As a runner, developing integrated lower and upper-body strength, especially through your core, will result in a more powerful and efficient stride. Though it may seem a little counter-intuitive, your upper body and core actually play a big part in generating power and maintaining stability while you run.
Try these three TRX exercises for creating core strength, stability and mobility in runners and watch your performance soar:
TRX Bottom Up Squat
Logic:
Improve mobility in the hips and ankles while warming up the entire body for any training session. This exercise also teaches you how to engage your core and arms to improve your running posture, key for efficient breathing and arm drive.
Set Up:
Stand facing the anchor point holding the TRX handles in front of you with your feet about hip width apart. Squat down and curl yourself up with your arms. Hop around a little until you get in a position where you feel like you could let go of the Suspension Trainer and you wouldn’t fall back.
Movement:
Brace your core and drive through your feet to stand up. As you stand up, rotate your palms around until you are performing a triceps press.Reestablish your plank at the top of your squat.
Return:
Lower your hips down and back to return to the bottom of the squat.
TRX Hamstring Runner
Logic:
Develop your posterior chain, hamstrings, lower back and glutes to help correct imbalances not only from front to back, but also from side to side.
Set Up:
Lay on your back with your heels in the foot cradles, directly under the anchor point. Drive your heels down, squeeze your glutes and brace your core to lift your hips. Imagine you are performing a plank on your back.
Movement:
Without letting the straps slip, draw one knee toward you and keep your other leg out straight. Try to focus more on keeping your non-moving leg straight, instead of your moving leg.
Return:
Press your foot back out and repeat on the opposite leg.
TRX Chest Press
Logic:
Think of this move as a moving plank instead of a chest and arm exercise. With this movement you are developing integrated core strength and stability to improve your running posture and arm drive.
Set Up:
Stand facing away from the anchor point holding the handles of the Suspension Trainer out in front of you. Brace your core and lean your weight into the handles, making sure your hips, shoulders, knees and ankles are all in line.
Movement:
Bend your arms at the elbows to lower yourself down in one controlled motion until your palms are at the side of your chest.
Return:
Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to reestablish your plank, then drive your hands through the handles until your arms are fully extended out in front of you.
Recommended Workout Sequence:
TRX Bottom Up Squat: 5-10 reps
TRX Hamstring Runner: 5 reps on each leg
TRX Chest Press: 5-10 reps
For more running-specific workouts from TRX go here.
