While the best way to become a better runner is to—you guessed it—actually run, the workouts you do when you're not pounding the pavement can aid your efforts and help with endurance, speed, and injury prevention. However, the strength workout that'll get you there might not be what you'd expect—rather than focusing on your lower body, strengthening your core can be even more beneficial, explains Karlyle Alvino, Mile High Run Club coach and founder of Iron Diamond Fitness.
"I've found that to keep runners healthy and injury-free, the best way is to actually avoid the legs when you're doing a short, quick workout," she says. This is because if you're running consistently, your legs already have a starring role, so you want to be careful of putting too much stress on them to avoid overuse injuries, Alvino explains.
By focusing on your core instead, you're not only giving your legs a break, but you're also strengthening other muscles that play a big role in running. "Strengthening your core helps with your running posture," explains Alvino. "When you run with your core engaged, it actually helps 'lift' you up. When your core isn’t engaged, you're more likely to be smashing into the ground. Lots of people have very heavy footsteps, but if that person has a strong core, even if they’re tired, they're lighter on their feet." Running is a high-impact exercise because landing with every step puts extra force on your body, so reducing this by engaging your core can help you avoid injuries that can stem from extra impact.
Plus, by working the muscles of your core on the side, you won't have to consciously engage them during a run—they'll be doing their job without extra effort.
Alvino suggests doing this short workout immediately after you get back from a run. "It teaches your body to push and tap into that next level, which is what you need in endurance training," she says. "You're also training your mind so when you do hit that wall, you know you've got this."
Here's How To Do This Workout:
- Glute Bridge — 1 minute
- Bicycle Crunch — 1 minute
- Forearm Plank Hold — 1 minute
- Triceps Push-Up — 1 minute
- Forearm Side Plank Hold (Left Side) — 1 minute
- Forearm Side Plank Hold (Right Side) — 1 minute
- Triceps Push-Up — 1 minute
- Forearm Plank Hold — 1 minute
- Bicycle Crunch — 1 minute
- Glute Bridge — 1 minute
The moves in this pyramid workout are designed to flow from one to the other so there's minimal transition time, explains Alvino.
As you get more advanced, she recommends breaking down each minute into four parts: Do the full exercise for 10 seconds, then do tiny movements (or pulses) of the exercise for 30 seconds to up the burn factor, then hold the main position for 10 seconds, and transition into the next exercise for the next 10 seconds. This will put your muscles to the test in different ways, she explains.
Equipment needed: None
Learn how to do the exercises with these handy GIFs.
