Favorite Strength Training Moves and Running Themed Books

Happy Wednesday!!

As part of being a Run Guru for Run This Year, I have the pleasure of answering some of your running related questions from the twitter chat last week. Some members of the running community wanted more information on my favorite strength training moves and running related books, so I delivered, with a photo shoot too. (Felt kind of awkward not going to lie, just know I did it for you 😉 ).

Also check out my run guru friend, Kayla’s blog post answering some other questions from last week’s twitter chat.

Strength Training

Strength is an important part of your running regime. It builds muscles to help make you stronger and prepare you for your races. A common misconception is that if you lift weights you’ll get bulky, which you don’t want as a runner. This isn’t true. Strength training is a vital part to your training.

It helps give your tone and definition and prevents injuries and muscular imbalances. As runners we tend to have strong glutes, calves and thigh muscles, but a weak core, hips and upper body. These muscles aren’t used as much in our repetitive motions of running, but are still important to your running performance, especially the core!!

Top Strength Training Moves: 

• Plank – This move will do wonders for your running and body. It strengthens all muscles in the core. A strong core helps your running form and stability. You can start with holding for 30 seconds and work up to 2-3 minutes.
• Clamshell – This is great to prevent IT-band related injuries and builds strength in the hips and lats. Lie on side with knees and hips bent 45 degrees (close to fetal position). As shown below: Stack one leg on top of the other, heels together. Keep feet together with one leg on the floor, raise the top knee as high as you can without heels coming apart. Repeat for 10-15 reps and switch sides. For added challenge, lift feet off floor as shown below. 
• Pushups – Brings nice definition and tone, without the bulk. Upper body strength is needed as arms are used in running. When your legs get tired, your arms are needed. The faster your arms move, the faster your legs will move.
• Single Leg Squat – This move improves balance and strength for hips (preventing IT-band injuries). Stand and balance on left leg. Lift right foot in front of you. Stand tall and keep left knee over ankle as you lower down into a squat. Reach hands forward for added balance or can touch the left toe with right hand. Push into heel to raise back up and repeat for 10-15 reps. Repeat on opposite leg. (You can add weight, by placing weight in one hand, holding above lifted foot, offering more of a challenge).
• Side Lateral Leg raise – This works the lat’s, which are typically forgotten about in strength training for runners, as while as the hip flexors. Lie on left side, resting head on your left arm and right hand in front of chest on floor. Legs straight or bottom knee bent slightly, with right leg directly on top of left leg.  Slowly raise you right leg without moving any other body parts and slowly lower back down, equaling 1 rep. Repeat for 10-15 reps, then switch sides.

• Back extension – On yoga ball, lie face down. Extend legs behind you to touch the floor, with belly on ball. Clasp hands behind head and lift chest toward sky and back down again. Should feel it in lower back. Repeat 10-15 times. We often forget to strengthen our lower back, which is important to our abs. You can also perform this by standing feet hip width apart.Hold dumbbell behind neck, bending at the hips lean forward. Raise back up.
• Rear Lateral Raise – click here for a step by step guide. Defines the back muscles and arms, while strengthening lower body.
• Dips – Works triceps, deltoids, pectorals and abdominal muscles, and if you raise one foot off the ground, you will feel it in the lower body (more of a challenge). A great video can be found here if you need tutorial on this move.
• Bridge and Bridge Abduction:  For Bridge – Lie face up on floor, coming into crunch position with knees bent, feet flat on floor, hands at your sides.Lift hips off the floor and squeeze glutes, keeping knees bent and chest up, body forming a straight line. Lower back down, until butt barely touches the ground and repeat for 10-15 reps. To make it more challenging, lift one leg of the ground as you perform the exercise, repeating on both sides (as shown below). For Bridge Abduction – use this tutorial. Bridge strengthens the gluteus (butt) muscles and hamstring, as well as abdominal muscles. Bridge abduction adds some hip strength.
• Upright row – Instructions here. Uses traps, biceps and shoulders

Honorable mentions:

• Hip rotations – You can perform this various ways. My favorite is by leaning forward and grasping a chair from behind or grasping the edge of the bed. Raise one leg, keeping it slightly bent. Keeping knee bent, rotate hip outward to create straight line form the hip. Keep hips stabilized and core engaged. Repeat for 10-15 reps, and then perform on opposite side. (can even use your desk at work). Or you can do this in an upright, standing  position, this video shows you how.
• Hip hikes – Runners tend to have weak hips, so strengthening them prevents muscular imbalances and possible injuries. This move can be done on the stairs, edge of the sidewalk, or with a yoga block. Place one foot on edge of higher ground (stair, curb or block) and let the other foot hang down.Raise the “hanging” leg at the hips. And then back down again. Do 10-15 reps on both sides. Remember to keep back straight and focus on raising at the hips. 
• Standing Lunges – come into lunge position with right foot forward, and left leg behind you. Squat down until back knee lightly touches the ground and pop back up, repeating for 10-15 reps, Switch sides
• Side Plank – You can do this on your forearms or with arms completely extended, depending on your level or fitness. Come onto your side, with legs stacked. Hand directly under the shoulder. You can rest on your elbow, or completely lengthen your arm (both shown below), palms flat on the mat. Lift hips off the mat. Hold this position for as long as you can. Over time you will develop strength. Keep core engaged and body in a straight line. Repeat on opposite side. You can even lift top leg to make it more challenging.

BOOKS!!

My Favorite Running Themed Books:

• Born to Run, Christopher McDougall – this book will definitely inspire you to run as it details the life of the Tarahumara Indians
• Marathon, The ultimate training guide, Hal Higdon – great book for first time marathoners and even those who have ran many of them with training plans and tricks and tips.
• The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition, Matt Fitzgerald – want to avoid hitting the wall and race well, then read this book!!
• 14 Minutes, Alberto Salazar – Salazar is a running legend who suffered a heart attack and was dead for 14 minutes, but lives to tell his story
• Running for My Life, Lopez Lomong – This is about a lost boy from Sudan who escapes the killing fields, makes it to American and becomes an Olympic athlete. It’s truly inspiring!!
• Eat and Run, Scott Jurek- This is a great book if you are looking to go vegan and still maintain great fitness while staying nourished and properly fueled. I loved reading about Jurek’s many struggles and his transformation from a McDonald’s junkie to a vegan ultra-marathoner superstar.
• No Meat Athlete, Matt Frazier – If you are looking to be a plant based runner this book explores the benefits, with recipes and tips.
• Mile Markers, Kristin Armstrong – Great read for women and why it’s important for women to run, listing the benefits of running
• Running on Empty, Marshall Ulrich – An inspiring story of an runner who finds running after the death of his first wife. He than sets a record for running across America.

I hope you find this post helpful!! After all that work I am feeling a little sweaty 😉 Modeling is a tougher than I thought (just kidding).

Until Next time Be Whole, Be Fit and Be Strong!!

What are you favorite strength training moves? Favorite running related books?