5 Quick Essential Exercises for Runners
We searched for some videos of 5 quick essential exercises to prepare you for running. These exercises are easy to learn and easy to incorporate. All of them will work best before you run, but, if that doesn’t work in your schedule, try them during another part of the day. It won’t hurt you to do each of them every day.
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Hip Opener:
This exercise is designed to be done at a moderate base and easily; it is a “loosening up” exercise for hip joints. Holding on to something or touching a wall with your opposite hand will help keep this a no-stress motion exercise!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naW8u72lOzI
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Hip Activator:
This exercise helps you recognize and activate an important muscle, your gluteus medius. This muscle helps keep you stable when you stand on one leg and helps protect your hip and knee joints.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2IMD-e0OEU
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Core Activator:
This exercise is a good overall core strengthener. It uses your hip extensors and requires you to be stable with opposite forces across your spine. You can have a family member cue you to make sure you have a “tabletop” back position and that you’re not excessively dropping one leg or changing its position.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOxtYECE5Eg
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Ankle Stretch:
This exercise helps make sure you can get the ankle motion you need to transfer your weight over your foot while running.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvSqv95N3mk
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Functional Balance Starter:
This exercise may look similar to the first one, but the key here is to maintain your balance over the standing hip. You may need to touch the toe of your moving leg to the ground until you get better at it. Try it on a soft surface and with eyes closed or head turns for further challenges. Balance and endurance both improve when challenged.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvQMXhb0JJQ
