Don’t skip strength days!
Strength training is an important component of any runners exercise regime.
Benefits of Strength training:
- Improves running economy (using less oxygen at the same pace)
- Improves performance by increasing motor unit recruitment and firing frequency of the muscles
- Reduces the risk of injury
What are the best exercises?
Here are a few of our commonly prescribed exercises for long distance runners:
1. Single leg glute bridges with isometric hip flexion
2. Crab walks – Functional and weight bearing glute exercise
3. Single leg hinge with Kettlebell – Important to start with double leg hinges and progress to single leg
4. Reverse lunge on slider – adding in a high knee drive with arm swing is a great way to make this exercise even more running specific!
5. Triple extension heel raise – Feel the burn!
6. Single leg soleus raise – The soleus muscle takes a lot of load during running, much more than the larger gastrocnemius muscle.
Extra tips!
- Make sure you target the quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes, soleus and gastrocnemius muscles.
- Keep the exercises functional.
- Ensure you have stability and mobility in your running program.
- Adding in proprioceptive exercises like a single leg hinge on foam or bosu ball is a great way to challenge the long distance trail runners.
For more information on the benefits of strength training for runners or to get on top of that niggling injury during your running, you can contact me via email or call the clinic on 5264 6098 to make an appointment.
Happy Running!
Jess Henderson
Exercise Physiologist