Get Strong To Run: Runners, Check Out These 10 Exercises! -

To be very clear, if you want to get better at running, you NEED to run. ⁣

⁣However…⁣

While running definitely offers many benefits, running is not a suitable substitute for strength training.

It is fairly common for people to say ‘’I don’t need to strength train. I run.’’ This can be a big mistake. ⁣ Running is a very technically demanding activity, is high impact, and is extremely repetitive in nature.⁣ Strength training will help prepare your body to run. ⁣

⁣⁣Having the requisite levels of full body strength and controlled mobility will help improve your overall efficiency and performance, and will help keep your body feeling good. ⁣⁣

Here are 10 exercises that will be very beneficial to runners (and everyone, really).

#1) Half Kneeling Hamstring Lifts/Pulses

This exercise, which is SO much tougher than it looks, absolutely lights up the hamstrings, and improves hamstring/knee mobility. This exercise also improves balance (but you can modify by lightly holding onto something). ⁣ ⁣

Coaching Tips: ⁣ ⁣

Get into a half kneeling position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

Place an object so it is in line with your back foot/ankle. ⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣While keeping your knee bent and on the floor, use your hamstrings to lift your foot and ankle over the object, then back to the starting position.

Repeat for the target number of reps. ⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣

Do not let your foot or leg strike the object. ⁣ ⁣

On the front foot, maintain a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor. ⁣This will really help with balance. ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

#2) Tibialis Posterior Strengthener

This exercise strengthens the tibialis posterior muscle (on the moving side). On the side that is planted, this exercise strengthens the muscles in the lower leg, foot, and glutes.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

On this side, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Fasten a band around a secure surface and place the band around your forefoot on the other side. The band should be applying resistance laterally, and there should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.

While maintaining your balance on the planted side, gently plantarflex your other foot (point it away from you).

Now use the tibialis posterior muscle and invert this foot (rotate the foot so the sole is facing inward). Return your foot back to the starting position.

Perform all of the movements with complete control.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet (on both the planted side and moving side).

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#3) Single Leg Roller Hamstring Curls

This exercise strengthens the hamstrings, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability. Make this exercise easier by using both legs, or by performing the eccentric only variation.

Coaching Tips:

Lie on the floor, and place the back of your foot on a foam roller. You can also use a towel or slider.

Bend your non-working leg, and keep it tucked into your body. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

In the starting position your shin should be in a vertical position.

You may keep your arms on the floor. Aim to use as little support from your arms as possible.

Extend your hips by pressing through the back of your foot and squeezing your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage.

In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knee.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.

Now slowly extend your knee and slide your foot forward. Use your hamstrings to control the movement.

Once you hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), contract your hamstrings (perform a hamstring curl) and return your lower body to the starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to collapse.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#4) Step-Downs

This exercise strengthens the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg. Start out doing this exercise with bodyweight only before you add any extra resistance. Use a surface height that allows you to do the exercise using proper form.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on a box, bench, or other stable elevated surface. Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

As for the non-working leg, keep it straight and close to the midline of your body. Contract your quadriceps and glutes on this side.

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the surface for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the surface.

Extend both of your arms so they are chest height, make fists, and generate tension in your upper body.

If you are holding weights, keep your arms rigid, by your sides (or at chest height as a counterbalance) and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now perform a step-down and slowly lower to a range that allows you to maintain proper form.

Once you hit your end range, press away from the surface and return to the top/starting position.

Exhale after you have pressed away from the surface and are approaching the top position.

When you are performing the step-downs, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position. Many people make this mistake.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

#5) Negative Dumbbell RDL’s + Pause And Hip Press-Back

This exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles. I upped the ante in this RDL variation by lowering in a negative tempo, pausing in the bottom position, and while actively pressing my hips back into my couch. I’m using 2 x 50 lb dumbbells, and this was fairly challenging.

Coaching Tips:

Hold a weight in either hand, and stand relatively close to a couch or wall.

