Improving your running takes doing it regularly, but running is tough on the body. Jumping up and down on concrete is pretty jarring, let alone doing it on a single leg. It is for this reason that most injuries in triathlon occur when running. The more time you spend running, doing some sort of strength and conditioning becomes even more important. Completing exercises regularly to strengthen your body against the strain of running will greatly reduce your injury risk. Following is a short routine I do to help me maintain my running.
A lot of these exercises use a single leg to better replicate the requirements of running. Engage your core and squeeze your butt while doing the exercises.
1. Hopping – 30 seconds both legs /30 left leg / 30secs right leg (90 seconds total)
Provides good loading to the calves through a plyometric action.
2. Romanian single leg deadlift – (20 each leg)
Focuses on mainly working the glutes, hamstrings.
3. Split leg lunge – (20 each leg)
Targets the glute muscles and the upper leg muscles.
4. Standing 1 legged clams – (20 each side)
Helps to engage the gluteus medius and improve pelvis stability.
5. Single leg glute bridge – (20 each leg)
Targets the gluteus and hamstrings. Essential muscles for running well.
6. Dead bugs variation – (20 each leg)
Engages the core and works the trunk, in particular the obliques.
7. Plank – (60 seconds)
Again utilises the entire core, the key to maintaining run form.
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