Most beginner runners think that running is mostly about strength in the legs in particular and stamina of the body in general. While this is true in many ways, such thinking has potentially dangerous implications specifically in the increased risk of injuries for runners.
Why Exercise Beyond Running?
We strongly recommend exercises beyond running on a treadmill at American Family Fitness for people who want to become serious with their marathon-related training. Getting the right conditioning is a must since it’s essential in preventing injuries due to biomechanical irregularities, such as weak or tight muscles, imbalanced hips, and weak glutes.
Keep in mind that running doesn’t just involve muscles in the legs – it also involves the effective and efficient use of muscles in the hips, buttocks and core (i.e., the muscles around the abdomen and back). When these muscles are weak, imbalanced or injured, your form will be off so your risk of injuries increase.
Think about it: When you favor one side of your body over another or use stronger muscles more to compensate for the weaker ones, you are exposing these parts to overuse. You should know by now the dangers of overuse including injuries like sprains and sprains, which will result in setbacks. You must then perform exercises that will address muscle imbalances and strengthen weak muscles – and you can’t focus on running alone for this reason.
What Exercises Are Best for Injury Prevention?
There are several exercises that can be done for injury risk reduction among runners. These exercises, however, are a great foundation since these develop several parts of the body with a single movement.
These can be done two to three times a week for maximum advantage; add them to your training program gradually and enjoy the results. You may, however, perform these exercises just once a week if you only want the benefit of reduced risk of injury.
These exercises are:
- Reverse lunge, which will make your glutes, quads, calves and core stronger.
- Single leg deadlift, which will develop the muscles in your hips, glutes, back and hamstrings, as well as remove imbalances and improve stability in these areas.
- Bird dog, an exercise that strengthens your core, back and buttocks as well as improve your balance.
- Side plank, an exercise that engages your core, glutes, hips and backs.
You won’t need exercise equipment for these exercises, too, since these are bodyweight exercises. You will enjoy greater benefits from these exercises, however, if you use resistance bands or weights once you have mastered these exercises. You may also ask for guidance from a personal trainer for the proper form and execution of these exercises – safe is always best.