The Six Exercises That Can Help To Improve Your Running Performance

Running can be an excellent way to get in a workout or it can be a serious calling.  Whether you are eyeing professional competition or are just a recreational runner, there are certain exercises you can do to help improve your performance.  The key here is remembering that running isn’t all about the legs.  You need strength and endurance in order to get the most out of the running and that means building up core strength and improving muscle condition from the legs up.
It’s important to vary your running with these other exercises to ensure that you are getting a balanced workout and reaping the most benefit.  This way you’ll not only build up strength but also increase speed when you do hit the track.  As you improve your conditioning, you’ll be able to notice the difference in your running as you move more smoothly and quickly.  With that in mind, here are six exercises that can help to improve your running performance:

1. Alternate Leg Bounds – this particular exercise may look ungainly but it can help to improve your leg strength and increase your horizontal stride.  The idea is to step forward with one leg while thrusting the other behind you in the air.  Drive forward as you take this exaggerated step, using your arms as well as your legs.  When you land, repeat the motion immediately with the other foot.  As you get more used to the feeling, you’ll be able to drive more forcefully and increase your natural resistance.
2. Rowing – using a rowing machine can be a great workout as it not only tones the legs but the arms and the core as well.  You’ll be able to improve strength and stamina by increasing muscle condition in every area.  This kind of balanced workout can be much more beneficial than using an exercise bike or doing strength training, each of which tends to focus on one area primarily.  Since running involves the whole body, you need to make sure the whole body is properly prepared.
3. Frog Hopping with a medicine ball – this is another exercise that works out multiple areas, helping to improve muscle elasticity, strength and explosiveness, all things that a runner needs to have in spades.  Simply hold the medicine ball in your hands and go into a deep squat, being sure to hold your back straight.  Jump forward and release the ball with all your strength.  Make sure that you are coming to a full extension as you release the ball so that your muscles get the most out of this workout.  Once you land, repeat the motion again.
4. Resistance Sprints – sprinting against a weight or force can help you to improve leg strength, particularly in the knees, while also improving arm drive.  You can use a resistance band wrapped around your waist and have a partner hold the other end as you run at full speed against the pull of the band.  Make sure your partner doesn’t use too much resistance, as this can cause you to strain too much and increase the possibility of injury.  The idea is to build resistance but not stop you in your tracks entirely.
5. Skipping – no, this isn’t the playful strides you took around the schoolyard as a child; this is a serious form of exercise which can help to improve explosiveness and increase elasticity.  The idea is the same as regular skipping, but you want to forcefully drive your leg into the ground as you spring up with your opposite knee.  The idea is to move quickly and firmly, as if hopping over a bed of hot coals.
6. Hill or Stair Sprints – similar to the resistance sprinting, moving at full speed up an incline such as a small hill or a set of stairs, can add depth to your exercise routine by making you work harder.  You’ll be building up muscle strength in your legs and core and by driving with your arms, you’ll be able to improve your speed.  Again, as with the resistance sprinting, the idea is not to go so hard that it becomes impossible but just enough that you give yourself an extra push and feel the burn in your muscles.

These are just a few types of exercise that can help to improve your running performance, but almost anything that builds muscle and improves endurance will work.  Cycling, swimming, or an aerobic workout can be equally effective, provided you engage in these activities regularly.  And remember to vary which exercises you do so that your routine doesn’t become a chore and so that you don’t end up overworking one set of muscles at the expense of another.
Remember that your body is like an engine and the more you keep it in tune, the better it will perform.  In order to keep running at your best, you need to make sure that your cardiovascular system, muscles and reflexes are all in top shape.  Then you can bring all of those components together and get the most out of your running.

About our guest blogger: Scott Murphy is a writer who loves to write an article on various topics such as health, fitness, exercise etc. He has the passion for the sport over 20 years. He is a regular contributor to allrowers.com, a site offering reviews, workouts, industry news and education about the benefits of rowing and regular exercise.