Plyometrics for Performance

Many traditional running programs incorporate drills, strides, and hill sprints to increase turnover, speed, and muscular strength.  Plyometrics are another useful tool that runners can incorporate to target key muscles, while also taking a break from the repetitive motions of running that can lead to overuse injuries.

An easy way to start is with box jumps. Stand next to a box that's about half the height from your foot to your knee. Begin conservatively by jumping for 3-5 sets of ten. After jumping to the top on both legs, gently step back to the starting position. That's one.











When beginning Plyometrics, it's smarter to err on the side of caution. This is a new, high intensity activity for your body that may hit under developed muscles.  It's critical to be cautious to avoid injury. If we can do that, we can use this as another tool that will translate to faster times on the road and track.

Dumbbell Side Bend

This week's exercise is a side bend, which will strengthen your external obliques, along with your rectus abdominis. A staple in any runner's core routine. Here's how to properly execute it:


1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in one hand with the arm extended downward. The other hand can rest on your hips.

2. Bend at the waist in the direction of the hand holding the dumbbell, allowing the weight to pull the side down gradually. 

3. Complete a set of 12 reps and then switch the dumbbell to the other hand and repeat.

Balancing the abdominal muscles is the goal of this exercise. The side-to-side movement helps develop the external oblique. Strengthening the external obliques helps minimize the side-to-side rocking at the end of a race (or speed workout). This exercise will also help maintain erect posture.

Knee Exercises – Preventative & Strengthening

By: Jessica Byrnes

As runners, our Type A personalities and competitive nature tells us that running more means more fitness gains. Often times, it isn’t until we feel a tweak or twinge that we start to look beyond running and search for the cause of a new or lingering injury that is holding us back from our potential.

Don’t wait until injury has already set in – by adding these strength exercises for runners, many common overuse injuries can be prevented and these simple, no-equipment-needed exercises will only take a few minutes of your day!

1.   Bodyweight Squats

This exercise is a great glute strengthener and gets your hips activated. Start in standing position with your arms outstretched. Lower your body to a seated position while keeping your back straight, chin and head looking forward.

2.   Single-Leg Squat Touchdown

One of my favorites that includes knee and core strengthening – a lot more challenging than it looks!

Start by balancing on your right leg with your knees slightly bent and your left arm raised straight up. Slowly bend your right knee to lower your left arm towards your right foot. Push through your heel and squeeze your glutes to return to starting position. Continue with this exercise for 10-15 reps on your right side and then switch legs.

3.   Core Work is extremely important!

Refer to previous blog posts (yoga, planks, and dynamic warm-up exercises, and single-leg exercises to name a few) for some great core strength exercises that will help keep you injury-free!!

 

Plantarflexion with tubing

This exercise promotes strength and flexibility of the foot and ankle to prevent injury when running on uneven terrain. Since it is not weight bearing, it can be performed daily. It can also function as a rehabilitative exercise to overcome an ankle sprain or mild achilles tendonitis.

1. Sit on the floor with legs fully extended in front of the body. A length of tubing, an end in each hand, should extend underneath the foot, wrapping around the ball of the foot. Make sure there is no slack. 

2. Extend the foot to full extension

3. At full extension, hold the position for one second before pulling the tubing backward in a smooth motion. The foot will be forced to dorsiflex and return to its initial position.

4. Repeat the push/pull of the exercise, adjusting tension though-out, until fatigue. 

 

Try Some Yoga!

Yoga is great for runners because it not only stretches you but it strengthens you in many ways. Yoga prevents injury, improves recovery time, improves flexibility for better from, and gets you stronger!

I like the "Sun Salutation" because it really targets everything and make you feel really good after a run. It's easy to do too. Try going through it 3 times after your run holding each pose as long as you feel you need to:

Upper Body Strengthening

For running, strengthening the upper body is just as important as working the lower body. Your arms are what propels you forward and helps maintain speed throughout the workout. When you run, your arms counterbalance the motion of your legs, which results in saved energy. Having a strong upper body will also keep you in proper running form when fatigue sets in. 

These are a few exercises you can incorporate into your workout to improve upper body strength:

1) Cable Lat Pulldown - works latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and biceps 
Sit at the cable machine and grab the bar, palms facing forward with a narrow grip. Pull the bar down so it touches your upper chest. Concentrate on the squeezing your shoulder blades as you pull down. Slowly extend your arms to lift the bar up. Complete 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps. 

2) Dumbbell Chest Press - works pectoralis major and triceps
Lie on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet flat on the floor. Push the dumbbells up so that your arms are directly over your shoulders and your palms are up. Pull your abs in and tilt your chin toward your chest. Lower the dumbbells down and a little to the side until your elbows are slightly below your shoulders. Complete 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.  

3) Standing Shoulder (Dumbbell) Press - deltoids 
Hold dumbbells in each hand and arms at 90 degrees, elbows below the wrists. Press the dumbbells upward until arms are fully extended. Lower back to the sides of the shoulders. Complete 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps. 

Foam Rolling

Foam rolling has many benefits to runners and depending on the type of roller you buy they are not too expensive. I highly recommend foam rolling to all runners.  

Benefits:

• Helps prevent injury by keeping overused muscles from becoming too tight
• Keeps you flexible 
• Releases tension and de-stresses you by working out those "knots"
• Helps fatigued muscles recover quickly

I personally use The Grid roller. They last longer and the grid feels like fingers massaging you and digging into your muscles.

Try some of these before and after your runs. Just roll back and forth for 30 seconds. Stop on extra "tender" areas for a few seconds and then continue to roll.

1. Calves 

 2. Hamstrings

 3. Quads