Working on running form is the best way to improve running economy, reduce injury risk, increase health and to strengthen the body. When you run with a perfect technique while on flat, downhill, uphill, or technical terrain, you strengthen all your muscles and give your body a full body and mind workout. However if hunched over with excess hip rotation and over-striding with a heel first landing, you ingrain bad habits, overuse some muscle groups and neglect others, weaken your core and also you increase stress by having a non-appropriate breathing pattern due to the higher impact and bad posture. Cramps, constant pain, high heart rates and premature fatigue can come of course from nutritional deficiencies and lifestyle factors, but running form contribute to this in a large percentage.
When you can move with lower heart rates on higher speeds, stimulate your vagus nerve by belly breathing due to open hips and aligned spine, you run "impact free" on any surface, you actually become a better runner without straining yourself by doing those very demanding track and uphill trail interval workouts.
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You know what I like in Salazar's coaching method ? That he banks on everything. Hard work accounts only 15% of his athlete's success. Constant smart work takes the rest of the training. When Galen Rupp had an anomalie in his stride, he poured a thin layer of sand onto the track and measured the distance inbetween his strides, just to discover that when tired, he was having excess hip rotation on one side, causing him to have a slightly imbalanced stride length between left and right leg. We talk about few millimetres, but he discovered and corrected it.
(Read: 14 Minutes: A Running Legend's Life and Death and Life)
When Mo Farah was really getting into that red zone at the end of a 5000 or 10000m track race, finishing off with a sprint, he also had an overs-winging arm movement. Correcting this, he started having even more control on race outcomes. Too strong, too long, too high arm swings throw the body off balance and effect everything down the line, from hip rotation, pelvic drop, stride rate and length and more.
(Read this 2014 article: http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/mo-the-marathoner)
Not all of us have a coach behind for certain reasons. This is where we start looking for gadgets, tools, watches and other edges, like extra strength training, core workouts and running form drills.
However we have to know, what, when and how to correct.
You know what I like in Salazar's coaching method ? That he banks on everything. Hard work accounts only 15% of his athlete's success. Constant smart work takes the rest of the training. When Galen Rupp had an anomalie in his stride, he poured a thin layer of sand onto the track and measured the distance inbetween his strides, just to discover that when tired, he was having excess hip rotation on one side, causing him to have a slightly imbalanced stride length between left and right leg. We talk about few millimetres, but he discovered and corrected it.
(Read: 14 Minutes: A Running Legend's Life and Death and Life)
When Mo Farah was really getting into that red zone at the end of a 5000 or 10000m track race, finishing off with a sprint, he also had an overs-winging arm movement. Correcting this, he started having even more control on race outcomes. Too strong, too long, too high arm swings throw the body off balance and effect everything down the line, from hip rotation, pelvic drop, stride rate and length and more.
(Read this 2014 article: http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/mo-the-marathoner)
Not all of us have a coach behind for certain reasons. This is where we start looking for gadgets, tools, watches and other edges, like extra strength training, core workouts and running form drills.
However we have to know, what, when and how to correct.
This is when the LUMO Run comes into picture
LUMO RUN
A multiple accelerometer and sensor integrated belt pod. This is just a physical description of the actual unit, but it comes with a lot of educational tools, including articles on the website from well renowned coaches, a blog and most importantly the educative and instructive instant and post workout feedback app/software. At this moment only available to IOS 9 or newer. This is kind of a pity, as for the US market it doesn't cause any issues, but to get into Europe's runner's dungeons, Android users dominate the market. A new app to be developed as soon as possible. Many android phones have over 3000mAh of battery capacity, mini SD card slots for extra storage and can be a lot cheaper with generally a more user customisable individual experience.
- TIP : App developped for Android device
What's in the BOX ?
The Lumo run sensor comes in a good looking carton box with a an opening on the front and the Pod glued on the inside of a paper panel showing off through.
