(Just arrived from The Connection? Click here to continue the story where you left off.)
Maybe you have heard about the importance of strength training for runners, but have no idea how to get started, don’t belong to a gym, and/or have limited equipment at home. That’s ok! You can still get started with some basic strength training at home that will not only benefit your running, but also improve your functioning in daily life.
Running involves high forces—2.5 to 3 times your body weight is applied to a single leg with each step. The ability to absorb those forces as well as to generate force quickly helps you run faster and with greater efficiency, resist fatigue and maintain good joint alignment—all of which help decrease injury risk. The ability to do all these things comes in large part from having greater strength.
Several years ago a strength and conditioning coach named Dan John was one of the first to categorize and train athletes using five basic human movement patterns. This type of functional training organizes exercises by pattern rather than muscle group. Functional training has expanded so that some trainers may work six, seven or even more patterns, all with the goal of supporting your activities of daily living as well as enhancing your running.
The original five basic patterns make up a quick, efficient and beginner friendly strength program for runners. Performing one exercise from each movement patterns on two days of the week may only take about 15 minutes. If you have never done strength training before, it is fine to start with just your body weight, but eventually you will want to add load. Light dumbbells (available at Target or Walmart) work great, but you can improvise with objects from home. If running is your focus, do your strength training after your runs. Ideally, this would be 4-5 hours after a run, but if that’s not possible, immediately afterwards will still provide benefit. If you are training for a race, you want to lower the intensity as the event gets closer.
Join Me for a Week-Long Basic Strengths Jumpstart!
We will be covering one exercise per day on Twin Cities In Motion's social media next week (July 22-26). Follow along each day to see a video demonstration of a different exercise from each group. We will give instructions on proper form as well as ways to progress or modify the basic pattern.
As a preview, the five basic patterns are presented below:
Squat
The squat pattern is one of the easiest to spot in real life—you use this pattern every time you sit down in a chair or stand up from the couch. This pattern involves alternating triple flexion and extension at the hips, knees, and ankles which is similar to what happens at these joints during running. Each running step is actually like a mini single leg squat. A beginners guide to squatting involves standing in front a chair and sitting your bottom back toward the chair as if you were going to sit down and then reversing the movement to stand back up, just as you are about to hit the chair.
Hinge
The hinge movement is similar to the deadlift pattern. When done correctly with the core engaged, the hinge is a safer way to bend down and pick something off the floor than rounding through your back. The horizontal hip drive of the hinge pattern is useful in running as it teaches the use of the hips for maximal stability and pushing down/driving forward. In the video series, we will be demonstrating a basic deadlift as well as a tip to learn to hinge at the hips instead of rounding through the spine.
Push
Both the push and the subsequent movement, the pull, have been further sub-categorized into vertical and horizontal movements. An overhead press is an example of a vertical push, but we will be focusing on horizontal pushing, which is useful in daily life for pushing a stroller or heavy grocery cart. It’s hard to find a better push exercise for the full body than old-fashioned push-ups. Done correctly, you will work the glutes, core and upper body. This helps teach your upper body and core to maintain good running posture.
Pull
We pull things toward us in daily life all the time. The pull utilizes muscles that help keep the shoulder blades back and down, which is crucial for maintaining proper running posture, especially as you get tired. An example of a vertical pulling exercise is a pull-up or a lat pull-down. In the video series, we will be demonstrating a horizontal row and a bent-over row that can be done either with bands or dumbbells.
Carry
The carry may be the most under-rated functional training movement, but also the most useful. Whether a bag of groceries, a small child or pet, or a heavy laundry basket, we carry objects all day long. The carry forms the foundation of dynamic stability and develops whole body stiffness that is very beneficial in force generation when running. When done correctly the carry is also an excellent way to strengthen the core.
The basic version entails walking 25 feet carrying an equal load in each hand while maintaining good posture. Different variations can be done up on the toes to strengthen the calf muscles. Single arm carries engage the side body almost like a moving side plank.
Follow along with the video series on Twin Cities in Motion social media this week to see video demonstrations of each exercise! If you have questions, are interested in a customized strength plan or are dealing with a running-related injury, please reach out: [email protected]
This article originally appeared in the The Connection, TCM's weekly e-newsletter. Subscribe here.
Kristen Gerlach, PT, PhD, is a physical therapist who specializes in working with runners. She is one of the team of Motion Experts TCM has gathered to help its subscribers and participants get the most out of their running. Have a question for Kristen: [email protected] or website: instridemnpt.com.