’re loading from ball of foot. You’re going to
reach. As you reach, that’s going to change the nature of your breath. For the
most part, when you’re sprinting you’re not breathing. If you do it correctly the
action happens on what we refer to as the control pause. The control pause
occurs at the end of an exhalation, but before the next inhalation. You might be
surprised to learn that you can cover a very long distance without breathing. Of
course, you will have to pay it back. You will incur an oxygen debt that might
leave you on the floor wondering why you’re looking up after a long sprint. I know
it sounds counter-logical, but internally every resource and function is being
directed toward your one goal.

Sprinting is the epitome of grace in human locomotion. As you move you’re

reaching your frame. You’re reaching out, pressing off, and you never come back
to heel point. Your heel never goes down because you’re staying on the ball of
the foot.

It’s difficult to see that the point where you’re not breathing is at the end of an
exhalation. One major mistake that people tend to make, because sprinting is
anaerobic, is that they tend to inhale and to hold a breath. Initially this sounds like
a good idea, because you have more oxygen. This isn’t actually true. You have
more air, but not more oxygen. You can increase the amount of air in your body
by breathing more, but you can’t utilize it because you get more gastric mixture.
You need carbon dioxide to bond it.

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Again, you want your body to be ‘quiet’, with your frame reaching. You’re at the
end of an exhalation. How long you can go before aerobic debt catches up with
you is determined by your conditioning level.

Each gait changes the method of impact and the way that it affects how your leg
is propelled. When you’re walking there’s very little back lash on the legs. When
you’re trotting there is just enough to move your legs from mid foot to ball of foot.
When you’re jogging your legs tend to come up higher. Your head will come
closer to your butt. When you’re sprinting your legs are coming up as high as
they can go. As your knees press down to drive, the impact of your foot changes
as you move through the four gaits.

In all four gaits we must remember that all walking, trotting, jogging and sprinting
is at a fundamental level a repetitive series of falling and catching oneself. How
you catch yourself will determine how you get injured and how your body
manifests that injury.

When walking, we’re starting to fall and we’re catching ourselves. If you’re not of
that fact, you can create a great deal of impact stress that travels all the way up
through the rest of your structure. Whether trotting, jogging or sprinting, that
impact stress will be greater. Be very aware of your relationship to gravity, of
how you decelerate your body how you control gravity. You want to decelerate so
that you are in control of your weight as your foot hits the ground, such that you
absorb the impact and deal with the marriage of gravity in a positive way. This
alone will have an enormous impact on the results you reap from your training.

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 My Running Odyssey
I always wanted to run. I was pigeon toed as a child. I had to wear metal braces
on my legs and corrective shoes until I was 11 or 12 years old. Even after I was
out of braces doctors told me that running may not be realistic for me. They told
me that, apart from troubles with my hips, I was also flat footed. I listened to their
advice, and I never ran more than I had to. In gym class when we had to do the
mandatory mile I was always in the walking/jogging/panting group, finishing with
the others that could not run. It was painful and NO FUN.

As I got older I had to run for certain tests. I have been involved in the Martial
Arts since I was 4 years old. After I earned my first black belt, running became
part of the testing process. The good thing was that I only had to test every few
years, or once a year at most. We generally had to run 3 miles. You could say
that I was a stubborn individual. I wouldn’t train because I had bad hips and flat
feet, but come test day I would show up and run. I made myself do it, and I
always passed. Most of the time I was in so much pain afterwards that I would be
unable to train for a week or two, but I passed my test.

The moral of the story is that I was not good at running and I did not like it. I saw
people running or jogging and I was bitterly jealous. I wanted to be able to do
that, but it was just too painful. It always seemed out of my reach.

I was always a skinny kid. I had well-defined abs, and I didn’t really have to work
at it. I did exercise, but in retrospect I had no idea what I was doing. When I
graduated high school in 1994 I was between 140-150lbs at barely 6 feet tall. I
graduated in May, but by the following January something had changed. I was
getting bigger. I was lifting weights and eating more, and living on my own.
Everyone that I saw would say, “Wow you are getting big.” I thought it was a
complement. I had no idea that I was getting fat. I thought it was all muscle.

Children are the most honest people in the world. One day, an old martial arts
student who I had not seen in a few months came to town. She was a sweet 10
year old girl who I had trained since she was 5 years old. She came into the
school and gave me a hug. When she did she grabbed a BIG handful of back fat
and said, “Wow you are really fat!” I was mortified. I started asking people if I
was fat. They all lied and said, “No you’re just getting’ bigger.” Eventually my
friends started telling me the truth and saying yes, you have put on some weight.

I had to do something. I was the skinny kid! I couldn’t be fat! I had gone from 140-
150lbs in May to over 210lbs by the following January. I wasn’t huge by any
means, but I had gone from a 30-inch waist to a 36-38 in 7 months. I had to do
something.

14
I realized that going to my martial arts class was not enough. I was teaching most
of the time that I was there, and so I was not being pushed physically at all. (This
is something that happens to a lot of martial artists when they start teaching --
they accidentally stop training.) I decided that I was going to run.

My first attempt was a one-mile jog from my apartment to the end of the street. I
figured that I would jog down and walk back. I made it about a quarter of a mile
before I quit. I went home and cried, defeated. I made a few more ill-fated
attempts before I gave up on running.

