Runners have this misunderstanding that because we run, our legs are strong, and get stronger the more we run, says coach Tom Nohilly.
‘Without additional resistance training, however, over time your muscles detrain and can become weaker.’
Daily stretching and frequent upper-body workouts are also important, yet are often overlooked. To find out if your overall fitness needs a boost, take these four tests.
If you struggle with the moves, do the exercises on your rest days, gradually adding weight and/or repetitions. Work on stretching daily. And if you ace any, follow Nohilly’s advice to advance.
Repeat the tests in six weeks for proof you’ve improved. Soon, you’ll be running better.
- Using a stretching rope or looped towel, do a straight-leg hamstring stretch.
- Try bringing leg up to 90 degrees.
- Hold for several seconds, then switch legs.
How to improve:
- If you couldn’t reach 90 degrees, repeat the stretch but without the rope.
- Gently press the back of your leg toward your chest while keeping your leg straight.
- Repeat twice on each side.
Better yet: Continue to perform the stretch daily.
- Try to do 20-plus consecutive sit-ups, with your abs doing all the work.
How to improve:
- Bend knees 90 degrees, tuck in your chin, and flex forward to your knees, engaging your abs and leaving your hips and upper body out of it.
- Do two sets of 10 to 20 reps.
Better yet: Extend your arms and legs for V sit-ups; do two sets of 10 reps.
- Try for 10 push-ups (20 for men) with no sagging hips.
How to improve:
- With a one- to four-kilogram dumbbell in each hand, stand with your arms bent and elbows at your hips.
- Quickly alternate bringing fists to your chin for 10 seconds; repeat twice.
Better yet: Increase to 20 seconds.
- Lift leg 45 degrees in front; lower, without touching the floor.
- Aim for 20 consecutive lifts.
How to improve:
- Put foot down between reps and work up to 20 no-touch reps.
- Once you can do that, add a 1kg ankle weight and do two sets of 20.
Better yet: Add a 2kg weight.
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Why only 10 pushups for women? How do we get stronger if our exercises are often less than men? Not all women are afraid of sweating or breaking a nail.
Well said Ashley-Louise Sinclair! I agree with you on the point of if you want to become stronger you’ve got to do more.
Myths or truth
There seems to be a school of thought that stretching weakens muscles. When do u draw a line and what do u accept and leave out. Those that advocate for no stretching say that muscles need to be shortened than lengthened? What is the truth?
For me stretching after every workout is a must. With shortened muscles you are running the risk of getting ITB/Knee pain etc…Happened to me because of shortened hamstrings (Office job + cycling without stretching).