Expert Running Tips: Exercises from Athletico’s Endurance Team
Leave a CommentWhether you are training for a 5k or a marathon, it is common for runners to experience soreness and/or tightness during training. To help with this, we reached out to our endurance team to ask about their top exercises for runners. Read below to see their recommendations:
Jenny, Bridgeport – “I love assigning foam rolling after long runs. I think it gives people who don’t like to sit down and stretch another active exercise that they will be more inclined to perform. Single leg and rotational exercises are also great for kicking in the gluteal and core muscles that runners can ignore.”
Single Leg Deadlift to High Knee Row: Start in a bent over position on one leg, with a band or cable handle in their opposite arm. Slowly straighten up, pulling band back toward side as the swing leg comes up into a high knee position and the opposite arm goes up toward the ceiling. Progress from slow movements (for balance) to faster repetitions to develop more power.
John, LaGrange Park – “I really like a deep kneeling lunge stretch with glute activation. Most of our weekend warriors are locked into seated desk jobs for the majority of their workweek, so the hip flexors and quadricep muscles tend to get pretty snug. For this stretch, I usually recommend patients spend about 30-60 seconds in a wound up position for each hour they spent sitting that day. Ease back on the intensity if you feel any pull or irritation in the low back or around kneecap.”
Deep Kneeling Lunge: Start on hands and knees, reaching one knee back toward the bottom of the wall as your foot slides up the wall. Bring the opposite foot up to flat position on the floor and use your hands to guide your body off of the floor. Staying bent over, start by squeezing the back leg gluteal muscles until a stretch is felt in front of the hip and gradually work your way to a more upright position. For a modified stretch, try standing with one foot hooked over the arm of a chair to decrease the intensity of the stretch.
Elena, Olivette – “Lateral plank! I love it because it is one of the better exercises for gluteus medius recruitment as well as working on balance, general core strength, shoulder girdle strength and stabilization. It’s an exercise that really packs a punch and can be easily advanced as well!”
Lateral Plank: Prop yourself up on one hand and maintain a straight body position you’re your head to your feet. You can adjust this by either using hand support on the ground or dropping down and placing your full forearm on the ground.
Helping You Maximize Your Potential
At Athletico, our endurance rehabilitation program can help you reach peak performance. Our team is trained to teach runners, cyclists and swimmers the importance of balancing strength, endurance, flexibility, and form to maximize their potential and reduce the risk of injury. So whether you need assistance adjusting your gait or returning to run after a serious injury, our team is here to help.
Request an appointment at one of our clinics. Athletico clinicians are even able to connect with you virtually now via our telehealth treatment options.
The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.
