CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A new style of running claims to mix modern physics with the ancient wisdom of T'ai Chi to create a safer, more efficient and better stride.

Dozens of runners spent their Saturday in a church gym in Uptown Charlotte listening to and training with the Guru of the latest fitness Craze.

Danny Dreyer's book, ChiRunning, has sold more than 150,000 copies.

In it, he writes about a new way to run. A way, he claims, to eliminate the risk of injury, increase mental clarity and run more efficiently with less fatigue.

"People don't run the same way they did when they were kids," said Dreyer, "You've taken on tension in your body, poor bio-mechanics, you sit at your desk and slump all day. However you've ruined body over decades has an effect on how you move now, ChiRunning helps clean up your act, get back to the way you used to run when you were a kid."

Those at the seminar hung on Dreyer's every word. His message is part mechanics, part mental and part spiritual.

The mechanical adjustments are what attracted chiropractor Jennifer Dillon to ChiRunning.

"He teaches people to run in the mid-portion of their foot and utilize power from their entire body instead of just using their feet, knees and pelvis," said Dillon, "It's a lot to think about, but it makes running easier on your body once you get the hang of it."

Breathing correctly, leaning way forward when you run, keeping a regular cadence, relaxing arms and hands instead of fist pumping -- those are just a few of the components Dreyer preaches to his ChiRunning pupils.

"What I'm teaching people is all the little elements, the pieces it takes to have great running form and great technique. It's all based on keeping people from getting hurt and being highly efficient," said Dreyer.

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Click Here For Video Highlights Of The ChiRunning Class!

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As the group of ChiRunning students jogged by, I noticed the sound they made before seeing any differences in their running style.

Cadence is a key element of the whole thing, many runners use beeping metronomes clipped to their outfits to keep a steady pace of 80 footfalls a minute per side.

Even when they slow down or speed up, they use the same cadence. They lengthen or decrease their stride to go faster or slower, they don't change the cadence.

After the beeping, you do notice how far forward runners lean, more and more as they pick up the pace.

"Your forehead should be the farthest point of your body in front of you," Dreyer told his group as they ran by.

Does it work? Is it a running revolution, as Dreyer claims in his book?

The people at the seminar seemed to think so.

"I've been doing ChiRunning for a few years now," said student Any Peacock, "When I used to run, I'd pump my arms and legs, race and use as much energy as I could to go fast. With ChiRunning you relax a little more, you control your breathing, you use your core muscles and gravity. It propels you forward and you gain that speed but it's easy."

For video highlights of the Charlotte seminar, a slideshow, and a link to the official ChiRunning Web site, check the sidebar of this article.