When opening the box, you'll find instructions, a micro USB charging cable, the pod and the carrying cage with the belt clip. It is super snug and you'll never loose it, even if you were hammering down on some nasty trails. It is easy to install and have no difficulties at all placing the pod in it's case, despite other reviers mentioning this as a diffficulty. Just place the LED light facing upwards and start by entering on the top as it is the most rigid, then just pop in at the bottom.
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A micro usb charging calbe is supplied too. I was slightly disappointed as I was expecting an induction or a magnetic charging plug like on the Lumo Lift, MacBook or the Spartan Ultra from Suunto.
The pod is well sealed and the rubber case gives extra waterproofing to the device, but still there is a source of possible entry for humidity. I am gonna be testing the device extensively for a long period and even after this final review you can expect some posts popping up here and there.
How to wear it ?
The Lumo run sensor comes in a good looking carton box with a an opening on the front and the Pod glued on the inside of a paper panel showing off through.
When opening the box, you'll find instructions, a micro USB charging cable, the pod and the carrying cage with the belt clip. It is super snug and you'll never loose it, even if you were hammering down on some nasty trails. It is easy to install and have no difficulties at all placing the pod in it's case, despite other reviers mentioning this as a diffficulty. Just place the LED light facing upwards and start by entering on the top as it is the most rigid, then just pop in at the bottom.
A micro usb charging calbe is supplied too. I was slightly disappointed as I was expecting an induction or a magnetic charging plug like on the Lumo Lift, MacBook or the Spartan Ultra from Suunto.
The pod is well sealed and the rubber case gives extra waterproofing to the device, but still there is a source of possible entry for humidity. I am gonna be testing the device extensively for a long period and even after this final review you can expect some posts popping up here and there.
How to wear it ?
To measure properly all the running metrics, you must get the device, pop it in it's case and clip it on the back of your shorts, tights or whatever you are wearing. Try having something tight enough, that in addition to your own bounce, it is not "flying" all over the place. This means that the best is a rubberised hip band, like we see on all running garments and better to avoid surf-shorts and hiking baggy pants what are really worn on the hips, with or without a belt. This is for your own good and outside of better comfort and the ability of a proper leg-lift without obstruction, you'll have proper reading too from the device. No wonder why all high performance athletes look for those hip and quad flashing 1inch athletic shorts.
(There is one negative to the obligatory placing of the device though. Or maybe a con for the running shorts ? 99% of all shorts and tights come with a mid-lower-back zip pocket to put your keys in. You cannot have your keys under the Lumo pod, as at every bounce they will hit on it and will mess up the readings. I tried it with 3 to 4 shorts and tights, where that back pocket is at different heights, but it doesn't work. You need to store your keys elsewhere. Unless you got one single key for instance. I am having 5 on my key-ring so will use other methods or other cargo trail shorts.)
TIP: Wear LumoRun sensor as centred as possible
(There is one negative to the obligatory placing of the device though. Or maybe a con for the running shorts ? 99% of all shorts and tights come with a mid-lower-back zip pocket to put your keys in. You cannot have your keys under the Lumo pod, as at every bounce they will hit on it and will mess up the readings. I tried it with 3 to 4 shorts and tights, where that back pocket is at different heights, but it doesn't work. You need to store your keys elsewhere. Unless you got one single key for instance. I am having 5 on my key-ring so will use other methods or other cargo trail shorts.)
"As we were talking about clothing, you can test out the movement blocking nature of your clothes with the Lumorun. Is a compression tight making you really run better, or just having you under rotate your hips, lengthen or shorten your natural stride and add to your pelvic drop. It might be a great training tool to work against forces without weight and extra impact, but might not be the best every day running wear."
Instant and post workout (bio)feedback
5 points of measure:
- Cadence : Steps per minute
- Bounce: Vertical Oscillation
- Breaking: Change in forward velocity
- Pelvic Rotation: Side to side rotation of your pelvis
- Pelvic drop: Side to side vertical movement of your pelvis (up and down)
I placed the (bio) inbetween parenthesis, as the data provided is not necessarily a biomarker like heart rate, blood oxygenation, HRV, blood pressure, sweat rate or so. However it still is a marker for a bodily function and the effect/quantity of outside forces on the body.
