In order to continuously improving their fitness, runners spend a lot of time looking for the ideal training schedule that incorporates easy runs, speed workouts, and rest days, the majority of regimens also including one or two days designated for cross-training, which we take advantage of to add more cardio.
Instead, if we invested time in strengthening our core, we would run faster and more effectively while lowering our risk of injury. As a running coach for the past ten years, I have assisted runners with hip discomfort, runner’s knee, lower back pain, and IT Band Syndrome, which almost every physical therapist I have spoken with has linked to a weak core.
Having a weak core goes beyond having a weak six-pack (a.k.a. the rectus abdominis ). Your core is made up of 29 pairs of muscles, including the transverse abdominis, internal obliques, pelvic floor, and the muscles that run along the spine, such the erector spinae. It encompasses the trunk of your body. The core also includes your glutes, hip flexors, lats, and traps. This serves as a reminder that our core needs more than just a few crunches, anatomy aside.
With a strong core, your glutes can assist in keeping your knees in the right position when you run, reducing knee and ankle pain. It implies that your back has the stamina to keep you in proper alignment even as you tire on longer runs so you can retain form and pace. A strong core also enables you to keep your hips level as you walk, which lessens the force that travels down your leg and lowers your risk of overuse problems.
Reverting to simple movement patterns and concentrating just on bodyweight is a fantastic method to strengthen your core and develop your mind-body connection. Exercises using only your body weight offer plenty of resistance to work important muscles. Although I like adding resistance bands to improve intensity, as mentioned in the gear guide below.
Your training program should ideally include up to two additional core-focused sessions in addition to at least two full-body strength workouts each week (each exercise will involve the core in some way ). However, since schedules are rarely ideal, even 10 minutes of consistent core work will be beneficial.
With my Sports Pilates course we recommend runners do 40 minutes of our Sports Pilates once per week or break it up over four days doing 10 minute daily intervals. My objective is to provide runners a particular set of exercises so they won’t be confused about where to begin and can just set aside time before each run to target their abs, hips, and glutes.
Including exercises in your warm-up activates your muscles, allowing them to function more effectively throughout your run. Additionally, it means that when your to-do list is already full, you are less likely to skip the important tasks. Focus on good technique first rather than holding moves for a long time.
We have free trials of our sports Pilates here at everardpilates.com/sportfreetrial but if you want to try some moves yourself. Four exercises I would recommend would be a side plank, a bridge, a single leg deadlift and the superman. If you would like information I can send you a link to how to do these. Just email everardpilates.com
