Bulletproof Running

Let me start by saying that I am not much of a runner. I have always been more of a meathead and despise most forms of sustained cardio. Most of my conditioning comes in the form of kettlebell work, sprints, and walking my dog. Truth be told, the only way you will get me to run more than 100 yards at a time is if I am being chased by a bear, or there is free beer at the finish line.

                                                          Now THATS Motivation

 

All kidding aside, I do work with a lot of people that enjoy running competitively and as their main form of cardiovascular exercise. My first priority is always to keep my clients healthy so they can do the things they love. Below, I will outline what I believe are the most important things one can do to remain healthy while participating in a distance running program.

     

*If you are overweight, starting a running program is NOT a good idea. Stick to walking until you lose the weight.*

 

The repetitive motion undertaken while distance running often leads to muscular imbalances, eventually leading to some type of overuse injury. When  the average person gets about 1,500 foot strikes per mile, and running produces forces in the area of two to five times bodyweight per foot strike, its no wonder Physical Therapists are so busy. Some of the imbalances that occur are:

• Short, repetitive strides leading to stiff hip flexors, quads, IT bands, and lower leg muscles.
• The glutes and hamstrings are underutilized and usually weak.
• Running is performed in the sagittal plane, so muscles used in the frontal and transverse planes get little attention.

 In order to remain healthy (and avoid a trip to your Physical Therapist or Orthopedic Surgeon) one must maintain a balanced exercise program by using proper recovery techniques and strength training at least two times per week. Below are three elements that I feel must be present in any distance running program.

 

1. Soft Tissue Work - Perform daily, spending 30 seconds to 1 minute on each muscle group.

• Self Myofascial Release (Foam Rolling) - This is probably one of the most important things one can do to maintain adequate tissue quality and joint range of motion.To put it in layman's terms, SMR is a form of self-massage that breaks up adhesions and relaxes overused and chronically tight muscles. If you are a runner, this stuff is an absolute necessity. Areas to focus on include:
• Plantar Fascia - Use a tennis or lacrosse ball
• Calves - Tennis or Lacrosse ball
• Quadriceps
• Adductors
• TFL/IT Band

• Massage - Deep tissue massage or ART are the best soft tissue modalities you can use, but can be costly. Try to get a massage every couple of weeks if it is in your budget.

2. Strength Training - At least 2 times per week.

• Train the Posterior Chain - When running you are predominantly using the muscles on the front of your body. In order to stay healthy and balanced (and build glutes you can bounce quarters off of) you must train your backside with hip dominant movements such as: 
• Deadlift variations
• Pull Throughs
• Glute Bridges
• Kettlebell Swings

• Use Single Leg Exercises- When running you spend most of your time on one leg, so it makes sense to include plenty of single leg movements in your strength training. This will help develop the tri-planar foot and hip stability needed while running. Single leg movements include:
• Split Squats
• Lunges
• Single Leg Deadlifts
• Single Leg Squats
• Step Ups

• Train Core Stability - Thanks to Dr. Stuart McGill, we know that the chief function of the core musculature is to keep the lumbar spine from moving into excessive flexion and extension while we "move about the hips". The majority of your core training should reflect this philosophy. The following exercises should be staples in your core training:
• Anti Extension - Front planks, PUP Walkouts, Ab Wheel Rollouts
• Anti Lateral Flexion - Chops and Lifts, Suitcase Carries, Waiter's Walks, KB Windmill
• Anti Rotation - Pallof Press Variations
• Hip Flexion With Neutral Spine - Jackknifes, Pikes, Marching Mountain Climbers
• Dead Bug Variations
• Bird Dogs

 3. Frontal and Transverse Plane Movements - These are best used in the warm up and on recovery days. Once again, while running you spend a lot of time in the sagittal plane. In order to maintain balance, one should include some frontal and transverse plane work for the hips such as:

• Side lying clamshells
• Monster walks
• Lateral squats and lunges

 

 And there you have it! Building your training program around all of the above principles will not only decrease your likelihood of injury, but increase your performance as well.


*Don't forget to share with your friends on Facebook and Twitter if you like the content!