There are so many 5K and 10K charity runs around St. Louis.  Participating in such events can be a great addition to your current program while helping out a great cause.  A strength and conditioning program can be very beneficial to the novice or advanced runner. Your program should consist of low weight, high repetition movements and involve the following components.

1) Proper Warmup/Cooldown

2) Flexibility Training

3) Proper Nutrition and Hydration

4) Balance Training- coordination/stability, opposing muscular balance, upper/lower/core balance

5) Running-specific movements the both mimic running and strengthen the working muscles

Implementing such a program can lead to:

- Increased strength, power, endurance and efficiency as a runner

- Decreased injury

i. Increased flexibility

ii. Balanced strength in the appropriate muscle groups

iii. Increased stability

- Less muscular imbalances

Today we are focusing on the resistance training aspect of becoming a better runner.

Exercise Demonstrations- notice I’m only mentioning 1 upper body, 1 core, and 1 lower body exercise. Each of these has an opposing muscle group that needs equal attention.

- Plank- alternate reach (excellent total core exercise)

- Pushup- unlimited variations (make sure to include back exercises)

- Lunge on BOSU ball- focuses on stability/coordination while working the essential muscle groups specific to running (while a lunge does work both quadriceps and hamstring, it is primarily quadricep. An additional hamstring exercise is recommended.)

These are some very general recommendations for being a stronger, more efficient runner. As we know, everyone is built differently and therefore responds differently to training. To make sure that you have a plan that is customized to your abilities, I suggest setting up an appointment with a qualified personal trainer.

We have all heard the term “core” thrown around in the fitness world, but I am sure that most don’t realize what exactly “core” means.  Your core muscles consist of all of the musculature of your abdominal section, lower back, and obliques region.  Core strength refers to the muscles of your abs and back and their ability to support your spine and keep your body stable and balanced.  Your core is the essence of everything you do, from your day-to-day activities, to your athletic pursuits.  It doesn’t matter how strong your arms and legs are if the muscles they’re attached to aren’t equally as strong.  Think of your core area as your body’s foundation.  Everything else comes crumbling down if you don’t have a solid support system to hold it all up.

A strong core is also responsible for your sense of balance.  Balance not only requires equilibrium, but also good stability of the core muscles and the joints, particularly the hip, knee, and ankle.

As we’re getting older, we should become less concerned with sculpting our body, and more concerned with staying active and functional.  With core training, your joints and muscles work in tandem, just the way they do in real life when, for example, you have to balance yourself while walking upstairs with bags of groceries in your arms.  Personal Training is a great way to learn how to use these support muscles and to gain the knowledge of a variety of core specific exercises.  A sports trainer may be that vital link that many need to sufficiently strengthen their core.