Running from the Law

As fate would have it, shortly after my 21st birthday I got a job with a local law
enforcement agency. To become a law enforcement officer meant that I would
have to go through a 22 week academy that, among other things, involved daily
running. I thought that this would be perfect. I would have to run, but I would have
to run with others who had to run. I figured that not all of them would be in great
shape. To be accepted into the academy I had to pass a physical test. The test
involved push-ups, pull-ups, dips, a broad jump, a flexibility test and a one-mile
run. To pass the test you had to complete the mile in less than 11 minutes. I
know it sounds easy, but I barely made it. My time was 10:45.

I made it and began studying at the academy. I wish that the success story
started here, but it doesn’t. I quickly learned that running in the academy meant
running in rank, or in a line. Basically we could only run as fast as the slowest
person. While I believe that there was some benefit to this, it didn’t get me into
great shape. When I graduated at 21 years old I was 6 feet tall and 215lbs, with a
36 inch waist.

After a few months of being a police officer, my health and fitness were on the
decline. I was always tired, eating horribly and not training like I needed to. I went
to visit my grandfather one day, and he asked me if I was putting on weight. I told
him that I was trying to get bigger (making a muscle like I was trying to put on
good quality muscle). He said that I had put on too much weight and that it was
time to stop “getting bigger”. He was right.

I became thirsty for knowledge about fitness. In just over 3 months I read 40
different books on fitness, health, running, weight-lifting, and anything having to
do with exercise. I wanted to understand how the body worked and how to
master this damn running thing. I called a friend who was an avid runner. He
was a 5-mile a day guy, and in great shape. I asked for help, and he sent me the
program that taught him to run. It was pretty simple. Basically, it involved running
every other day and incrementally increasing time and/or distance. It was a 16
week program. I made a decision at that moment (‘decide’ from the Latin dere, to
cut off,). I decided to cut off any other option but success.

15
I followed the program to the letter. I kept it on my fridge and marked off every
day that I ran. Once I got to the point where I was running more than 30 minutes
at a time it got harder. I started trying to talk myself out of it. I needed to take my
attention off of the self-defeating voices in my head. My solution was audio
books. I would pop in an audio book and get lost in the flow of the words. I
literally forgot how long I had been running.

After a few weeks people started noticing my weight loss. That’s all it takes to
keep someone going. Once I got some positive feed back I was off and running
(pun intended). I finished the 16-week program, and I looked and felt great. A
habit was born and I was in love with the results. I went from 215lbs with a 36
inch waist in January of 1998 to 175 lbs with a 30 inch waist by April 1998. It got
me into the habit of running. I ran every morning and I loved it. I honestly don’t
know if I liked running as much as I liked the fact that I was running. Either way, I
have been running from that point forward.

Since the day that I decided to start that 16 week program I have changed my
running program several times. I have gone from running daily (or 2-3 times a
day) to running 2-3 times a week. I have not missed a run in over 8 years. I have
learned so much more about running, exercise and training in general than I ever
thought I could. I have earned personal training certificates in many disciplines of
exercise and nutrition. I learned from making mistakes and from education. I
value my experiential knowledge as much, if not more, than all of my other
training. My education has gone from the traditional university education to
specialty schools and certification courses and seminars. In hindsight it was all
preparation.

Enter Circular Strength Training®

The most life changing event in my physical culture education was meeting and
learning from Coach Scott Sonnon, Ph.D., RMAX International, and his Circular
Strength Training® (CST) System.

Understanding a bit more about CST and Coach Sonnon will help you to
understand the goal of this manual.

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 What is Circular Strength Training?
Value Hierarchy
To understand where CST fits into your personal practice, you must first assess
your personal value structure for training. For instance, the CST Value Hierarchy
is:

1. Health
2. Mobility
3. Function
4. Attributes
5. Physique

In other words, CST states that you must first ensure that you are promoting what
is healthiest for you. Then, you must ensure that you have full coordinated
mobility – that you are able to move with complete, sophisticated freedom. Next,
you must be able to function within tasks (rather than merely at the gym). Then,
you may be concerned with attributes (such as strength, endurance, flexibility,
agility) for their own sake. Finally, you may be concerned with your physical
body's appearance. (That said, if you adhere to the CST Value Hierarchy a
beautiful, powerful physique is a natural by-product!)

The conventional "bodybuilding" model orders its value hierarchy in the following
way:

1. Physique
2. Attributes
3. Function
4. Mobility
5. Health

The recent "functional training" vogue orders its values in this manner:

1. Attributes
2. Function
3. Physique
4. Mobility
5. Health

This is also true if you are interested in sports or martial art. The conventional
sports / martial art model holds this value hierarchy:

1. Function
2. Mobility
3. Attributes

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4. Health
5. Physique

It can also be argued that recent bodybuilding and functional training influences
may locally reorder values to meet their agendas, regardless of detriment to
combat sport performance.

Orienting your fitness philosophy by placing appearance and attributes over

function, mobility and health is like hauling your family around suburbia in a
monster truck. Sure, you can get where you’re going, but the excess is not only a
danger to yourself but to your friends and family as well.

“Bigger, stronger and faster” is only good in so far as it is balanced and tempered
with function, mobility and health. The primary emphasis of conventional fitness
is upon the physical. It focuses somewhat upon the emotional, mental and
spiritual components, and pays only lip service to the social implications of
physical culture.

