Our knowledge of anatomy principally come from the cutting up of cadavers in centuries past. Electrical impulses would be put into muscles, and they would observe what happens. Stimulate a muscle and they contract, pulling bones and joints into different positions. Our knowledge of anatomy and physiology is still dictated by this. Anatomy and Physiology manuals used to teach our health professionals are still based on it.

It is wrong in a number of ways. First it involves open chain biomechanics. A dead body lying on a gurney. Not an active, live human with their feet on the ground (think of the tripod we introduce from week 1 onwards on the Run True course). Muscles do not act in the same way lying on a gurney as they do in motion when we reactivity to ground forces. Also, not every movement we make is volitional. Initially they are. But when we run, we don’t constantly think which foot to move forward. Movement is largely autonomic. The foot places on the floor and gravity, bone shape (see the way the ankle bone is angled?) and joint capability means it adopts a certain shape – pronation. Muscles are then pulled into place and have to react to reverse the motion. Supination. The muscles have to do the work. They react. Supination is a reaction.

In the Run True System, we put your joints in certain shapes and the muscles have to react. Think about it. It is the other side of the coin. Think about joint range of motion and mobility. Forget your muscles. They will have to come along for the ride. And, hey, it’s easier. Have I got good internal hip rotation? Have I got good external hip rotation? Good. Then all those associated muscles of the pelvic complex we don’t even have to think about. We don’t have to stretch them into shape. They’ll sort themselves out. They don’t have any choice.