I’ve been doing much better at sticking to a “workout” plan this week.
I don’t have any crazy plan ahead of time, or high intensity things planned. I simply have one goal:
An abdominal workout every day
It is that simple.
I have been throwing in some upper body weights as well, but that is just extra.
The benefits that a stronger core bring to your body when it comes to running are amazing.
1. Helps to increase your speed.
I think this was all I needed to hear. Seriously though, when you try to increase your speed and leg turnover your lower abdominals are targeted.
The stronger your abdominals are the more speed and force your body can use to push your off the ground.
2. Creates more efficient running.
Efficiency with running is determined by your form. Your form can either help your tremendously or hurt you.
As you strengthen your abdominal muscles it enables you to run with a more efficient and stronger form.
3. Injury avoidance during quick movements.
We’ve all been there – you are running along and then all the sudden a large rock, pothole, snake, stick, or something gets in your way and we have to do a quick lateral movement to avoid it.
These lateral movements are actually very dangerous, and often can lead to injury.
Strengthening your core allows your body to gain stability and and helps keep you upright when having to make a sudden or unexpected movement.
4. Improves posture.
As your core strengthens your posture improves. It causes your body to stand more upright and in alignment.
This does several great things for running including improving your form and breathing while running.
Each of these can help to avoid injury.
5. Helps avoid fatigue in your arms and legs while running.
We all know the more tired we get, the worse our form gets. This actually puts more pressure on our arms and legs. If you slouch or lose your form you put more strain on your legs and end up using more energy than is needed by pumping harder with your arms.
These are just natural things that your body does without even realizing it.
Once again, strengthening your core helps your body to stay up right and avoids the late run/race slouch. This will take pressure off your legs and help you save your energy.
It all boils down to increasing your core strength decreases your chance of injury and improves your form and performance as a runner.
Here are a few of the core exercises I did today:
(There are so many core exercises out there, but I have chosen the ones that do not add any extra pressure on my leg at the moment. Always play it safe, especially when coming back from injury.)
1. The Superman
3. Abdominal Crunches w/ Bicycle Twist
4. Mason Twists
Some other great ab exercises:
(I can’t current do these due to the pressure they put on the legs)
1. Plank
2. Bridge
3. Side Plank
So tell me, what are some of your favorite ab workouts?
Love this! I sustained several injuries due to a weak core, and my PT has literally changed my life with the exercises she has taught me. I’ve strengthened my core SO much and my running has drastically improved. Go core work!!!
Love this!! This is what I am hoping! I am hoping that my using this time to improve my core strength that it will help when I get back to running one day! I hope too that I will get in the habit of it and learn to make it more a priority!
I have slacked on my core stuff during the warm weather months, I must admit …
An old friend of mine is a tennis pro and fitness instructor (and recently got the contract as fitness trainer for the New England Patriots Cheerleaders) … and he started a YouTube series of body-weight exercises (BMaxx). I have been doing a variety of those to mix things up. Was especially good on icy mornings last winter. Ice and lightning are my two ‘show stoppers’ for running outside – I will do -20F and torrential rain … but ice is the express route to injury 🙂
I slacked big time on core work before. I am really trying to focus on it now. Eventually whenever I run again I really want to be in the habit at this point so that I don’t forget the importance of it to avoid more injury in the future!
I enjoy planks and side planks with ‘extras’ like leg lifts, torso twists, rows, knee tucks, hip drops, etc
I love doing leg lifts, crunches with my legs straight up in the air (kind of like toe touches), “penguins”, exercise ball crunches (to make this more challenging I hold a dumbbell above my chest) and weighted standing side bends. I also loves planks, all kinds of them. Hopefully you can do those soon!
These sound like some great exercises! Great job for including them! It looks like you learned much quicker than me 🙂
I like doing planks because they are the ones I am weakest at so I actually feel something doing them. I like to do ab exercises straight for x amount of minutes and end on a plank.
I love planks! I wish I could do them but since I am playing it safe with my leg I think I will hold off a little bit longer 🙂 Glad you incorporate this in your routine regularly!