A balanced approach, as in Circular Strength Training®, uses the physical as a

vehicle to emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. Implied within the use of the
physical as a vehicle to intrapersonal transformation is, of course, dramatic social
change.

We must help shift the paradigm back into balance. We do this in the most
effective way possible: by focusing upon our daily personal practice in a
balanced, compassionate, and patient manner; by concentrating on moderate,
sustainable movement for pain-free health and longevity; and by shielding our
right to exuberant play with our friends and family.

It is upon this core doctrine of Circular Strength Training® that CST is built.

It is up to you to arrange your personal value hierarchy and to then program your
training and organize your personal practice (if any) appropriate to your goals.
However, if you wish to maximize your CST experience you should seriously
deliberate upon the balanced CST Value Hierarchy, as it is tailor made for
optimal living.

First CST Fitness Standard

Work Capacity to Sophistication to Specificity to Flow: Unlike

conventional fitness definitions that only consider the bottom level attributes of
endurance, strength, stamina, flexibility and power (which come from training),
CST includes the critical elements of coordination, body control, agility, balance,
accuracy, timing, rhythm and sensitivity.

CST's model of physical development progresses upward through cycles of

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incremental sophistication, like a pyramid building from a base to a point. The
effortless performance, known as peak performance, the optimal performance
zone or flow-state, is CST's primary goal, and it is deliberately built from
attributes to abilities to skills to flow.

Included in this development is the facing of chaos. One must feel the external
and internal resistance of competitive forces. Without this transformative element
of competition, one can stand at the door of flow-state but it will remain locked.
The transcendent possibilities that occur during competition change the individual
on a fundamental cellular level.

Second CST Fitness Standard

Expedient ability to acquire efficiency in new skills, and more

importantly the ability to innovatively create new skills. A skill here
regards a physical motor, structural and respiratory tool which accomplishes a
task. Moreover, a skill is not merely a physical event but is also a mental and
emotional one. Developing the appropriate physical, mental and emotional
integration determines the efficacy of a skill.

In contrast to notions adhered to by conventional fitness standards, CST posits

that it is not the mere repetition, volume, load, intensity, frequency, et cetera of a
'rote' skill which determines one's fitness, but rather the traditionally elusive role
of innovation, adaptation and improvisation which affords victory in any task.
Every skill was once spontaneously evolved from the performance of an
innovative athlete, and every new barrier has always been overcome through the
innovative creativity of an athlete performing outside of the 'box' of a known-
expected skill set. CST's secondary goal is to tap the idiosyncratic genius of each
individual's physical expression of fitness.

Third CST Fitness Standard

Effective ratio of restorative forces to work forces: In contrast to

conventional fitness standards which are based upon one's performance when
situations are at their best, CST defines fitness as one's ability to perform a task
at any particular time, including during the most suboptimal performance periods.
By conventional standards you are only as fit as your ability to maintain your
peak condition. However, that is a fleeting period, and the greater the intensity of
your training the longer the recovery period demanded by the activity - in which
case you become 'unfit' until you are restored to normal performance.

CST defines fitness as your ability to perform at any time. CST approaches
training and practice with pre-incorporated restorative mechanisms and methods,
so that your 'down time' is minimized if not negated. In other words, your very
daily activities become an extension of your training and practice.

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Moreover, CST endorses an approach to nutritional, meditative, attentional, and
emotional (biochemical) behavior as a bidirectional feedback system. In other
words, how and what you eat, how you recover your mental space, how you
focus your mental energy, and how you address your emotional arousal and
discharge emotional energy directly impact your fitness. They are as relevant to
your health and fitness as the impact of your training and practice are.

CST uses the perennial model of the Golden Mean, or Fibonacci Sequence, and
the vehicle of Intuitive Assessment to guide the effective, daily balancing of
activities to coordinate with one's ever-changing biorhythm.

Fitness and Wellness

By conventional fitness standards, fitness is not synonymous with wellness. One
can be fit for a task but not well (healthy). According to CST's above three
canons of fitness, one must be well in order to be fit, and fit in order to be well.

Having had an athletic career of 10 years between the ages 15-25 such that one
has become so physically decrepit as to be invalid does not make one fit. One
cannot be a slave to junk foods, belligerent temperament, sexual excess,
substance debauchery, and so on, and be 'fit'.

The notion of fitness must be expanded to every activity of one's life, at any
moment of one's life, for the duration of one's life, such that it extends (or at least
does not shorten) one's life.

What is the CST System?

CST is a complete system unto itself. You cannot take a portion out of a circle
and still have a circle; if it is to be a ‘holistic’ approach, you must have a whole.
The micro of the macro is that the body is not composed of hundreds of individual
muscles, but rather of one muscular sack of bioelectric jelly with hundreds of sets
of insertions. Nothing exists in isolation. Everything exists as a complete whole, a
perfect circle.

Many people have asked Coach Sonnon why he constructed CST in the manner
in which he did. They ask this, as you might, to understand how to properly fit
CST into your life. Let me first explain the developmental principles which he
observed in order to create CST, and then explain options for how you can tailor
your personal practice to meet your needs and demands.

Principles of Development
As we develop from infant to child to adolescent to adult to old age, we
experience a complex process of perpetual refinement of skills. Each period in
the development of these abilities is punctuated by a short and rocky regression.