While I find the immediate feedback very intriguing, being a runner, an athlete, a real outdoor person, I never ever have my phone with me. Light and fast, freedom of the senses and joyful playing. That 's what running is all about. For testing, navigation and performance reasons, I often wear a watch giving me pace, distance, elevation gain. However when I get really intuned with training and want to just do it very much in 100% complete focus, I put on my MIO Alpha, what gives me one single thing, heart rate.
What I want to say with this, is that we are reviewing and testing the Lumo Run from a real runners perspective. From a performance oriented visual. Performance doesn't mean necessarily a sub 35 10km. Performance means more likely a runner willing to improve and willing to do so much more outside of running to be a better runner, a healthier and more complete athlete and person.
I think if the Lumobodytech team will push it, there will be reactions from the BTSmart supporting watch world to integrate widgets/apps in those training devices for instant feedback. We can see that Garmin is having a blast with the Connect IQ system, but at this moment the watch's software is not open to "BTSmart training tool" connections.
Also by not having an ANT+ antenna in the LumoRun, makes it impossible to connect to Garmin devices, if there was an open channel for LumoRun data flow in ConnectIQ in the near future. This of course enhances battery life, reduces size and complications in this tiny pod. I am nearly hundred percent sure, that Garmin will not come out Bluetooth only devices at least for 5 years, as all the HR sensors, power platforms, cadence tools are ANT+. However as the Fenix 4 will be announced around January or August, who knows, we might see an integrated sport data channel opening up in it using BTSmart signals. Also some new connect IQ features and Garmin Connect customisability for completely new data options.
While I find the immediate feedback very intriguing, being a runner, an athlete, a real outdoor person, I never ever have my phone with me. Light and fast, freedom of the senses and joyful playing. That 's what running is all about. For testing, navigation and performance reasons, I often wear a watch giving me pace, distance, elevation gain. However when I get really intuned with training and want to just do it very much in 100% complete focus, I put on my MIO Alpha, what gives me one single thing, heart rate.
What I want to say with this, is that we are reviewing and testing the Lumo Run from a real runners perspective. From a performance oriented visual. Performance doesn't mean necessarily a sub 35 10km. Performance means more likely a runner willing to improve and willing to do so much more outside of running to be a better runner, a healthier and more complete athlete and person.
I think if the Lumobodytech team will push it, there will be reactions from the BTSmart supporting watch world to integrate widgets/apps in those training devices for instant feedback. We can see that Garmin is having a blast with the Connect IQ system, but at this moment the watch's software is not open to "BTSmart training tool" connections.
Also by not having an ANT+ antenna in the LumoRun, makes it impossible to connect to Garmin devices, if there was an open channel for LumoRun data flow in ConnectIQ in the near future. This of course enhances battery life, reduces size and complications in this tiny pod. I am nearly hundred percent sure, that Garmin will not come out Bluetooth only devices at least for 5 years, as all the HR sensors, power platforms, cadence tools are ANT+. However as the Fenix 4 will be announced around January or August, who knows, we might see an integrated sport data channel opening up in it using BTSmart signals. Also some new connect IQ features and Garmin Connect customisability for completely new data options.
The LUMO run pub
In my opinion, it is a great marketing video, but not necessarily trying to grab the correct audience, with it's muscled up guy heel-striking. This device is not for fitness enthusiasts, who like to try new things, then place it in the drawer and forget about it. I think that a big motivational video should be a lot better. Like: "Regardless that you are a hardcore cross country runner or a business man preparing for a marathon, correct running form and pain free training should be your priorities. Lumo Run can help balancing your stride and strengthening your hips, by it's 5 sensors giving biometric feedback on your movements. Hip drop, hip rotation, cadence, breaking power and vertical movement.
