The Four Best Strength Training Exercises For Runners
- By Linzay Logan
- Published Oct. 27, 2011
- Updated Feb. 1, 2013 at 9:04 AM UTC
Single-Leg Squats
Balancing on one foot and squat down, bending at the knee and sitting your hips back as if you are going to sit in a chair behind you. Once down to about a 90 to 115 degree angle in your knee, extend your leg back up to standing. If this is too challenging allow the toes of your hovering foot to lightly rest on the ground. Complete eight to 12 repetition then switch to the other leg.
Video–Monday Minute: Single-Leg Squat And Crossing Balance Lunge
Running is basically hopping from foot to foot for miles and miles so it is important to build solid balance in your pelvis so you don’t have to balance yourself every time you take a step when running, explains Martinez. “Make sure your form is perfect with a regular two-leg squat and then move onto the single leg squat that requires you to stabilize your pelvis,” he said. When your pelvis is stabilized, your entire body, gait and stride become more stable, too. “This can help a lot with people with foot pronation,” Martinez said.
FILED UNDER: Injury Prevention / Training TAGS: core strengthening exercises / single-leg deadlifts / single-leg squats / Squats / strength training for runners / weight lifting
Linzay Logan
Linzay Logan is the copy editor for Competitor magazine and cares about punctuation probably a little too much. She particularly loves to avoid commas as well as add exclamation points whenever she can get away with it! She also loves to run marathons and half-marathons—probably a little too much. Don’t let her small size fool you; she’ll still try to outrun you anytime. Even though chances are she probably can’t.