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We undergo four general developmental principles in the first few years of our
life. Understanding these principles helps us to create a template for
development in later stages of our lives. It is from these four principles that
Coach Sonnon forged the format for CST.

Growth is a Universal, Predictable Process

We can generally predict the sequence of development in all areas: physical,

emotional, mental, social and verbal; i.e. locomotion proceeds from sitting to
crawling to standing to walking. As a result, Coach Sonnon orchestrated CST to
progress for the simple rubrics of each joints movement (flex, extend, rotate), and
formatted an incrementally progressive step-by-step advancement of recovery to
coordination to refinement. He has stated that he constructed CST to be
"Incrementally Progressive."

Unique Process - Individual Timing

Although this may appear to contradict Principle 1, each of us progress through

the generally universal and predictable sequence in our own unique time. For
example, some of you may recover full elbow range of motion within 3 months
and full knee range of motion within 6 months, while others may experience the
reverse. However, in general for all people, shoulder range must improve before
elbow, and hip before knee.

Simple to Complex and General to Specific

Coach Sonnon constructed CST to progress with "Increasing Sophistication."

(The term Sophistication here refers to both increasing complexity and increasing
potential specificity.) Simple movements must come prior to and must be built off
of complex skills. This is why children first eat with their fingers before learning
how to use a utensil. As a result, Coach Sonnon crafted CST to progress from
simple range to circles to infinities (first cardinal, then diagonal) to clover leaves
to waves.

Head Downwards and Center Outwards

In the first few years of our development we experience what is called the
Cephalocaudal-Proximodistal Trend. We develop from the head downwards and
from the center outwards. This is self-evident in the shape of a baby, with its very
large head and large torso compared to its small arms and legs. Each of us will
experience our own unique pace through this sequence as per Principle 1.
However, in general the sequence is consistently and repeatedly verifiable.

CST was created based upon the way that we universally and predictably
develop in our own unique timing sequence from infant to adult: Incrementally
Progressing with Increasing Sophistication from the head to toe and from the

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core to the periphery. Optimally it's best to follow the format, not because CST is
"The One True Way" but because it observes these and other important laws and
principles.

However, CST is also highly adaptable to your needs and demands. Some CST
is better than none. Based upon these laws, if for some reason you cannot afford
to spend15-20 minutes in the morning, it's best to hit the neck, shoulders, spine
and hips as primary. I would suggest that throughout the day you can fit in the
rest 2-3 minutes at a time: elbows, knees, ankles, wrists, fingers and jaw.

This also assumes that you have no local inflammation. With local inflammation
mobility is contraindicated. However, mobility is still indicated adjacent to the
inflammation to carry away toxic byproducts and to restore nutritive and
lubricative flow to the area.

Furthermore, problem areas are not always the source of an issue and may
merely be compensatory "sites" of tension – which is another argument for doing
the full course of CST joint mobility exercises daily. However, if you find that local
CST resolves the problems then by all means keep it up.

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 CST’s Training Hierarchy Pyramid™
On of the most useful things that Coach Sonnon taught me was how to design
training programs for optimal results. He created an amazing conceptual model,
called the Training Hierarchy Pyramid™, for this purpose.

Every THP program starts at the base and builds upwards.

General Physical Preparedness

GPP is the beginning stage where we build the base level or general physical
skills that we will need for our goal. GPP develops work capacity.

Specific Physical Preparedness

SPP for CST involves developing slightly outside the scope of our skill sets to
create a 'safety valve' for when movements deviate from the expected. The latter
part of the definition does not relate merely to injury-prevention. “Developing
slightly outside the scope of intended skills” also refers to recovery from natural
deviations from optimal efficiency in a skill.

Imagine learning how to steer a sailboat. You must tack, which involves trimming
the sails back and forth so that, although you move left and right, you're
ultimately headed forward. SPP is like this. You're in the process of becoming
more efficient at over-compensating less.

Another metaphor is that of sculpting stone. Remove the big slabs first with a saw
(GPP), then the smaller chunks with a hammer and chisel (SPP) to get the
general form, followed by smaller hammers and smaller chisels (A/SPP) to get
the specific shape, and finally do the fine sanding and filing (MEP) to get the final

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details. You removed everything that wasn't relevant to the beauty of the final
statue, but it was a process of removing less and less. That's what movement is
like when learning a complex skill. It's not about adding, but removing.

Activity / Sport Specific Preparedness

Whereas the goal of SPP is work sophistication, the goal of A/SSP is work
specificity. This seems like a grey area, and it is if it’s performed correctly. It is as
simple as understanding the definition of SPP. SPP develops slightly outside the
scope of the skill to create a safety valve for when movements deviate from the
expected. A/SSP deals not with sophistication but specificity. It builds upon
sophistication by concentrating only 'within the scope' - at the range and depth
of the specific skill to be developed.

A/SSP doesn’t mean just practicing the specific skill. That happens at the MEP
level. Rather, the goal of A/SSP is to stimulate the range and depth of the skills.
This sounds like another grey area, because it is. The goal is to be seamless in
transitioning through the steps. One shouldn't experience large steps but gradual
escalation.

