Older Yet Faster: The Secret to Running Fast and Injury Free

by Keith Bateman, Heidi Jones

Older Yet Faster” (book and online videos) is a manual for teaching runners how to transition to efficient running and to help them to avoid incurring almost all of the common running injuries as they do so. It is ideal for beginners to learn how to run well and for experienced runners to changeover to good technique. Coaches can also use this book as a reference on how to implement technique change for their clients, and we expect it to become the go-to manual for medical professionals, to help them deal with running related injuries caused by bad technique and footwear.After learning how injuries are caused and then gaining a good understanding of running technique in the early chapters you will be prepared to read about our technique-change system which we call “OYF Running”. This consists of “Keith’s Lessons” used in combination with “Heidi’s Strengthening Exercises” and forms the main body of the book."If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough." - Albert Einstein.Keith shows you how to run efficiently in a simple, step-by-step guide both in the book and with videos. Each Lesson provides exercises set out in a format which is both easy to understand and implement. The first three lessons teach you the basics of running correctly and the last three help you put these into practice and help you to refine your technique over the period of your transition. This program is set up so that runners can teach themselves in conjunction with the online videos and forum.Heidi’s Strengthening Exercises consists of a well-ordered series of exercises which will help your body safely adjust to the redistribution of the workload and are essential to rebuild parts of the body which have been neglected due to poor technique. It should be started as soon as possible, in order to build strength and to deal with the resultant muscle and tendon soreness that you will start to experience. We identify specific injuries and how they are caused and we show how by improving running technique, and re-strengthening these injuries are quickly cured. Podiatrists will find Heidi’s experiences and advice particularly interesting, especially as they will almost certainly, be in conflict with what is still taught in universities. Chapters Twelve and Thirteen, ‘Managing the changes’ and ‘Rehabilitation’, explain what should happen during the transition and what to do should you get injured, or if you are currently injured. Chapter Fourteen is very important as you must have suitable footwear to run with good technique.There is then a chapter on how your body shape will change as you adopt your new technique and a chapter on general tips and traps a list of commonly used terms, a glossary and an index.Finally, we have included three For Coaches, For Podiatrists and a detailed look at Heidi’s strengthening program. In Appendix A, Keith discusses how to implement his Lessons from a coach’s point of view, in Appendix B, Heidi explains how she treats her patients who are suffering with specific injuries and in Appendix C she explains her Strengthening program in greater detail for medical professionals and interested runners.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

412 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2015

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

An opinionated book which explains how to run efficiently and without injury by landing aligned. Aligned refers to equality in the swing of your legs from front to back and back to front like a pendulum. Alignment side to side along with every other running nuance you might imagine is dismissed with scorn. A video from the side, these diagnostic checks, these foot and glute medius exercises, this alignment game changer and thin flexible shoes are all you need to run faster with less effort and zero injuries. Like most self help books with a single idea to convey, it is massively repetitive. However, unlike most books, the idea is not already overworked. Running as humans were evolved to run is a blockbuster idea of which almost no one seems to be aware. However, getting back to running as our bodies were designed to is anything but easy. This book describes one possible path to that goal. With the help of the videos which are accessible if you buy the book, you may be able to get the hang of what it means to land vertically aligned and bounce off the ground without decelerating and accelerating with each stride. But, I found that internalizing the new kinesthetic is crazy difficult and that methods which this book explicitly discourages such as increasing my cadence helped in the beginning. So, I'd recommend that you take this book with a grain of salt but definitely read it.

[Alexandra Chauran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had fabulous training and mobility exercises. A word of warning, though. It was stated in the book that many of these techniques don't work unless you're already faster than an 8 minute mile. If you're slower than that, I recommend reading Chi running, as much of the form information remains true. I will pick up this book again when I'm faster and older.

[Wolfgang · Rating 1 out of 5]

Doesn't work for me - too much instruction on changing style & techniques that IMHO are too individual per runner and distract from finding a personally optimized style of movement.

[Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read this book about 3 times over already! It is such a bountiful resource of excellent technique advice written in such a manner that makes so much sense! I’ve even found myself turning back to particular well marked sections for clarification and reinforcement of new ideas. Both the authors, Keith and Heidi, are obviously passionate runners who live and love to share their in depth knowledge about running technique to other runners so that the greater community are able to improve time and reduce injuries! An awesome book that I will be referring back to again and again! Thank you to my husband James for getting me this book for Christmas! The best Christmas present ever! I’m hoping that by implementing Keith’s Lessons and Heidi’s Strengthening Program I will become a better runner for longer, run injury free, and to PR in my next marathons. How good would that be?

[MR MARK J PEDDER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some great long lasting advice

This is the second time I have read this book and the last time was around 6 years ago. This time I was tested to see not only how much I remembered but how much of this advice I had adopted. Not everyone will be convinced by the methods and patience is definitely tested in some parts. I did find that some of the latter part of the book was a reminder to me how important stability is and this is worth readjusting into my regular running. Also interesting to read the theories about shoes with support. This book was written before the carbon plate and super shoes we are currently seeing. A lot of this advice is true I think and will be returning to my old running flats to see if it makes any difference.

[Ashok · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a runner I really really enjoyed the benefits this book gave me. There are lots of running tips from Keith and exercise/stretching tips from Heidi. Thank you both for creating such a good book.

In fact I read this and went through the videos probably 3 years ago, but even when I run today I can feel myself using a lot of the advice that I was given in this book. It shows it had an impact on me. I like the advice on running mid foot, using forward lean. If you want to go faster you lower your head and naturally lean into your run, and when you get uptown speed you straighten up. I like how he manages to find the balance point in your running, and speeding up and slowing down is all about how you lean, there should not be a lot of effort in it.

[Celestarius]

I haven't technically "finished" the book because I was reading it out of order and didn't actually read all the sections. But I've gotten the gist and also watched a lot of videos and am in the Facebook group so I feel like I can use the rest of the book more as a reference rather than reading it straight through.

[Charles Colbourn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good advice on running technique, with useful exercises to support good form. Not as authoritative and unique as it's often made out to be, there are many other technique books that give basically similar advice.

[Susan Imperato · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the strength exercises for feet and legs detailed in the book. It inspired me to transition to a minimal running shoe and work on my form. Not a perfect solution for me, but the improvements were worth it.

[CherylR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questionable

I am not sure all the advice in this book is good. It is an interesting take on running form, but not sure it is for me.

[Danalisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful for what I was researching on form

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very promising.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little package of information on how to prevent injury when running. Super excited to try it out and see if it helps my foot and knee pain! If it does then this will be a blog I refer back to often!

[Gerry Lynch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book. Some good ideas on foot care and running style. However some of the ideas do not pan out with current studies. For example, using strength training and cross training is not required as running will do everything. Still will incorporate some of the better ideas into my training schedule.

[Han Whiteoak · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you want to be convinced that you can't possibly run until you've spent several years doing mobility and strength exercises that have little to do with running, and mastered a very particular and rather unnatural running form, read this book.

If you want to be a better runner, go outside and run. If it hurts, slow down or run a bit less until it feels better. It's really not as complicated as the author makes out.

Edit: Keith Bateman tracked me down on Twitter after I left this review to tell me I "run like an angry horse doing dressage" and to "watch out for stress fractures in your hooves." Very mature. I haven't had any stress fractures since, but have had four course PBs at parkrun and one marathon PB.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a lot of running books out there but this is my favourite. Slim and easy to read yet packed with good advice. But you need to dedicate a few months to incorporate the ideas into your running - it doesn't happen overnight.