An Illeterate itch – 04/07/17
July 3, 2017
Strength And Core Training For Runners-Key Workouts
July 21, 2017
Strength and Core Training for Runners
Why a strong core is important for runners
A strong core is important for injury prevention because it makes the runners body stable when running. Core muscles for runners help to stabilize the spine
and make movement of the extremities as economical as possible, allowing the transfer of power with minimal dissipation of energy. Core strength reinforces the way that the pelvis, abs, hips and lower back work together reducing chances of picking up injuries. Strength and core exercises are the perfect complement to running.They optimize your running so you can keep going and even help to run faster and reduce other nagging pains like in the knees etc.
Tip 2 Strong core for distance runners
Core strength is especially important for distance runners. When fatigue sets in towards the end of long runs or races, your form begins to suffer. Poor form leads to excessive loading of some muscles, slows you down, and it also opens you up to potential injuries. The lower back pain that most distance runners suffer from can be reduced and eliminated by building up core strength, which helps to maintain good posture during runs.
Tip 3 Muscles used for running,function and exercise
Primary muscles
These are muscles that get the most impact from running and therefore require the most care. They include quads (quadriceps femoris), hamstrings, gluteus maximus, iliopsoas, and calf muscles.
Supporting muscles
These do not come under as much strain as primary muscles. They contribute towards maintaining good posture and prevent injury. They include biceps, triceps, chest, abdominals, and lats
Tip 4 key muscles contriibution to running
A) Quads (quadriceps) muscle/ thigh muscle.
Their functions are to straighten the leg, lift knee up towards chest, and generate the most force off the ground to push your whole body forward. This is the most important muscle in your body for speed training and plays the biggest role in helping you run faster
Some Quad Exercises:
Lunges
Squats
Leg Press
B) Glutes and Hamstrings
Glutes are butt muscles and the hamstrings are the muscles on the backside of your thighs. The function of the glutes and hamstrings muscles is to pull knee and thigh towards the rear side of your body and also to bring the heel up to touch the butt. The hamstring muscle is the easiest muscle to injure on most runners because it is often much weaker and out of balance compared to the front thigh muscle.
Some glutes & Hamstrings Exercises:
Bridge
Stiff Legged Deadlifts
Lying Hamstring Curls
C)Chest muscle
The function of the chest muscles is to pull your arms and elbows towards the front side of your body. The faster you swing your arms, the faster you move your legs. The chest muscles are the primary muscles responsible for the bulk of your arm swinging motion.
Recommended Chest Exercises
Push ups
Barbell Flat Bench Press
Barbell Decline Bench Press
D) Lat muscles
Lats” is short for “latissimus dorsi”. They are the muscles located underneath your arm pit and around your shoulder blades. They flare outwards when you flex them to give a cobra like illusion and give the appearance that you have “wings”. Their function is to pull the elbow towards the rear side of your body and are the most important muscles for pulling your arms towards the rear.
Some Lats Exercises
Chin Ups
Close Grip Cable
PulldownsClose Grip Pull Ups
E) Biceps muscle
These are muscles located on the front side of your upper arms. Their function is to bend your arms so that your fingers can touch your shoulders. A strong bicep helps you to have a stronger and more powerful arm swing .
Some Biceps Exercises
Barbell Bicep Curls
Standing Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curls
E)Triceps
Function Of Triceps Muscle :
The triceps are the muscles located on the backside of your upper arms. The function of the triceps is to straighten out your arms. Having a strong tricep also helps you to have a stronger and more powerful arm swing.