Mental / Emotional Preparedness

Mental / Emotional Preparedness refers to many, many issues, such as:
attentional stamina and strength, awareness (the bisection of focus and
concentration), emotional control (converting the biochemical cocktail dump into
a slow-release, et cetera), overcoming the mental noise and emotional feelings
created by fear-reactivity, density, tension and motor amnesia,…

If A/SSP is work specificity, M/EP is work flow. MEP removes the restrictions that
prevent optimal efficiency. As any athlete knows, ultimately it's the mind and
emotions that transport you.

When an athlete says that they're practicing a skill, people dismiss it as a simple
task. The perfect repetition is the ultimate goal of all athletics! Everything
culminates in that moment.

There are issues at play in a repetition that those who do not go through a
complete systematic cycle of the Training Hierarchy Pyramid™ do not
understand. It's not so much concentrating on the technique, but rather not
focusing upon it. It's literally a form of moving meditation.

You check in on your body to feel where you're holding too much tension, where
you're still sore, what stress you're carrying and where. You exhale out that
superfluous junk. You get a good grip. You get proper core lock in the control
pause. And you GO! Then there's the process of steering to stay on course. Your
performance goals aren't so much what to do or what not to do, but rather they

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involve opening yourself to what's actually happening and responding to it as it
presents itself (this is called attentional switching).

For many athletes, practicing the skill is the base level. It involves hours and
hours of mindless repetition. For example, I've invested a little over 7,300 hours
in the program now known as Intu-Flow™. Each repetition must be PERFECT!
For us, practicing the skill is the pinnacle, the apogee, the climax of a systematic
series of increments culminating in perfection. Perfection isn't an attainment, but
rather the process of cutting the sandbags off your balloon.

It was so easy for me to allow a repetition to not have 100% of my energy -- not
just at the beginning, but even through the middle and at the end. It demanded
such high intensity to be transferred through different sections of the body and
irradiated from the core. Even here, the core is not a static action. The twisting,
bending and stabilization must be synchronized perfectly to land the final skill.

Each time that the skill isn't practiced with perfect concentration, all of that slop is
instead practiced. If you're not practicing with perfect focus on your skill, you're
practicing something else that adds more baggage with each sloppy rep.

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 The Training Hierarchy Pyramid™ and Running
To apply the THP to running we simply need to know the specifics of the goal
that one wants to achieve by running. If, as in my case originally, running itself is
the goal, then the program goal would involve completing a run of x miles, or
running for x amount of time. There are very basic THP running programs in this
manual that will explain such goals.

Most of the programs in this manual can be plugged into a THP design at any
level; however, the majority of the programs are meant to be applied at the GPP
or SPP levels. As an example, here is a 6 week progression for a GPP level
running program. I am not a fan of cookie cutter routines. The routines presented
in this manual are meant to give you an idea of how to train. Every client should
be evaluated by a professional and cleared on what program to use in their
training. For the purposes of this program example I am assuming that you do
not have any injuries and that you are of proportionate height and weight.

GPP
Week# Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun
1 20 min 20 min 20 min 25 min
2 25 min 25 min 25 min
3 30 min 30 min 30 min 35 min
4 35 min 35 min 35 min
5 40 min 40 min 40 min 45 min
6 45 min 45 min 45 min

This program also exemplifies another aspect of CST: incremental progression.

In this program you increase the time that you are running by 5 minutes every 4th
day of running. It is a very simple progression that works.

SPP
The SPP level of a running program may sophisticate your running to interval
sprints. Such a program might look like this.

Sprint work
I would always start sprint work off with a 5-10 min warm up jog (after CST joint
mobility drills, of course) and finish with a 5-10 min cool-down jog. Post-run is
also when I experience the best static stretching and deep hot yoga.
Sprint set 1 (SS1) - After the warm-up jog, begin with a 20-30 second sprint
followed immediately by a 60-90 second recovery jog. That constitutes one set. I
would start off with 4 sets of sprints per workout, working up to no more than 7 or
8.

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Sprint set 2 (SS2) - Once you recovery time gets better, shorten the recovery
periods by 10-15 seconds at a time until you are doing a 30-second sprint
followed immediately by a 30-second jog. Again, aim for 5-6 sets of 30 on and
30 off after a 5-10 minute warm-up, followed by a 5-10 minute cool-down jog.

Week# Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

1 SS1 SS1 SS1 SS1
2 SS1 SS1 SS1 SS1
3 SS2 SS2 SS2
4 SS2 SS2 SS2

Notice that I increased your recovery time partway through. After switching to
SS2 you will need the weekends to recover.

The details of the AS/SP and the MEP portion of the THP will specifically address
the sport or activity that you are preparing for.

Once you understand the CST-THP and a few basic running guidelines you will
be ready to map out your program.

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 When to Run?
One of the most frequently asked questions that I hear is, “When is the best time
to run or exercise?” The most honest answer is, “Anytime.” The best time to run
is the time that you will actually run. Whenever you will feel most inclined to get
out there and do it will be your best time to do it.

There are benefits to almost any run time, but here are a few of the most general
times and reasons to run.

