Are you a Runner?
Updated: Apr 27, 2020
Running is a very very popular exercise for people to partake in.
Do you run???
Have you noticed that you improve quite quickly???
Have you been injured???
Are you at the point where you want to improve your times???
The body is extremely smart and it will adapt well to anything new, particularly the cardiovascular system, this enables you to improve your running times and you will feel a sense of achievement with each run as the body adapts to work on running more efficiently, unfortunately the body adapts and improves cardiovascular wise normally quicker than your joints and muscles are able to handle the extra impact, this is where injury tends to happen.
With the clear improvements seen quite quickly this leads to people becoming very keen/addicted to running, as who doesn’t like the feeling of achievement every time they do something; to feel and see progress.
This is great but there are a few considerations runners need to think about to maintain or continue to improve their progress and to also stay injury free.
Here are a few tips and information for runners……
Core Muscles
When you hear the word core what do you relate this to??? I can guarantee a lot of you think just about your abdominal area.
The core muscles are actually a selection of complex muscles that are there to support your spine, maintain your posture, help with body movements and bodily functions. These muscles include the pelvic floor, abdominis, external obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae, longissimus thoracis, the diaphragm, deep rotators, cervical muscles, quadratus lumborum and more.
Keeping it simple and relatable it is extremely important for runners to ensure they are maintaining and strengthening their core muscles alongside all of the running they are doing. What tends to happen is runners run 4- 5 times a week and they forget to train their core muscles. The human anatomy is built to take force upon the bones and direct autonomic force, through various joints, in the desired direction and having strong core muscles will help maintain these functions.
Injury Prevention
Most runners get injured because they tend to focus on running so much that structural weaknesses happens, if runners implement some form of strength training they are less likely to get injured, trust me having a focus, seeing improvements and having that big race that you are working to … injury is not what you want and it can really knock your confidence massively. This is why it is extremely important to implement strength training… see below
Implement Strength Training
We are now aware of the importance of maintaining our core muscles, there are many ways that you can do this and they should be implemented in your weekly exercise schedule at least once a week.
Here are some ideas for you to think about
Resistance Bands
These are a great piece of equipment to use, you can do so much with them, they add the weight element like weights do but in a nicer form, especially for those who don’t like to go to the gym. These can also be used at home making it easier for you to manage time wise, and the benefit of these is you can take them anywhere as they are so small.
Yoga
Not only does Yoga lengthen and strengthen all your muscles, it also works on improving your range of movement, especially in your hips (great for runners), other benefits are working on and improving your balance and focus, all very beneficial for runners.
Weight Training
This doesn’t have to be going all out lifting super heavy. Weight training is extremely beneficial for runners, I fully recommend compound lifting (where you use one or more muscle and joint) I have many clients whose running and cycling have improved dramatically since they have implemented weight training into their weekly schedule.
Body Weighted core exercises
There are soooo many body weighted exercises you can do to strengthen your core muscles. The beauty of these are you don’t have to rely on gym memberships or equipment. Why not use what we have. We use a lot of body weighted moves in our classes helping our clients take home exercises they can do when they are not with us.
Pilates
Pilates directly works on the core muscles mostly carried out on the floor, so less impact on those bones and joints of yours that your body gets from running. Another great form of exercise to improve your posture and movements.
To summarise
I STRONGLY recommend all runners to implement some form of strength, resistance or Yoga/pilates into their routine. The stronger your muscles are the better you will run and that is proven. So stop thinking that you need to run run run and start to think how you can improve your running. Look at the top running athletes, they all implement another form of training alongside their running.