Incorporating some of our routines into your warming up and cool-down will ensure strength and form improvements. Did you know that you can get faster and more efficient, without speed work ? Actually with Lumo Run, if used correctly, you can PR your race times, without the extra strain on your body. Give Lumo Run a try, it serves a purpose to every workout ! Recommended by Ultra-Elite Sage Cannaday !"
Or something like that, with the actual feedback page and exercises done in the video. Let's say a runner is jogging everything is perfect, then when the next workout is a bit speedier, we can see some deterioration in his running form. He starts implementing the correction routines, then the software would give better and better data, then show a race finish with a battered goal.
Incorporating some of our routines into your warming up and cool-down will ensure strength and form improvements. Did you know that you can get faster and more efficient, without speed work ? Actually with Lumo Run, if used correctly, you can PR your race times, without the extra strain on your body. Give Lumo Run a try, it serves a purpose to every workout ! Recommended by Ultra-Elite Sage Cannaday !"
Or something like that, with the actual feedback page and exercises done in the video. Let's say a runner is jogging everything is perfect, then when the next workout is a bit speedier, we can see some deterioration in his running form. He starts implementing the correction routines, then the software would give better and better data, then show a race finish with a battered goal.
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| Settings to adjust your LumoRun software |
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| Set immediate feedback from your IOS device by headphone instructions. |
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| Set feedback frequency |
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| Posture reminders and your profile |
Honestly, the settings are really made to set up the device while using it with a phone. Of course it is necessary to have settings as a feature, it won't really effect your user experience. It won't be like a phone, where you change settings all the time for better and better functionality. Once the LumoRun is set up, you are ready to go...Ready to Run I mean !
How to use the LumoRun sensor ?
Take out everything from the box, unglue the pod, then read the instructions. Pop off the cap, by using your nails in the small notch and charge it with the micro usb cable. I find the cable to be quiet short, I would double up the length. I mean, the USB plug can handle holding the device, if it hangs from the air, but I still prefer personally a longer cable. Charge it for 90minutes and it will be fully charged to serve you with 20hours of Lumo Experience. Honestly if used around 15 to 20 times, it really has between 15 and 20hours of battery life and it would hold up. Basically as there is no screen, the small battery can really support all the accelerometers and the daily Bluetooth file transfers.
I haven't done it yet, but you can start with a 10minute baseline run with you phone. This will set up your running stats to build a standard. I am an athlete, I do not run with a phone, ever. If I went out on a serious trail run, I might have a phone with me, but we talk about a 10 to 15 hour high altitude outing and that does not happen often. So no immediate phone feedback for me. We are really checking this device from a runner's standpoint here.
Place the device in the "seedpod", attach it to the back of your short, in the middle of your lower back and start running. I feel that the device has a lot of meaning to it and you should use it only, if you were committed to change and improve running form. You can go out for 2 or 3 fun runs, to set a standard, but afterwards the focus should be on better running form. People get bored of running often, they just want to get it done. This device can make you motivated and healthy. It would give you the purpose of bettering yourself, of upgrading that slouch-couch athlete.
From the feedback you get, you'll be able to determine where you are now and from the exercise advices that the software gives you, you can also see where you are heading. These are great and helpful athletic strengthening drills and for most of you, it will be enough. You can actually learn all of them and create a complete athletic drill routine as a 1hour training session. Better than a wasted so called recovery jog. At least you bring your joints through bigger range of motion with lot lower impact.
When running, the device doesn't chafe, annoy you, move or bounce at all. Don't worry you cannot loose it. It is all great and perfect. The best application of the device is for competitive distance runners and for seriously committed weekend warriors really wanting to improve.
