These eight exercises warm-ups & exercises will help you find your true potential in the sport of running!
It is a very obvious fact that to be considered a runner, you have to run. For many people, that’s the end of it, but to be considered a strong athlete, addition of another exercise into your daily routine is a sure-fire way to becoming the best runner you can be! Here’s where this set of exercises crafted by Stephen Cheuk, founder of the S10 training & S10 recovery in New York City & a board member of HealthAdvisory comes handy.
Exercise 1) Hip flexor stretch with a band – Securely attach a moderate resistance band to a hefty & strong object so that it doesn’t move while exercising. Improvise using what you have around you. In a gym situation, the most ideal anchor point would be a squat rack. Put your left leg into the band & let it rest exactly where your buttock & hamstring meet, following which step the left foot back far enough so that the band is taut & stretched.
Exercise 2) Hip CARS (Controlled Articulated Rotations) – Begin with all fours with your hands under your shoulders, your knees directly under your hips while keeping your core tight.
Execution:
A)Bring your right knee forward, after which rotate it outwards so that the thigh is effectively parallel to the floor.
B)Repeat rotating until your knee is aiming down & your flexed foot is aiming up.
C)Return to the start. After the desired number of repetitions are complete, do the same exercise in reverse.
Exercise 3) Ankle Rotations – Sit with your body taut on a step or a bench with your left ankle over your right knee or simply put, mimic running. Pull your knee into your chest with your foot facing the ground. Rotate your ankle & foot clockwise until you return to the start. This is one half of the exercise. The other half involves you repeating the same exercise, but in the anti-clockwise direction.
Exercise 4) Single leg box squats – Stand with your back straight with your back facing a bench or a step & with a slight bend in your knees while keeping your hands out in front of your chest. Lift your right foot & then proceed to extend your right leg out in front of you. Lower your body on to the bench or step while keeping your torso straight, then immediately push through your left foot to return to the standing position. Repeat as many times as necessary.
Exercise 5) Single leg Romanian Deadlifts-Stand taut with a dumbbell weighing 10 pounds in your left hand & then lift your left foot off the ground.
While keeping your back straight & your abs tight, start hinging at your hips while lowering the weight down, allowing your left leg to rise up behind you. Once the weight reaches your mid shin, push through your right heel to return to the upright position. Repeat as necessary.
Exercise 6) Weighted Bulgarian split squats – While grasping the end of a 10-pound dumbbell between your hands in front of your chest, stand a few feet in front of a step or a branch. Extend your right leg back towards the step or bench. Bend your knees while keeping your shoulders down & inclined towards the back, lower your body until your right knee is hovering over the ground. Allow for an interval & then press through left heel to return to the starting position, then repeat.
Exercise 7) Barbell hip thrusters – Be seated on the floor with your shoulders against a bench while keeping your spine in a neutral position & a barbell kept directly over your hips. Gather strength in your core as you pressurize your heels, clenching your glutes in orders to lift your hips. After this step, lower your hips back down & then repeat.
Exercise 8) Standing resistance band core pushes – Loop around a moderate resistance band around a hefty & stable structure so that the force can be applied without moving the object during exercise allowing for an efficient workout session. In a gym environment, the best structure to tie the band around would be a squat rack. Stand with your left side of your body to the rack. Hold the band with your hands at the height of your chest. Take a few straight steps back from the rack until the band is taut. While slightly bending your knees & keeping your core tight, extend your arms straight out & then pull back in. This is one repetition of the exercise. Keep repeating until desired.
