3 Brilliant Bodyweight Exercises Runners Can Do at Home to Improve Strength for Running
And there's no need for expensive equipment.
It's amazing what you can achieve with just a chair and a couple of paper plates!
As a runner, you know the importance of strength training. It can help improve your performance and prevent injuries. But who has time to go to the gym? Not to worry – I've got some great bodyweight exercises for you that you can do at home using just a chair and two paper plates! In this post, I'll discuss three exercises that are perfect for runners. So take your slippers off, put on your trainers and let's get started!
Running takes a lot of strength and there are certain muscles that could always benefit from strengthening exercises. These are the glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves. I'm going to give you my top three exercises that will strengthen all those muscle groups effectively and help take your running to the next level!
#1 - The Bulgarian Split Squat
There are many exercises that target the glutes and quads, but one of my favourites is the Bulgarian Split Squat. This is a single leg exercise that really makes you work hard. It also forces you to use good form or you will topple over!
How to do a Bulgarian Split Squat:
Sit on the edge of the chair with your legs outstretched in front of you. Your heels will mark where your standing foot should be.
Stand and extend your right leg behind you and rest your toes on it. Toes can be flat or tucked, according to personal preference. Square your hips and shoulders.
Keeping your torso upright, slowly lower your right knee toward the floor. Your front knee will form approximately a 90-degree angle (it may go farther, depending on your mobility; just make sure your knee doesn’t cave inward).
Reverse the move and return to the starting position.
To achieve the jelly leg wobbles when you try to walk straight after, I suggest 3 sets of 10-16 repetitions for each leg.
Just remember that the glutes are the power house of the runner. With a 2/3rds to 1/3rd split with the hamstrings, they are responsible for generating power with each stride and maintaining a good running form. The smaller of the glute muscles help you stay stable by preventing you from swaying side to side and wasting energy, making your run more efficient.
#2 - The Sliding Leg Curl
The second exercise that I love and is fantastic for runners is the sliding leg curl, and this is where your paper plates come handy! It's the simplest way to work your hamstrings without having to go to the gym.
How to do a Sliding Leg Curl:
Lie on your back on the floor with your feet hip-width apart, knees bent up and your heels on the plates.
Lifting and keeping your bottom off the floor, slide your heels away from your bottom, straightening your legs outwards as far as you can before bringing them back to the starting point.
Don't let your bottom sag, keep your hips up throughout the exercise. If you find you are unable to return to the start point without dropping you hips then regress the exercise. Slide both legs out together and one leg in at a time.
I recommend 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions as a starting point. Go easy, they can be quite intense!
As any runner knows, hamstring injuries are all too common. The hamstring muscles are located at the back of the thigh, and they help to stabilize the knee joint and enable you to swing your leg forward when you run. Hamstring strength is essential for injury prevention and performance. Unfortunately, many runners focus solely on strengthening the glutes and forget the hamstrings. As a result, they're weaker than they should be and more susceptible to injury. Show your hamstrings some love - your knees will thank you!
#3 - Calf Raises
Finally, no strength-training routine for runners would be complete without some Calf raises. The brilliant thing about these is that you can do them anywhere, at any time! I often tell my clients to do them while cleaning their teeth in the morning and again in the evening but you can do them anytime, like while standing in the queue at the supermarket.
How to do a Calf Raise:
Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing forward.
Raise up onto your toes, hold for a second, and then slowly lower back down.
You can also try single leg calf raises if two feet are too easy!
While it may seem like a simple move, calf raises can actually be quite challenging - especially if you're aiming for a high number of reps. So, if you're looking to up your calf raise game, a good starting point is to aim for 30 reps in one go. This may seem like a lot, but with a little bit of practice, you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll build up the strength and endurance to hit this goal.
Most people think of the calf muscle as a single unit, but it's actually made up of two main muscles: the soleus and the gastrocnemius. The soleus is the larger, slow-twitch muscle that helps you maintain your balance and keeps your foot pointing down as you walk. The gastrocnemius is the smaller, fast-twitch muscle that gives your calf its shape and allows you to push off the ground when you walk or run.
Both muscles are important for running, but the soleus is particularly important for sprinting and hill climbing because it provides a steadier, more consistent source of power. The gastrocnemius is more important for activities that require explosive burst of speed, like jumping or sprinting.
So there you have it... Three brilliant bodyweight exercises that runners can do at home to improve their strength for running. I highly recommend giving them a try – you won’t be disappointed. And if you want more personalized advice or need help getting started, don’t hesitate to contact me. I would love to help you reach your fitness goals!