| I've been coaching efficient running and injury | | | | sidewalk, your body wouldn't have you impact on |
| prevention through optimal running form, foot | | | | your heels because it isn't engineered to |
| support and footwear for years. It would be naive to | | | | accommodate the blunt force trauma of repeated |
| go by the results of sponsored elite athletes and | | | | heel striking. Through increased forefoot |
| satisfied customers, but the initial results of a study | | | | communication with the ground Newton shoes allow |
| started last spring at the Massachusetts Institute of | | | | for the body's natural propensity for a light forefoot |
| Technology reinforced my ideas. | | | | landing, foot leverage and a lifting of each new stride |
| The study, conducted through the Chemistry of | | | | (instead of pushing off) known as the |
| Sport class taught by Dr. Patti Christie, took 25 | | | | "Land-Lever-Lift" technique. |
| athletic individuals with various running abilities and put | | | | Newton Running's patented Action/Reaction forefoot |
| them through an eight-week distance running | | | | technology encourages Natural or Barefoot Running |
| program. The research was based around running | | | | Gait and enhances the shock absorbency, leverage |
| 4x800m or 4x1600m repeats while holding a constant | | | | and energy return in the forefoot. Newton's |
| heart rate. | | | | Independent lab research shows the system returns |
| The first set of intervals was done in traditional EVA | | | | up to 28 percent more energy and reduces impact |
| foam-midsole running shoes the participants started | | | | up to 44 percent when compared training and racing |
| the program with, while the latter was done in | | | | shoes offered by leading running brands. |
| Newton Running Trainers (Gravity and Motion). That | | | | The basis of natural form and midfoot/forefoot |
| preliminary data revealed that all of the runners who | | | | running gaits has been around for decades, much of |
| completed every workout recorded faster times in | | | | it derived from the super-efficient form elite runners |
| the final interval wearing Newton shoes. Results | | | | have been employing for years. |
| showed that 77 percent of the runners ran faster on | | | | "It's not new, it's just that most runners have either |
| two or more intervals wearing Newtons and 55 | | | | gone away from what they used to do or they |
| percent of the runners were faster on every interval. | | | | were never taught the proper way to run in the first |
| "The results were statistically significant," says | | | | place," says Malcolm Balk, a Montreal-based running |
| Christie, who is continuing the study with a new | | | | coach, form guru and competitive masters runner |
| group of runners this spring. "It indicates there is a | | | | who teaches The Art of Running workshops in |
| more efficient way to run. And if you combine the | | | | Canada and the United Kingdom. "I think the most |
| Newton Running technique, 'Land-Lever-Lift' with the | | | | important thing is that you need to keep braking to a |
| Newton shoes, there was definitely a significant | | | | minimum if you want to reduce muscular effort and |
| difference." | | | | the impact that goes with it. |
| If you were to run barefoot along a smooth | | | | |