Last week I published a blog post on common running injuries and the hits the post received were far higher than I could have imagined, (if you haven’t seen that blog post click here.)
The blog post talked a lot about the importance of glute strength to help prevent injuries but didn’t offer you any practical exercise suggestions to help you.
This blog post today is a currated post with my Top 5 exercises that all happen to come from David McHenry, the head strength and conditioning coach of the Nike Oregon Project. He is tasked with keeping the likes of Mo Farah fit and healthy.
The focus of the training program for runners targets their deep rotator muscles in their core, hips and glutes that running often neglects. These 5 exercises are variations of the exercises he uses with Olympians like Mo Farah that any runner can do.
THE CLAM
The clam is a great exercise for helping to maintain the balance between your outer and inner thigh muscles. I see lots of runners who have over developed inner thigh muscles (adductors) and weaker, under developed out thigh muscles (glute medius).
TRY THIS….
Incorporate the Clam in to your warm up as an activation drill, complete 3 sets of 20 reps.
THE REVERSE CLAM
Just like the clam, the reverse clam is a great exercise for helping to maintain the balance between your outer and inner thigh muscles.
TRY THIS….
Incorporate the reverse clam in to your warm up as an activation drill, complete 3 sets of 20 reps.
RUNNER PULLS
This is a great exercise to improve hip and core strength whilst also improving control of your lower limbs in a running specific movement pattern.
TRY THIS….
Include this exercise in your running specific strength and conditioning program. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps on each side.
SWISS BALL MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
This is a more advanced exercise but it is a great one to use if you can do it or build up to it. The instability of the ball coupled with the movement itself integrate every muscle used during the running stride.
TRY THIS….
Include this exercise in your running specific strength and conditioning program. Complete 3 sets of 20 reps on each side.
HOT SALSA
This is a modified lunge that is running specific and really challenges the glutes and the hamstrings. Why is it called the hot salsa? Because the guy that named the exercise says it makes your bum hurt, just like you’ve eaten salsa!
TRY THIS….
Include this exercise in your running specific strength and conditioning program. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.