1. First thing in the morning. This is when I run, and have for years.
Research states that running first thing in the morning on an empty
stomach burns more body fat and boosts your metabolism for the rest of
the day. I find that it energizes me and gives me a feeling of
accomplishment that carries through the rest of the day.
2. During lunch break. I see more and more people exercising during their
lunch break, and I think this is a great use of time. Many people are able to
eat at their desks anyway, and so they won’t miss their meal. It’s a great
way to give yourself a boost in the middle of the day.
3. After work (late afternoon). Some people hit the streets right after work to
help burn off the stresses of the day (as well as unwanted body fat). I
think that this is a great way to detoxify from the day and to set up a
relaxing evening.
4. Late evening. When I first began running it was the middle of the summer.
Running during the day was miserable, and I was not disciplined enough
at that time to get up early in the morning to run. Instead, I ran late at
night. It was actually quite nice. I would have a peaceful run and a good
stretch, take a hot shower and go to bed. I enjoyed ending my day on such
a positive note.

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 Pre-run Range of Motion
Prior to running, or to doing any exercise for that matter, you should prime the
joints and muscles for work. While many people do this with static stretching,
CST teaches us that we can prepare our bodies more effectively and efficiently
through joint mobility drills and range of motion exercise.

A joint mobility drill is exactly what it sounds like: you move your joints through
their complete, healthy range of motion to lubricate the joint and to prepare the
muscles for work. Coach Sonnon’s Intu-Flow™ program presents an in-depth
study of joint mobility and fitness. I strongly recommend it for anyone who is
serious about fitness.

The movements that follow are taken from Intu-Flow™, Warrior Wellness™ and
CST. They have been specifically tailored for walking and running. To learn more
about these exercises, please visit http://www.rmaxinternational.com.

As I mentioned above, before running many people spend a lot of time doing
static stretches but static stretches may not help your performance or prevent
injuries. One of the main problems I see is that people wear their muscles out
before they run. We want to get our joints moving, to get the synovial fluid and
blood flowing to prime our body to run. We don’t need to stretch to do this. Intu-
Flow™ is the perfect supplemental program for any athlete, or any human being
for that matter. A good Intu-Flow™ session first thing in the morning provides the
perfect warm up before any activity.

What follows is a very short session of specific joint mobility for runners. This can
be done first thing in the morning. That’s when I do it, because I like to run first
thing in the morning. Regardless, you need to spend some time priming your
joints for the activity that you’re about to do: in this case running.

We’ll start on the ground, because if you just woke up and you’re about to run
your spine needs a little bit of a wake up.

We’ll start with a very basic spinal rock. You feel this in your abdominals, and it’s
very intense. But don’t think of this as an abdominal exercise – think of it as a
spinal wake-up. Visualize your spine as a string of pearls. Each vertebra should
engage the mat one at time. Exhale yourself forward. As you get better at it, try
to keep your heels from coming down so that you’re balancing on your (??). Start
with five to ten repetitions.

Since we’re already on the ground and our spine is a little bit warm, we’ll move
on to the only static thing that we’ll do in this routine. Step one foot over your
knee and keep it around your knee. Make sure your foot is leveled. As you level,
exhale and start the basic spinal. You don’t want to stay here very long and then
come back. You don’t want to start straining. The biggest mistake that people

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make is to get into a position and start trying to go deeper while holding their
breath. Continue the exhalation throughout the entire movement. Really work to
stretch out the hips.

Next we’ll do just a little bit of shoulder mobility. Just a little bit because,
depending on the depth of running, whether you’ll be jogging, trotting or sprinting,
your upper body is going to be involved. We’ll start with some chest circles.

Next, we’ll move down to the hips.

When you run there won’t be a time when your legs will be straight. Your knees
will always be bent. Therefore, you’ll want to dynamically stretch your legs as
specifically as you can..

Finally, we want to stretch the thigh to prime it for running. We’ll do this by
mimicking the heel strike of a sprint. We’ll do this two ways. People tend to pull
their hamstrings because they make these very quick.

So we’ve primed the hamstrings, the quadriceps, and the hip flexors. Bring your
toes around and circle your ankles, and then you should be ready to run.

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 Post-run Stretching
When you’ve completed your run your muscles will be saturated with blood and
your joints will be full of synovial fluid. You’ll want to spend a few minutes
stretching to increase your range of motion and to promote faster recovery.

We’ll talk a little bit about static stretching and deepening your flexibility. I don’t
like the word stretch because it is technically is a misnomer. What we’re seeking
to do is to release tension so that your body can move effortlessly through the full
range of motion of all of its joints.

One of the most common injuries in running, whether walking or sprinting, is shin
splints. The problem in shin splints is that the gastrocnemius and the tibia
muscles get out of balance. One is too strong or the other is too weak, and they
start pulling against one another. Generally the back of your leg, your calf, is
stronger than the tibia in the front of your leg. To address the problem of shin
splints, we need to strengthen the muscles in the front. An easy way to do this,
one that also promotes ankle range of motion, is to simply walk on the sides of
your feet. After a run I encourage my athletes to take about 50 steps on what we
call the blade edge of the foot. And 50 is not a magic number - just walk for a
short distance on the edge of your foot. When you do, you’ll feel the tibia muscles
flexing and releasing tension at the side of your calf and then on the insides of
your feet. Next, take about 50 steps backward in that same fashion.

The other area where most people absorb too much force from running is in the
knees. A great way to help strengthen your knees is with the following very
simple exercise.

I always do my 150 “blade edge” steps for my shins and then focus a little bit on
knee stability with these drills, and I’ve never had shin splints or knee problems.

Remember whatever your static stretching routine is, whether you’re going to do
Prasara Body-Flow yoga or old PE calisthenics stretches, you’ll want to spend
some time after your run increasing your range of motion and teaching those
muscles to relax. In order to remain injury free, it’s essential to abate the tension
and trauma of the exercise that you just completed.

