Core Fitness: Foundations of Running Topic 2

What are the core strength muscles?

Your core muscles consist of your abs, low back, glutes, hips and obliques.

Why is core STRENGTH IMPORTANT for runners?

Your core provides the foundation your body needs for running. A strong core will help prevent injury and help you perform at your top level.

Using less energy

When these muscles are strong, they allow the pelvis, hips and lower back to work together smoothly. This leads to less energy expended.

Torso stabilization

For runners, a strong core also means increased stabilization in your torso. This results in less “wobbling” when you’re moving your arms and legs. It also means that the stronger your core is, the more you’re able to hold correct form when your muscles begin to fatigue — again leading to less injury. To ensure that you’re strengthening your core properly, invest time in core-specific exercises at least three times a week. Learn more about Moms on the Run’s strength and conditioning program.

Exercises for strengthening your core

Proper progression in core strength exercises helps the body learn to isolate the core, engage the right muscles and recruit muscle fibers in the proper pattern. This week, practice the following exercises in order. Start with the first two exercises, and then add the last two toward the end of the week.

Core Fitness exercise 1: Hip Tuck/Pelvic Tilt

Lay flat on your back with knees up and feet on the floor. Place your hand under the small of your low back, then pull the abs in gently to push the back flat into the floor. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Repeat this 10 times, relaxing and then pushing back into the floor and holding again. Feel how the hips tuck under when doing this. Progress to laying flat on your back with arms and legs extended and tucking from this position.

Image from Women’s Running UK

Core Fitness exercise 2: Heel Slides

Starting in the same position pushing the back flat into the ground, slide one heel away from the glutes, then pull back up making sure you keep the hips tucked the entire time. Complete 10 on each side, making sure you are focusing on the ab engagement and keeping your shoulders down and back.

Core Fitness exercise 3: Heel Taps

Lie on your back with your hips tucked. Lift your legs so your thighs are at a 90-degree angle with the floor, and bend both knees to a 90-degree angle.
Engage your lower abdominal muscles so that your low back doesn’t move up or down, and slowly lower your right foot to the floor. Keep your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle, and maintain the position of your left leg. Tap your right heel to the floor, then return it to the start position next to the left leg. As a more challenging progression of this exercise, you may straighten your leg a bit more as your heel comes down.
Repeat the same action, but this time lower the left foot. Repeat both sequences three to five times

Image from PsysioTec

Core Fitness exercise 4: Plank

Get into a plank position on your forearms, make sure elbows are directly under shoulders and hands are relaxed. Place feet hip width apart. Push up so the hips are parallel to the ground. Squeeze your glutes and try placing weight in your heels. Hold position for 10 seconds, lower and then push back up to hold another 10 seconds. Repeat three times. While in position, try to do a body scan each time you push back up starting with arm placement, shoulders down and back, head looking down to align neck with back, hips tucked, glutes squeezing and weight in heels.

Image provided by: Runner's World

Here are two additional core exercises that can be done almost anywhere with the strength of your own body:

Side Plank:

Lie on your right side, supporting your upper body on your right forearm, with your left arm at your left side. Lift your hips, and keeping your body weight supported on the forearm and the side of the right foot, place your left hand on your hip or extend your left arm above your shoulder. Hold your core tight; do not allow your hips to sag toward the floor. Begin holding for 10 seconds and then work your way up. Repeat on the left side.

Image by: Women's Health Magazine

Superman

Lie on your stomach with your arms extended over your head, resting on the floor. Keeping your head in a neutral position, squeeze your lower back and glutes to raise one leg off the ground. At the same time, extend and raise the opposite arm off the ground. Hold move for 2-3 seconds, relax, then repeat on the opposite side. For a more advanced move, lift both arms and both legs off of the ground at the same time.