Support your sport or activity with strength training. 3 great exercises to help.

I completely ran out of time last week to even contemplate writing a newsletter. I was talking to Tony Walton about it last week and then within a couple of hours, he had written and posted his.

A little guilt set in for not committing to what I said I was going to do. But then I know being busy always leads to sacrificing some tasks.

The one thing I don’t sacrifice is getting my gym sessions done. This is because I know that once they are completed I will feel much better in my energy, productivity and overall wellness.

After a complete rest yesterday I’m raring to get this week underway. I’ve had some great clients come on board recently and I got asked at a networking event last week if I see similar problems with people who do a lot of running.

I’ve never been a runner myself, but I understand why people choose to do it. Some do it to lose weight, some do it to compete in events.

My client above, Paul has been a keen distance runner supporting various causes. He has also had various injuries to go alongside that running. Knees issues and more recently his lower back.

I introduced him to some strength work to supplement his running. Also, his usual recovery and rehab sessions to reinforce his body. Paul completed the Birmingham half marathon this weekend just gone. Which was super cool.

What you find with running is that it’s always in one plane of motion - going forwards. And this frontal plane of the body then becomes dominant.

The posterior chain is often neglected. So, building some strength in the hamstrings, glutes and lower back/core will always improve any runner's performance.

One of my clients James Fowler recently knocked 5 minutes off his PB in his Triathlon and he knows that’s down to the strength work we have been working on this last year.

The problem I often see is people are doing strength work, but their body is carrying dysfunction. Or their technique isn’t quite right. This can lead to pain and injury.

For today's content, I thought I would share some videos that would help with the weightlifting technique for runners, also this can be applied to any goal or activity to support.

The barbell back squat in my opinion is a must-do exercise for developing overall body strength. It works pretty much every muscle in the human body. And if you're not quite ready for this then you can do the box squat below.

Finally, let's look at the single-leg step-up. Which is great for working on the stability of the ankles and knees.

That is all for today! If you are struggling with any pain or injuries. Or just want some help with your training then you can visit my page here

Enjoy the bank holiday ??

#running #athlete #walking