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 Rules of the Road
Here are the hard and fast rules of following a running schedule. Treat each
schedule as a discipline test. Choose a schedule, or write one that you can
complete. Make it realistic and specific to your goals.

If you decide to run for time (e.g. “I will jog for 30 min.”) then don’t worry about
how far you go. If you go half a mile in thirty minutes, you were still jogging for
thirty minutes. Your body does not care how far you go. If you decide to run for
distance, then run for the allotted distance and don’t worry about the time. If your
goal is to jog 2 miles, then jog 2 miles. Whether it take you 20 minutes or 2 hours
does not matter at first, just get to your goal.

Once you start running - DO NOT STOP! You may slow down to a trot that is
slower than a walk, but DO NOT STOP! You can do it! Start with a realistic time
and make it happen.

Make a commitment to yourself, and I will see you on the track!

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 Running Schedules

Original 16 week program (my first running program)

Week # Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

1 20 min 20 min 20 min 25 min
2 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles
3 25 min 25 min 25 min 30 min
4 2.5 mile 2.5 mile 2.5 mile
5 30 min 30 min 30 min 35 min
6 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles
7 35 min 35 min 35 min 40 min
8 3.5 mile 3.5 mile 3.5 mile
9 40 min 40 min 40 min 45 min
10 4 miles 4 miles 4 miles
11 45 min 45 min 45 min 45 min
12 4.5 mile 4.5 mile 4.5 mile
13 50 min 50 min 50 min 55 min
14 5 miles 5 miles 5 miles
15 55 min 55 min 55 min 60 min
16 5.5 mile 5.5 mile 6 miles

Running for Time

(Easy running schedule for increasing time)

Week # Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun
1 20 min 20 min 20 min 25 min
2 25 min 25 min 25 min
3 30 min 30 min 30 min 35 min
4 35 min 35 min 35 min
5 40 min 40 min 40 min 45 min
6 45 min 45 min 45 min
7 45 min 45 min 45 min 45 min

A beginner version
Week # Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun
1 10 min 10 min 10 min 15 min
2 15 min 15 min 15 min
3 20 min 20 min 20 min 25 min
4 25 min 25 min 25 min

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5 30 min 30 min 30 min 35 min
6 35 min 35 min 35 min
7 40 min 40 min 40 min 40 min
8 45 min 45 min 45 min
9 45 min 45 min 45 min 45 min

Walking before you Run

For someone who thinks they need to start of walking first

Week # Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

1 20 min 20 min 20 min 20 min 20 min 25 min rest
walk walk walk walk walk walk
2 25 min 25 min 25 min 25 min 30 min 30 min rest
walk walk walk walk walk walk
3 30 min 30 min 35 min 35 min 35 min 35 min rest
walk walk walk walk walk walk
4 35 min 40 min 40 min rest 40 min 45 min 45 min
walk walk walk walk walk walk
5 45 min 45 min 45 min 45 min 45 min 45 min rest
walk walk walk walk walk walk
6 10 min 10 min 10 min 10 min
jog jog jog jog
7 15 min 15 min 15 min 15 min
jog jog jog jog
8 20 min 20 min 20 min 25 min
9 25 min 25 min 25 min
10 30 min 30 min 30 min 35 min
11 35 min 35 min 35 min
12 40 min 40 min 40 min 45 min
13 45 min 45 min 45 min
14 45 min 45 min 45 min 45 min

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Loggin’ the Miles

Week # Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

1 ½ mile ½ mile ½ mile ¾ mile
2 ¾ mile ¾ mile ¾ mile
3 1 mile 1 mile 1 mile 1 mile
4 1.5 1.5 1.5
miles miles miles
5 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles 2 miles
6 2.5 2.5 2.5
miles miles miles
7 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles 3 miles
8 3.5 mile 3.5 mile 3.5 mile
9 4 miles 4 miles 4 miles 4.5
miles
10 4.5 4.5 4.5
miles miles miles
11 5 miles 5 miles 5 miles 5.5
miles
12 5.5 5.5 6 miles
miles miles
13 6 miles 6 miles 6 miles 6.5
miles

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 Incremental Progression
All of the schedules presented in this manual follow a very basic progression.
Again, these are example schedules for a GPP cycle. The most important point is
that you progress incrementally. At the beginning of each schedule you will add
more time or miles on less frequently than you will towards the middle and end of
that schedule. The reasoning behind this should be obvious. After a few weeks of
running your body will acclimate faster than it does at the beginning.

Running for Fat Loss

There are so many health benefits of running. Fat loss is definitely a great side
effect, and something that many people strive for. First of all, let me state that the
most important aspect of weight loss is DIET! Most people are digging their
graves with their teeth. Please consult your doctor or a good nutritionist about
healthy eating choices.

I want to talk about two basic concepts for fat loss through running. The first
concept is known as LSD running. Long slow distance running involves running
at a moderate pace, one at which you can carry on a conversation such that you
aren't panting for breath, and you don't get side stitches (cramps) or a raw throat.
Running LSD style means that you're running aerobically, that is, your body is
getting sufficient oxygen. Running LSD means that you're using moderation in
your training and not pushing your body to extreme stress levels. Most of your
training should be LSD if you want to run injury free. It's during your LSD runs
that your body develops endurance.