Form breaks down very often towards the end of a race. We lower our stride rate, elongate our steps, let our hips dropping, increase impact and bounce. Lumo run will give all the data necessary to see, where exactly this switch happens. For instance running a 10km, your form breaks down around the 5km mark. You must implement more good form endurance/strength/resistance and athletic drills into your workouts, multiple times, even 5 to 10 times during training to remind you more often to your run technique. If you broke down only in the last 1500m, this means that you should include more warming up before your track sessions, to get you into a semi fatigued state and still run fast, upright and snappy to finish strong. This is what finishing strong means, regardless of race results.
Here are 5 very easy athletic drills. Even when we do not run, just hike or go for a light walk, we always do something to enhance form. Form, I mean running form and everyday posture.
You can see in these screen shots, how I am running with what kind of form and also where am I heading overtime. So I can tell you, that when going for an under 10km run, my form is very good. I have a bit of a bounce as I mentioned, I have a bit lower stride rate, but my breaking, hip drop and rotation is very good.
However, we apply distance on (180bpm-age=MAF HR) or intensity, ouhaaaa, I am a half-winged eagle and my stats are bad. I mean, I feel good, my stride is snappy, I just loose that small extra edge of perfection. So I am gonna definitely keep the device for a few more weeks to see, how it can really show the info I need, when I enter those harder track sessions and longer road runs .
This is how it starts after switching at the bottom to the coach tab. You can click on these tabs to see recommendations, where all the running drill exercises are highlighted after each of your run, to work on.
Second tab is trends what will be the most important to you, as this will show your progression or regression. Clicking on these one by one, you'll see how you performed in each "discipline" in the last couple of sessions.
TIP to LumoRun team: When you see the images under about each running habit, I would like to be able change the name of each exercise, so in addition to the date, we would see, that it was a hard trail run, a track run or just a jog.
Cadence. The master behind all the other factors. Dial this one and you should see a huge improvement in all the others. If it doesn't solve your hip rotation and breaking, make sure you are not shuffling or running weirdly just to lift up your cadence. Start by adding two extra steps per minute for 3 to 4 weeks. Than 2 again. By 6months your new cadence will be 12 up and most importantly ingrained into your brain and nervous system.
On our fisrt chart we see how bounce is improving during my runs. This is about vertical movement, what can be transferred into power, pushing you on the horizontal plane. 100% of all kinetic-energy should aid forward propulsion.
Breaking forces or ground contact forces. Near the bounce, this is again about energy. When running with a heel strike or have low cadence, 99% of the time we have high breaking speeds. Decelerations. The less you have, the faster you go given the same energy. You become more economic.
Hip drop or hip angle. This again can help you to gauge in your landing. Too much is not good, as you probably over stride, have a valgus knee, too low cadence or have a cross over stride. Correct it with hip raises, deep squats, squat jumps and mobility, add the advised exercises and you can level out your hips. Not enough hip drop and too stiff hips mean also lower shock absorption, so again, the correct amount is 'enough'. The thing is that when cadence is corrected, forefoot landing is applied, arms are swinging only forward, this sorts itself out too.
Side to side HIP ROTATION. A sign of low cadence and overstriding. When reaching too much forward, our hips tend to be out in front of us. Dial it back increase the cadence.
Not enough hip rotation is a problem when want to maximise speed at high cadences. Your lower back might be too stiff, hamstrings are not strong enough to balance out your quads, psoas and core should be strengthened for better firing. This also can mean that instead of lifting your heals and using your gluts and hams, you are lifting your knees and being quad dominant.
In better cases your running technique is effected only towards the end, during the last 3 to 4 reps. This means you need more endurance. Doing longer outings slower while keeping good running form all the way. Mobilising your whole body, foam rolling, yoga and pilates, before, during and after your runs.
The athletic drills what you can find in the recommendations can be included into a long run, to ingrain your good habits and reset bad posture and stride. That marathon-prep 20 miler can be broken down to 6 x 5km and between each reps, these drills can be practiced during that 5min recovery, finishing the last km as strong as you started the first.
