Behaviors

Train or structure work to extend concentration time.

Use apps that shut you out of distracting platforms like Facebook, Discord, or TikTok if willpower alone is insufficient.

Include skipping in a weekly fitness routine as a zero-cost way to build power, speed, coordination, posture, injury protection, and longevity, and as a substitute for sprinting when sprint capacity is low. Start with small skips if needed, including for older adults, and progress gradually to larger, more rhythmic skips; a beginner on-ramp is alternating 30 seconds of skipping with 30 seconds of jogging or walking, or adding skipping after about a mile of jogging, with a 10-15 minute warm-up before maximal 50-meter skips and enough rest to preserve movement quality.

Include striding in your weekly fitness routine as a zero-cost practice for movement quality, posture, injury protection, and longevity. If you cannot sprint safely, work up to striding first; it is described as roughly 75-95% of maximum sprint speed. As gait speed increases, think of using more space with your body and a bigger, more expansive shape. Striding and sprinting are described as happening more in front of the center of mass with a longer eccentric phase. One interval example given: walk 30 seconds, skip 30 seconds, then stride 30 seconds as fast as capacity allows, and repeat.

For kids around ages 12-14, do many different events rather than specializing early; examples given include sprinting, jumping, middle distance, relays, and throws.

Do not consciously force heel strike or toe strike while running; let speed determine where the foot lands. Unless a coach is correcting a specific problem, avoid focusing on heel striking or toe striking. If thinking about foot mechanics at all, use the cue 'flat foot contact' and let velocity determine the actual contact point.

In sprinting, let the torso determine when the chin and eyes come up; avoid lifting the eyes first, which can create excessive extension.

When moving from a bent-over to an upright position, lift the torso first and let the head come up last. This approach is described as improving lifting mechanics and strength.

Use the cue of moving chest and hips at the same time to avoid turning the movement into a good morning and to improve stability.

Instead of thinking about pulling the weight off the floor, think about pushing your feet into the ground while driving back.

Seek more hip extension in movement; repeatedly emphasized as important for locomotion and movement quality, including during walking.

For sprint or skipping work, stop or rest based on quality of movement rather than just trying to complete a workload.

Use the ability to safely express your own maximal speed as a proxy marker of vitality or health.

Bounding is recommended for those capable of it, though it is described as much harder than skipping.

During walks, notice how the hips and shoulders move and counter-rotate, and pay attention to whether you're getting the knee behind the butt.

Do not walk and look at your phone at the same time because it promotes an unnatural, constrained, flexed posture. If your phone buzzes while walking, stop, move aside, check it, then resume walking.

Instead of many technical cues, use emotional cue words that bundle the desired mechanics. For the first half of a sprint, think 'pressure' and apply as much pressure as possible. For the second half, think 'freedom' or 'peace' rather than technical instructions.

Rather than only gym exercise, include varied movement and play.

Suggested as an example of a force-transmission exercise relevant to sprinting.

Suggested as an example of a reactive/reflexive exercise to complement force capacity.

Use run-specific isometric strength work in the position where the foot is under the center of mass, with about 15 degrees of knee bend and 5-10 degrees of hip bend. Methods include pushing against an immovable bar or holding a very heavy bar on one leg in that sprint-specific position. Use 3-5 second holds for 3-4 repetitions and about 3 sets.

Occasionally use parallel-stance trap bar deadlifts for neural drive, not primarily for force production.

Look for opportunities to extend or flex over the big toe as often as possible. When one foot is elevated in gym work, get onto the toe to encourage big-toe extension if possible. If bunions or limitations prevent big-toe extension, using the top of the foot instead is acceptable.

Build hip extension into as many exercises as possible.

Favor exercises that transmit force through the whole body, ideally across contralateral chains from left foot to right hand and right foot to left hand.

Use a lunge-like stretch with front foot flat, rear foot up on the big toe if possible, rear knee behind the butt, and opposite arm raised overhead to connect the contralateral fascial line. Explore adding rotation, side bending, or a flexed raised hand to improve the stretch. You can also push the rear knee back, push the heel toward the ground, and posteriorly tilt the pelvis to increase the stretch.

Athletes should verify with their governing body before taking supplements or compounds.

Evaluate toothpaste and other oral care products the way you would food labels; understand ingredients, why they are included, and sourcing.

Choose toothpaste that does not foam or burn; avoid sodium lauryl sulfate and similar foaming agents because they can disrupt oral mucosa and contribute to oral ulceration/canker sores.

Avoid toothpastes or products with strong essential oils because they can be highly antimicrobial and may damage beneficial oral bacteria.