I mentioned in my Second Half-Marathon Plan post that I wanted to get serious about my strength training in order to prevent running injuries. I have been having some lower back pain and knee pain during my more recent runs, and I feel that it has to do with the fact that I may have weak lower body muscles like hips and possibly glutes as well. I use to be so good about doing all kinds of lower body exercises but lately, it’s pretty much just been all about running for me. That’s not a good thing. Weak hips, glutes and ankles can lead to running injuries that could be prevented with a little strength training.
I have been searching online for exercises that specifically benefit runners and have come up with a list of them that I plan on incorporating into my workouts. Having strong legs not only can help prevent knee injuries, but it can also help you increase your speed, build up your endurance and make getting up those dreaded hills a little easier.
Here’s a list of lower body exercises that I will be incorporating (or re-incorporating):
The Squat
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2 sets – 15 reps
Single-Leg Deadlifts
2 sets – 15 reps per side
Donkey Kicks
Get on all fours, with hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. With your leg at a 90 degree angle, flex your foot and lift knee to hip level. Lift knee to hip level and lower back down without touching the floor.
2 sets – 15 reps per side
The next 3 exercises are featured in the video below. These are some of the moves that Cameron Diaz does to get her gorgeous gams!
Curtsy Lunge
Single-Leg Squat
Plié with Calf Raise
15-20 each side on lunge and single-leg squat and 15-20 times on plié. The curtsy lunge is a great move because it works your glutes, quads, hamstrings and abs.
Bridge
2 sets – 15 reps
Proper posture and a strong core are also essential to your running form, so I’ll be implementing the next few exercises to strengthen those areas.
Push-ups
3 sets -10 reps
Plank and Side Plank
Superman
2 sets – 15 reps
I REALLY hate doing these, but they are supposed to be great for your lower back and rear end.
I didn’t place forward lunges on this list because that is one of the moves that I use to warm up before a run, so I get plenty of those in. I usually do a 20 reps prior to running.
I plan to do this workout 2-3 times a week, depending on how much time I have.
Hopefully, these exercises will keep me injury-free and running strong. Another benefit of doing these moves is that they should help me tone and tighten some of my problem areas. Not a bad side effect, if you ask me!
What are some of your favorite strength training moves? Any others I should add to this list? Has strength training personally improved your running?