Adopt your preferred foot width and positioning.

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your feet, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your feet should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your feet to the floor.

Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits. For the duration of the exercise, your arms should not travel ahead of your body. Your arms should slide down the sides of your legs. Pretend you are painting the sides of your legs with your hands/the weights.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now take 3-5 seconds and hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.

Use a range where you can maintain proper form.

When you are hinging, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your posterior chain muscles. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

When you get to the bottom position, pause for 3-5 seconds and actively press your hips back into the surface.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position. Many people make this mistake.

After the pause in the bottom position, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position.

Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knees.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

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#6) Single Kettlebell Get-Ups

This exercise provides a huge bang for your buck and strengthens the lower body, glutes, muscles in the foot and lower leg, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.

Coaching Tips:

Hold a kettlebell in a rack position.

Get into a tall kneeling position. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine). ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

Now bring one leg forward so you are in the bottom position of a lunge, and then stand up. ⁣⁣⁣Before you stand, both knees should be bent to roughly 90 degrees.

Gain a moment of control, and return to the starting position.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

When your foot is planted, maintain a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor. ⁣⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet. ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

#7) Single Leg Calf Raises

This exercise strengthens the calves, particularly the gastrocnemius, and improves ankle controlled mobility. Make sure you can perform this exercise properly with bodyweight before you add any resistance.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot on the edge of a stair or other stable elevated surface. Your knee should be close to fully extended (but not hyperextended).

Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

Your weight should be on your forefoot, and the back half of your foot should not be in contact with the surface.

You may lightly support yourself using your hands.

Press up onto your tiptoes using a single leg. Go to your full range.

Pause for a count in the top position, and contract your calf muscles.

Now lower your heel down to your full range. Do so with complete control.

Repeat for the target number of reps before switching sides.

To be clear, the range you use should not hurt.

For the duration of the exercise, be very mindful that you are pressing evenly through your forefoot/all of your toes, and that your foot is not collapsing in or falling out.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#8) Single Leg Partial Squat + Band Resisted Hip Abductions (band around feet)

This exercise strengthens the glutes, and the muscles in the foot. Having the band around the feet is more challenging than when the band is around the ankles or knees. This band placement really forces the planted foot to work to not collapse in.

Coaching Tips:

Place a resistance band around your feet. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.

Get into a single leg partial squat stance. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.

On the planted side, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

While keeping your knee and ankle in a fixed position, use your glutes and move your leg away from the midline of your body, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.

Return your leg to the starting position with control.

Aside from this moving leg, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position for the duration of the exercise.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#9) Half Kneeling Ankle Rock-Backs

This exercise improves ankle mobility, particularly dorsiflexion.⁣ ⁣

Start off doing this exercise using just bodyweight. If this feels good, you may rest a weighted object just above your knee. The weight shouldn’t be too heavy. I’m using a 15 lb kettlebell.⁣

Coaching Tips:

Get into a half kneeling position. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position. ⁣

Rest a light weight just above your knee. ⁣

Now slowly shift your bodyweight forward and dorsiflex your ankle. The entire time, your full foot should remain in contact with the floor. Do not allow your heel to leave the floor. ⁣ ⁣

Perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position.

Perform 100% of the movements with control, and only apply light pressure to the leg. ⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.

For the duration of the exercise, not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine).⁣⁣ ⁣

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.⁣⁣

#10) Prone Psoas Marches + Band Resistance

This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Coaching Tips: ⁣ ⁣

Place a resistance band around your feet, and place your feet on towels/slider pads.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Place your hands so they are above your shoulders.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

While remaining in the plank position, use your hip flexors and slide your foot forward.

Return your leg and foot to the starting position with control, and repeat using the other side. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart and move them away from your spine and around your rib cage). ⁣⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug or shoulder blades to elevate. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a relatively straight line from your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

⁣For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes on the non-moving side. ⁣ ⁣⁣

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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