Running
Check out which muscles are important to strengthen for distance running
Members of the Adidas Runners community explain the important muscle groups for long distance runners and list workouts to strengthen those muscles.
Running is a great cardio workout. But to make sure that you are getting the most of it, and preventing injury, you need to combine it with strength training and bodyweight workouts.
These workouts will not only strengthen and condition the muscles most used while running, but if done right, they will also take some impact away from the joints and reduce chances of injury. The objective is to build lean muscle rather than bulk up.
Adidas Runners balance out their running sessions with strength training session on a weekly basis. Here Adidas Runners’ coach Tamilarasan Rajan and runner Sanjay Pahuja explain the muscle groups that take most of the load while running and how to strengthen them.
Adidas Runners has currently suspended outdoor community sessions in India until conditions improve. The community advises everyone to take care if participating in personal running or training sessions.
01
Core
Plank
© Dan Sheridan/ INPHO
A strong core is the foundation for running. Your core muscles are the ones keeping you upright and making sure you maintain a good posture throughout the run.
One of the best exercises to strengthen your core, even if you’ve only recently taken up running, is plank holds. “For running, planks which involve multiple muscle groups work better than something like crunches,” says Tamilarasan.
“We also do mountain climbers and advance plank holds,” he adds. “That involves getting on your elbows and then coming into a push-up position. You can also do side planks.”
02
Glutes
Though often neglected, glutes are the powerhouse for running. The glute muscles are crucial for hip extension, which in turn is responsible for forward motion. Neglecting this muscle group can lead to increased stress on your back and joints, and lead to a higher chance of injury.
“If runners have access to weights, deadlift is one of the staples,” says Tamilarasan.
Deadlifting
© David Tittle/Red Bull Content Pool
If not, you can do exercises like glute bridges, glute bridge extension (where you raise one leg at a time after holding in bridge position), leg lifts and side-lying leg lifts. You can make these exercises more intense by doing them with exercise bands or loop bands.
Running in the sand or running uphill also activates glute muscles a lot more than running on a flat surface.
Related
03
Leg muscles
Hamstrings, quadriceps and calves take a lot of load while running. While the quads help in straightening and extending your leg, the hamstrings help in flexing the knee.
Exercises like squats – including variations like sumo squat, single-leg squat, weighted squat – will help strengthen the leg muscles as well as the glutes.
Squats are one of the basic and most important workouts
© Adidas Runners
It is usually observed that runners’ hamstrings are weaker than their quads. One of the best exercises for this is hamstring curl on the exercise ball.
The calves, meanwhile, help you push off from the ground. You can jump rope or do calf raises to strengthen your calves.
04
Back
“Back is the main source of keeping yourself moving,” says Sanjay Pahuja. “The first few ultra runs that I did, I struggled after 25-30 kms. My back would start aching, when that happens you are not able to move properly. And I started cramping.”
Back muscles stabilize the spine and pelvis. Fatigue in the back muscles can affect the running posture and change your stride.
Seated cable rows, bent over weighted rows – either single-arm or double – can help strengthen the back and improve posture. A rowing machine is a great full-body workout that helps with back and core strength.
Rowing machine
© Lukas Pilz/ Red Bull Content Pool
05
Shoulders
It may not be the most obvious but shoulders take a beating during long runs as they power the arms, which are important in driving a runner forward.
Pahuja, who works out at home and prefers bodyweight exercises, says he does a lot of push-ups to keep his shoulders strong.
“If you have a resistance tube, you can attach it somewhere and replicate the running motion,” says Tamilarasan. “You can also do it with a 2.5k or 5k dumbbell. So just do the running motion with the dumbbell.”
06
Agility drills
Agility drills not only help with overall conditioning but also help in strengthening the ankle and other joints. They help in efficiency of movement, and they improve balance and co-ordination.
You can improve agility with ladder drills, sprints or shuttle runs.
07
Stretching and yoga
Always stretch well before a run
© Adidas Runners
Muscle flexibility is crucial, especially if you are running longer distances.
“If you have a flexible body, you won’t get a lot of cramps,” says Pahuja. “The best ultra-runners are very flexible. It also helps the body recover quicker. You can help your muscles relax with stretching or yoga.”
Do dynamic stretches before a run/workout to warm-up the muscles and opt for static, long stretches after.
Yoga helps with muscle flexibility as well as mindfulness.