Easy 20 Minute Workout for Runners
Strength training is very important for runners to help prevent future injuries.
I have now been running for a while and I have also seen many runners with injuries. There are often common weak spots in the running chain that makes them more susceptible to injuries if running is the primary mode of exercise. While running is a great form of exercise, if one only focuses on running and does not incorporate some basic strengthening from time to time, they are more likely to get injury and will find it harder to recover from an injury if they do have one.
Often the same areas of weakness are seen on runners and the same patterns of weakness lead to very similar injury presentations. Many of the problems that are commonly associated with running include pain in the hips, irritation of the IT band or the kneecap and often the Achilles. Many of these issues can in part be due to foundational weakness in the core muscles and the muscles around the hip that help to stabilize the pelvis and legs while running. I will often prescribe a variation of core and hip strengthening exercises to help address the problem areas. While there are several great exercises that can be done to address the areas of weakness, I know that most people may not have the time to complete exercises that take over 30 minutes and finding a smaller list a few exercises may be more realistic.
When I don’t feel like a long work out or I am traveling these are some of the exercises I really like, and feel are helpful. I try to pick a handful of exercises to target the areas that are important to providing stability during running and can easily be neglected otherwise to improve strength and reduce the risk for injury. There are many exercises that could be included with the purpose of a short workout and even more if a resistance band is included. I have included some of my favorite exercises below.
Core
- Russian twists
Legs
- Side lying hip abduction
- Lunges
- Squats – double or single leg
- Single leg deadlifts, also known as hip hinges
These are some of my favorite exercises to perform for a short workout especially when I am traveling and don’t have a lot of time. These exercises are more foundational and do not require equipment. All of these can be progressed to be more challenging with the addition of weights or resistance bands once the basics have been learned. While the performance of these exercises will not guarantee that an injury can be prevented, they will make it less likely and hopefully easier to recover if an injury does arise.
Rose Physical Therapy has the best PT in Washington, DC to help!
If you have any signs of injury or just want to improve your running strenght and efficiency, igive us a call to setup an appointment right away, or schedule through our website. Either our office in downtown Washington, DC between Dupont Circle and Farragut Square, or at our office in Navy Yard and Capitol Riverfront, just a few blocks from Capitol Hill has the best area physical thearpists who are capable of getting you on the track to recovery. One on one appointments at Rose are one-hour with a physical therapist, never a technician. And Rose Physical Therapy in Washington, DC accepts most private health insurance so that the best physical therapy is also affordable for you based on your insurance plan.