Years ago you would have never heard of runners doing core workouts let alone any sort of weight training. These days many athletes are starting to realize the importance of focusing on your core. A strong core is important to everyone including runners! The core is the vital link between your upper and lower body and thus should not be ignored.
Your core helps you through many motions of running, here’s how…
Uphill – The glutes and lower abs support the pelvis, which connects to the leg muscles needed to get uphill. If the core is strong, the legs will have a stable plane to push from, for a more powerful ascent. When you swing your leg forward, the hip-flexor muscles, such as the rectus femoris, pull on the pelvis. As you push off the ground, the glutes and hamstrings are engaged.
Downhill - When you're flying down a slope, you need strong gluteal muscles to help absorb the impact and counter the momentum of the forward motion. As fun as it may be to zoom down, without the core strength to control your movement, your quads and knee joints bear the extra pounding of your body weight, which can lead to fatigue, pain, and even injury.
Speed - As you extend your stride or quicken the rate of your leg and foot turnover when you're trying to pick up your pace, the lower abs-including the transversus and rectus abdominis-and lower back are called into action. The stronger and more stable these muscles are, the more force and speed you can generate as you push off the ground.
Lateral Movement - Whenever you have to suddenly move to the side-to turn the corner on a track, dodge a pothole, or navigate undulating terrain-the obliques provide stability and help keep you upright. If your core is weak, then you may end up leaning into the movement, which can put excess weight and strain on the joints in your legs and feet.
Endurance - As you're nearing the end of a race, a solid core helps you maintain proper form and run efficiently, even through fatigue. With strong lower abs and lower-back muscles, such as the erector spinae, it's easier to stay upright. If your core is weak, you may end up shuffling, slouching, and putting too much stress on your hips, knees, and shins. (Information courtesy of Runnersworld.com article entitled “Fast Abs” by Alyssa Shaffer)
Keeping all of this in mind I have developed the following workout: The workout will consist of three ab workouts per week. You will perform the exercises in a circuit, one exercise after another for the prescribed amount of reps or time. After you reach the end of the circuit you will rest for 60 seconds and repeat the circuit again. For the first two weeks you will complete two circuits, for weeks 3-4 you will perform three circuits, and for weeks 5-6 you will perform four circuits. If any of the exercises become to easy feel free to add some sort of resistance to them. Full explanations of the exercises are detailed at the bottom.
WEEKS 1-2
Glute Ham Bridge - 12 reps each side
Superman - 10 reps
Russian Twist - 15 reps each side
Plank w/ leg lift - 8 reps each side
Leg Lifts - 15 reps
Fire Hydrant - 15 reps each side
Plank - hold 30-60 seconds
Fire Hydrant - 15 reps each side
Russian Twist - 15 reps each side
WEEKS 3-4
Side Plank - hold 30-45 seconds each side
Superman - 8 reps
Leg Lifts - 12 reps
Stiff Leg deadlift - 12 reps
Plank w/ Leg Lift - 12 reps each
Fire Hydrant - 12 reps each
Leg Lifts - 12 reps
Glute Ham Bridge - 8 reps each
Russian Twist - 12 reps each
WEEKS 5-6
Side Plank w/ Marching - 6 reps each side
Hand to feet pass w/ Swiss Ball - 8 reps
Window Wipers - 6 reps each side
Hand to feet swiss ball pass - 8 reps
Window Wipers - 6 reps each side
Romanian Unitlateral deadlift - 6 reps each side
Backwards Plank w/ rear leg lift - 6 reps each side
Plank w/ diagonal reach - 6 reps each side
Romanian unilateral deadlift - 6 reps each side
Glute Ham Bridge – You will lay down on your back with your knees bent and flat on the ground. You will raise your butt off the ground balancing on your shoulder blades and heels. You will then raise one leg up so it is straight, and hold for a 4 count. Then alternate with the other leg. Superman – Lye flat on your stomach. Raise your arms and shoulders off the ground simultaneously with your feet and knees if possible. Hold for a two count and lower them back down.
Russian Twist – Sit down on the ground upright with your knees bent and feet on the ground. Place a weighted object in your hands (such as a medicine ball) and twist your torso to one side as far as you can go so that the object is no longer being held over your thighs. Then twist back around to the other side.
Plank w/ leg lift – Get in plank position balancing yourself on your forearms and toes. Lift one leg up as far as you can while keeping it completely straight. Hold for a two count and lower it back down, alternate the other leg. Leg Lifts – Lye flat on your back, with your hands at your sides. Raise both your legs about six inches off the ground and hold for a four count. Lower your legs back down.
Fire Hydrant – Get on your hands and knees. Lift one leg up to the side keeping it bent as a dog would when urinating on a fire hydrant. Hold for a count and alternate the other leg.
Deadlift – While standing in front of a barbell that is on the ground, make sure you’re feet are pointed naturally and slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Reach down with both hands to grab the bar ensuring that you are looking up at the time with your chest facing outward. Lift the bar as close to your body as you can comfortably do and make sure you are engaging your abs as you lift. Your shoulders should be tight and your chest should be the first thing that moves upward. Be sure your chest is facing outward and you’re looking forward the entire time. Carefully lower the bar back down the same way you lifted it.
Side Plank w/ Marching – Get in side-plank position balancing on your side with only your feet and one forearm touching the ground. While in side-plank position move one leg in a “high step” or “marching” motion while balancing on the other foot. Alternate feet.
Hand to feet pass w/ Swiss Ball – Lie flat on your back with a swiss ball between your feet. Raise the swiss ball up while simultaneously raising your arms up to grab it. Grab the swiss ball with your hands and lower your feet and the ball simultaneously. Raise your feet and ball back up and grasp the ball again between your feet and lower the ball and your hands once again. This is one rep.
Window Wipers – Lie on the ground flat on your back. Extend both legs toward the ceiling making sure your legs are straight. Stretch both arms outward for stability and let your hips rotate your legs directly to one side until they almost touch the ground. Return your legs straight up with the same motion and turn them to the other side and straight up again. This is one rep.
Backwards Plank w/ leg lift – Lie flat on your back. Balance yourself on your forearms and heels. While holding this position lift one leg up about 6 inches and hold for a four count, then drop down. Alternate to the next leg.
Plank w/ diagonal reach – Get into the plank position with your toes and your forearms balancing you. Keep your entire body straight with your abs engaged for stability. Reach with one hand outwards in front of you for a two count, and return it to its position. Now alternate with the other arm.
Romanian unilateral deadlift – Stand straight up holding two weights in your hands. Lift one foot slightly off the ground as you bend from the waist towards the ground as far as your body will let you. Make sure your foot remains underneath you just slightly hovering from the position it was in when it was on the ground. Return back up, still keeping your one foot slightly off the ground as you bend back up from the waist. Be sure to be looking straight ahead during this entire movement. Alternate with the other leg.
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