Running is a physical activity many people enjoy and decide to make it their main workout routine. Usually, that doesn’t mean they enjoy other sports or activates too. But, if you have decided to stick into running, then you should know that strength exercises are essential to your performance and bone health. Training with some basic exercises, will make your muscles be more resistant and your bones stronger and powerful.
You should see these type of exercises as an investment on your running. Especially when you have just started to count those first miles.
Good news, the following list of exercises requires no equipment. So you can easily do them at home or when out with no need to go to the gym. So, don’t waste any more time and start preventing any pain and injury by making run to be a pleasant and joyable every-day experience:
Squats
The first and more ideal strength-building exercise is squat. Your glutes and hips will become stronger and work on your leg muscles in such a way, all kind of muscle injuries and IT bad syndrome can be drastically prevented. Squats do not require any fancy tool to be properly executed, just your will and dedication. Three times a week, 5 series with 20 squats each are ideal to achieve your goal. Try to follow a proper method when doing this exercise because many people tend to underestimate it by doing it wrong. Your knees should not pass your toes. Your back should be as straight as it can. to make it more difficult, you can even add some weights or jump while doing them.
Lunges
Perfect for challenging the balance of your body. Lunges are considered to bring some quite unique benefits which thrive to work on the functional fitness part on your legs. This not so symmetric exercise can deeply work on your glutes and claves. Your running experience will become more easy and rhythmical. Your overall fitness level will increase and your moves will become more efficient and strong. To properly do them, when you put your foot forward, keep in mind to not touch the ground with the other leg knee. Your back should stay strong and straight. Just like squats, your leg sent forward should not be bended and pass your toe.
Push-ups
Push-ups are perfect for training your upper body. Do not underestimate its importance when thriving to achieve a better running performance. Especially when new in practicing this sport. To create and maintain a good posture, push-ups are the one that can help you. This classic exercise will build your chest muscles and your back and shoulder muscles will also gain more power and balance when running in a curvy road. When legs lose power, the upper body muscles are the one to come and help. So, try to not neglect doing this type of workout as many times as you can during a week.
Planks
Plank moves are supposed to strengthen your oblique, lower back and abs. they are a key exercise when it comes to increasing stability and strength. Also, they make you perform any physical activity better and easier. These not-so-big muscles, play an important role to keep you running and push the upper body part to better help the lower one. If you’re a beginner runner or like to run hard and fast for many miles, when tired, your waist begins to bend and damage the function of many other muscles which help you keep running. This brings to injuries and many other bone and muscle problems. As many planks you decide to do, better it is.
So, what are you waiting for? Keep moving and start putting these four basic exercises into your workout plan. You’ll very soon be convinced on how much spending time on these exercises can bring and do for you. Happy running!