Many runners have imbalances and muscle weakness. This carries significant risk of injury. In general, amateur riders believe that running strengthens the muscles of their lower limbs and yet repetitive muscle contraction as fatigue runs and progressively weakens the muscles making it more susceptible to inflammation and injury (source: I'm a marathon runner).
Strengthening our legs is an exercise that we are going to make profitable from the beginning and, therefore, we must include it in our weekly training routine. Here are some key exercises:
AT HOME:
Lifting of heels: Tip-tip at the edge of a block / curb. Start with the heels below the tips of your feet. Lift your body up as high as you can, hold on for a few seconds and slowly lower yourself. You can make it harder with just one leg.
One Leg Squats: Flex each leg until the knee forms a 90 degree angle. It takes 2-3 seconds to go down, and 1 to go up.
Hamstrings: Lie on your back on the floor and your feet on a chair against the wall. Lift your butt. Then he lifts one leg from the chair. Lower slowly back to the floor, using only the leg in the chair.
Step: Simple but very valuable exercise. Use a step (lower than your knee), place one leg and climb slowly, until your leg is almost extended, without blocking the knee. Lower to the starting point in a controlled manner. Then change your leg.
The Bridge: This exercise is perfect for strengthening the glutes. Support your back on the floor, bend your knees and place your flat feet on the floor. You have to lift the pelvis until you have a straight jumper position, hold 30 seconds and then go down.
IN THE GYM:
If we can afford to include one or two gym sessions in our weekly routine, (if you are not a gym member you may be interested in this) we can perform more precise exercises and isolate specific muscle groups, as well as add load as we progress:
Exercises in machines: Make extensions of quadriceps or knees, abductors, twins with load... let yourself be guided by the monitor of your gym. You can also use free weight exercises:
Stretches: Standing with feet slightly apart, a dumbbell in each hand and arms relaxed, look ahead, slightly sink the back and stride forward keeping the trunk as straight as possible; during stride, the forward-thigh should be stabilized horizontally. Returns to the starting position.
Wall Ball Squats: Put a gym ball against a wall and press your back against it to hold it in place. Separate the feet at the width of the hips, with the toes pointing forward. Place your feet slightly forward. Lower until your knees form a 90 ° angle, and return to the starting position.
Hip Reinforcement: Put weights on your ankles, lie on the left side and lift your right leg, keeping it straight. Slowly return to the starting position.
With these exercises you will get results in the short term, and you will be much less sensitive to injuries. Do not perform strength exercises the same day you train sets, or the days before the races, since your body needs to recover. Vary your exercise routines, and always warm up before you start, and stretch when you finish.
And you, what strength exercises do you include in your training routine?