If you want to be a good runner, lifelong maintenance is a lot more important than grinding out those miles every day. Even Killian Jornet does some yoga, can access massage 3 times a day if wanted to and use compex very often.
This image is comparing two runs. Left one is showing a 53minute easy 8km jog while the other on the right is a run with 30min warming up, 45minute tempo and 20minute cool-down. I have quiet okay form in case of my hips on the first, but when intensity is elevated my cadence dropped 5, so as my hips. Breaking time and bounce changes are non-signifcant even if they are not that good. When you see me from the outside, comparing to a beer belly marathoner, I have form like an olympian. However when you compare me to a track-star, I have some work to do. I am also a 6'6" trail runner, so lowering my bounce and getting closer to the ground might not be the best idea, in case of tripping and falling over rocks and roots, but could also be positive to lower my centre of gravity to get better equilibrium.
Personal records and the daily exercise recommendations.
Final Thoughts
Lumo Run with it's feedback and results from the increased balance of strength, mobility, agility and endurance can really make you a better runner. It is not a gimmick, gadget, fake activity bracelet type of thing. It can really help. I think if the company targets the correct audience and the development of the sensor sensitivity and reliability will keep improving, there is a bright future ahead of them. The sensor is superbly small, unnoticeable and non-obstructive. They should target goal oriented athletic track clubs to supply them with Lumo run in high quantities, create a coaching platform where the coach can see multiple athletes and form improvement or degradation. There could be a button on the app "SEND TO COACH" and the the data would be sent to a designated account where data could be analysed. All accounts would have a special code, so the data would always arrive and insert itself under the name of the runner. The coach would have a serious immediate feedback tool after each workout, to increase strength, work on mobility and bring in a pilates teacher, send the athlete home for 2 days of recovery and so.
For sure that when optical HR sensors will be developed furthermore, that can be integrated at the back of the belt clip, without it being noticeable. (Maybe some shock electrodes too, to zip the runner if the cadence descends under a certain number, lol, maybe it is not even a bad idea)
Personally I find it very impressive. You should not rely on it entirely and listen to your body all the time, but definitely can and should integrate Lumo Run into your weekly run routine. I have a great form, with some bounce and lower cadence, cause I am 6'6" / 197cm and I am trail runner. It is natural an normal for me and very rarely, nearly never injured. However I don't believe in the "if it's ain't broken, don't try to fix it" notion. I believe in upgrading and updating. I want to have 180+ cadence, I want to have lower bounce and more forward propulsion. I have been working on this for years. It is not something I can once acquire, then forget about it cause it is mine. It is a lifelong hard and constant work. You heard about the 10000hours of training to excellence proverb ? Well it is actually 10000 hours of meaningful, proper focused training, not only messing around going through mindless motion. Isakowitz (Pilates teacher) talks often about mindless reps instead of mindfulness. Get yourself a purpose with LUMO RUN !!!
It is available via Amazon, LumoBodytech and from other third party online stores too with free shipping and the downloadable free app.
I rate this 9.8/10. It is small, purposeful, relatively cheap and just super helpful. The approach, the goal in mind and the whole system with the training advices and the myriad of articles on the website is just very well thought out. I absolutely am a believer and supporter. Finally a company try to make you a better runner, not just 99bucks shorter.
No wonder they could get onboard with Sage Cannaday, Matt Fitzgerald, Matt Dixon, Bryan Heiderscheit. This is even more convincing than all the studies backing up the LumoRun tech.
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| http://www.lumobodytech.com |
How to get that 0.2 % though?
- An android app should be coming out.
- The device should push itself on to some third party watch platform, like Suunto / Garmin / Polar !
- In the next model, there should be an ANT+ antenna, and the device should come out with a Garmin Connect IQ app in the same time. Most runners use Garmin and loads of trail runners use Suunto. (Unless Garmin goes on the no-more ANT+ route and will have only BTSmart)
That is about, it. Thanks for reading this lengthy Lumo Run training article. Check back for upcoming videos on the LumoRun and more !