LSD running is great for overall calorie burning, and is a great first step or first
goal for any runner. Once you have a comfortable base in LSD I think you would
benefit from some “burst recovery burst” training, also known as HIIT (High
Intensity Interval Training).

Simply put, HIIT is based around the following concept: Go fast, then go slow.
Repeat.

You can perform HIIT routines on pretty much any machine, such as a treadmill,
elliptical machine, cycling machine, or you can apply it to almost any sport
(swimming, cycling, running). Try to keep the bursts of speed at around 90%-
100% of your maximum effort.

HIIT has been shown to burn adipose tissue more efficiently than low-intensity
exercise—up to 50% more efficiently! In other words, HIIT speeds up your
metabolism and keeps it revved up for some time after your workout. HIIT
training burns a greater number of total calories than low-intensity training, and
more calories burned equals more fat loss.

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High Intensity Interval Training

When applied to running, this is a strategy that is intended to improve

performance with short training sessions. HIIT 'sessions' are becoming
increasingly popular among today's athletes as more studies are done about the
benefits of this exercise method.

A HIIT session involves a warmup period, several short maximum-intensity

efforts separated by moderate recovery intervals, and a cooldown period. The
period of alternating effort and recovery intervals typically lasts a total of 15
minutes.

Most HIIT protocols are very simple, and look something like this:

1. 10 min jog warm-up

2. 4 sets of 30 second sprints followed by 30 seond recovery jog
3. 5-10 minute recovery jog

While I like the concept, I would like to offer a sophistication upon this design. I
think that most people would have a tough time sprinting all-out for 30 seconds
and then doing it again after only a 30 second recovery jog. So let’s build up to it.
In the program presented in the following table you will sophisticate your training
by adding sprints and decreasing rest times. The first number will represent the
seconds that you will be sprinting. For the sake of example, let’s say you’re
working with 30 second sprints. Remember, we are going for maximal to near
maximal exertion in these sprints. The second number will be the length of your
recovery jog between sprints, in seconds. So the above protocol will be briefly
written as 30/30. Each run is understood to have begun with a good joint mobility
session and a 7-10 min warm-up jog.

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Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
#
1 4 sets of 4 sets of 4 sets
30/120 30/120 of
30/120
2 4 sets of 4 sets of 4 sets
30/90 30/90 of
30/90
3 4 sets of 4 sets of 4 sets
30/60 30/60 of
30/60
4 4 sets of 4 sets of 4 sets
30/30 30/30 of
30/30
5 5 sets of 5 sets of 5 sets
30/30 30/30 of
30/30
6 6 sets of 6 sets of 6 sets
30/30 30/30 of
30/30
7 7 sets of 7 sets of 7 sets
30/30 30/30 of
30/30

Studies have shown this method to be more effective at burning fat while
maintaining muscle mass compared to long duration, low intensity workouts.

What Are the Benefits of HIIT?

Major Increase in Fat Loss

In a study done by Tremblay and other authors, two groups were assigned
different training regimens. Group A performed the regular moderate intensity
cardio (ex. jogging or bicycling) for 20 weeks, and Group B performed a HIIT
routine for 15 weeks. The results of each group were recorded. Group B lost nine
times more fat than Group A, and in 5 weeks less! (1)

Increased Lactic Acid Threshold

Lactic acid is what causes that burning sensation that you feel when you work a
muscle really hard. Lactic acid is a byproduct of the processes that your body
uses to make your muscles work. When too much lactic acid accumulates in the
muscles, the muscles become fatigued. Your lactic acid threshold is how fast
your body can remove the lactic acid in your muscles. When your body can

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remove lactic acid more efficiently, then you can work the muscles at a higher
intensity for a longer period of time before they become fatigued.

Shorter Workouts

I don’t know about you, but I would definitely rather crank it up a notch and
exercise for 4-8 minutes than stare at the wall of the local gym for 30 minutes to
an hour while jogging or performing any other slow and somewhat boring type of
cardio.

Why does HIIT burn more fat than regular moderate intensity cardio
such as jogging?

To put it simply, after you finish your HIIT training session your metabolism
explodes and burns a pile of calories. Those calories are being burned because
your body must recover from the HIIT workout that you just exposed it to (the
technical details of exactly why this happens are complicated and would require a
great deal of space to explain, so I’ll spare you). Contrary to what you might
expect, after the workout and not during the workout is when the most fat is being
burned.

The HIIT protocol offers an extremely effective and fast way to eliminate fat. In
addition to this, it can increase muscular resistance to fatigue. Arguably the best
thing about this type of training is that you no longer have to spend 30 minutes to
an hour at the gym jogging your life away on the treadmill.

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 Conclusion
We hope that this course has helped you improve your technique, approach
running from the right perspective in the right gait to prevent injuries and pain,
increased your performance and results, and helped you improve your
appreciation of the sport.

Running can be one of the most rewarding physical activities. It is certainly one
of the most primal. We hope that this course helps you reconnect with that
primal nature within you, and help you not only reduce stress, but feel more
connected mentally, emotionally and socially.

Please join us on the free online forum at www.rmaxinternational.com/forum with

any questions, updates on your progress and reports on your successes!

Go with the Flow!

Joseph Wilson, Ph.D.

Scott Sonnon, Ph.D.

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