Sport Dimensions launches 'The Running School®' franchise for healthcare and fitness professionals in the sports, health and fitness industry.

Sport Dimensions, one the UK’s leading multi-disciplinary sports injury and rehabilitation clinics based in Chiswick in West London, has launched a new innovative running programme called ‘The Running School’. The Running School teaches: children, recreational runners and elite-performance athletes about simple running biomechanics, balance and form and includes all the key technical factors involved with running faster, more efficiently and remaining injury-free.

Mike Antoniades, Founder of The Running School says: “We have designed three modules to teach: children, recreational runners, or elite-performance athletes how to run faster and more effectively as well as how to avoid common sports and running injuries. Many of us have never been taught how to run. We think its something that we pick-up naturally and we don’t realize until the pain begins that we are actually running inefficiently which can lead to injuries.”

The Running School is available as a business franchise opportunity for Health & Fitness professionals such as personal trainers, physiotherapists looking to add to their service offerings, create a new revenue stream for their business. The Running School can also become part of every sports department at schools, colleges and universities looking to incorporate a specific running module as part of their existing sports science, schools or education programme. The franchise package includes everything to get you started, including staff training and sports science education, operations manual, sales and marketing material as well as software.

The new Running School programme involves analyzing individual running biomechanics and creating tailored coaching sessions to improve running technique, performance and above all enjoyment. The 6 week training programme is based on an individual’s fitness ability and initially involves six training sessions. In the first session is spent analyzing and assessing your biomechanics, the way you move, the way you walk and jog. The coaches will look at any weaknesses that the individual may have and then start correcting your biomechanics and in simple terms improving your running technique.

The next five training sessions are dedicated to teaching and coaching the correct technique, based on your fitness level and what you want to achieve. Homework is also given so that you can follow when you are on your own. The training will be based on your individual fitness levels and include a Running School Handbook on running programmes, nutrition, strength work and & stretching guide. The training sessions can be spread over six weeks or can be completed in a shorter period of time.

If you look at advice and training programmes for novice or fun runners in magazines, books or on internet websites you will find a lot of advice on volume of training, frequency of training, running clubs, shoes, clothes, heart rate monitors, places to run etc. You will not find advice on:

• How to use your arms while running?
• What is the best way for the foot to land?
• How can you run faster?
• How to reduce repetitive strain injuries?
• How can you change your inefficient running style?

Most of the injuries that runners get are because of landing shock. The running style that many novice runners and many seasoned recreational runners adopt is very inefficient and causes stresses and strains on the body, which causes the majority of runners, about 65%, to get injured every year, and the numbers are much higher when they enter a race and start increasing the volume or intensity of their running.  The reason? Most haven’t been taught how to run.

Mike Antoniades also adds: “After injury or surgery the biomechanics of how we move can change, and if not corrected and addressed this can lead to further injury or a slower recovery from the initial injury. The Running School techniques can also be used to re-train and re-educate runners post injury or surgery and as part of their rehabilitation programme. I am very excited about this new venture. I've not doubt at all that The Running School will help children and Runners of all ages, run faster, recover from injury quicker and increase levels of performance and enjoyment of sport.”

For further information please see:
Sport Dimensions - www.sportdimensions.com  W- 0208 563 0007 / The Running School - www.runningschool.co.uk . Tel: 020 8563 0007

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