Runners need to do resistance training for improved running efficiency and this time of year is perfect for it – a combination of strength, balance and coordination is definitely a good thing.
Not just for runners, these moves are beneficial for many people who want to move better, with greater strength.
In a study involving 20 marathoners, runners who drank Montmorency cherry juice recovered faster after running a marathon.
The tart cherry juice was consumed twice a day for 5 days prior to the London marathon and for 2 days after. These runners recovered strength more rapidly and saw a decrease in inflammation and oxidative stress.
Tart cherries have high amounts of anti-oxidants and appears to increase the rate of recovery after strenuous exercise. Long distance endurance events can cause muscle damage and inflammation, taking several days to recover.
During this time, the athletes’ muscles may not contract as efficiently as they did prior to the event. The juice contains phytochemicals known as anthocyanins. These contain anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.
One of the researchers, Dr. Glyn Howatson of Northumbria University, thinks that this could have some impact on those suffering with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, and thinks that further studies should be completed.
This study was reported in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports in 2009.
According to a recent study, weakness in the hips may lead to lower body injuries in runners.
A recent article in Reuters reported that weakness in these muscles that provide stability for the hips contributes to some of the overuse injuries that are commonly seen.
The muscles of the hip are important for stabilizing the hip and controlling movement of the leg. The result of this weakness is inefficient movement, that may increase runners’ risk of injury.
Strengthening the hip can be done in positions that work on single leg or split stance, for maximum carryover. One way to do this is with the Power Plate split squat position.
This exercise helps activate all the muscles of the hips, working on stability. You could then go right to a dynamic exercise such as the split squat or dynamic lunges.
If you don’t have access to a vibration platform, you can combine the split squat with stepups and/or lunges. You can use dumbbells or sandbags for resistance when you have mastered these with your own bodyweight.
Lateral movements with bands attached around the ankles can be used to help activate these muscles. To read the article that contained this study, click here.
Do runners need to do any core training? Will it make you a more efficient runner? Most definitely.
This topic of training for the core has gotten a lot of publicity in recent years, with good reason. Proper stability in this area is necessary for preventing low back pain as well as increasing performance.
Everyone seems to have a different definition of the core and how to train it, but it is much more than your abs and just doing plenty of crunches and situps. It also includes your low back and the muscles of hips.
One key area that runners need to focus on is your glutes! These muscles stabilize your hips which obviously will add to your running efficiency. If your hip joint is not stable your body won’t properly absorb shock or generate adequate muscle force.
I was at a seminar a few years back and a physical therapist was reporting about an injured triathlete who came to see him. During the evaluation he asked the man “where is your (butt)?” Apparently, he had no glute development and that was part of the problem.
By spending a lot of time training his glutes the man greatly increased his age group ranking while spending less time running and such. If you want to reduce the risk of IT band injuries and other lower leg issues, you need some focus on stability.
Single leg bridges are a simple way to train your glutes. Keep your knee bent about 90 degrees and push through your heel. Pause at the top for a second or two and slowly lower. Make sure you move through your hip, the low back is just “along for the ride,” holding still.
Single leg exercises like step ups and multi-direction lunges are excellent. Start with your own bodyweight and then add dumbbells or sandbags for extra resistance. Lunges and squats with sandbags are a great way to train your abs and low back, also.
Most crunches and sit-up variations will have minimal positive impact and could increase your risk for back pain. Bridges and planks in different positions will provide more stability. For more resistance, push/pull exercises with resistance bands will challenge your core, as will sandbag exercises.
