Exercises to Supplement Running
As a trainer, I have a love-hate relationship with running. On one hand, it’s a great way to get your heart pumping, lungs pounding, and calories burning. Many also find it meditative and use it as a form of stress relief. On the negative side, unless your form is perfect, you’re potentially causing damage to your joints and muscles. Since running is incredibly repetitious in nature, small deviations in form can add up quickly and quietly.
In order to offset the negative side effects of running, it’s highly recommended to strength train as a supplemental form of cross-training. Strength training will not only help build stronger muscle, but that muscle will also help protect your joints. Performing the exercises correctly will also help improve your running technique. If you’re running anything over 7-8 miles a week, you should be strength training at least one day per week. Here are the lower body exercises you should be performing during your strength training sessions.
Forward Leg Swings 1 set of 10 per side
Lateral Leg Swings 1 set of 10 per side
Low Squat Ankle Raises 1 set of 10 reps
Double Leg Pogos 3 sets of 20
Squat Pogos 3 sets of 10
Sprinter Pogos 3 sets of 10
Reverse Lunges 3 sets of 10 reps per side
Single-Leg Glute Bridges, Foot elevated 3 sets of 10 reps per side
Step Ups 3 sets of 8 reps per side