Strengthen Your Core for Better Running Performance

Core workouts for runners are one of the most essential components to any successful training program. A healthy, strong, balanced, and integrated set of core muscles is key to preventing injury, generating force to the legs, and allowing for controlled and efficient movements of the body.

What Is the Core?

The core is a term generally referring to your abdominal muscles and lower back. Also referred to as the “powerhouse” by many, your core is where the movement of your extremities emanates from; well-coordinated core musculature is what helps us produce and absorb force in the arms, legs and throughout the body.

Core is an umbrella term that can expand to other sets of muscles including the glutes and hip flexors, but for the purpose of this article, we’re going to primarily be talking about everything in the middle of your body; abdominals and lower back. Some of these muscles include transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal/external obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae, and others.

All of these muscles together create a segment of the body that is incredibly versatile, and integrated in its function(s). As a result, it’s important that we challenge these muscles in a variety of ways to preserve and promote their capacities. Something that needs to take place outside our running time in ways that running does not address.

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Why Is the Core Important for Runners?

Even college level running athletes (who presumably have an above average level of core strength and fitness) can benefit from a core-specific training program. The results of one study showed that in as little as 8 weeks of core training, the efficiency with which runners who participated in core training ran was significantly improved compared to the control group.

This isn’t surprising when we start to dissect it. The legs attach to the torso, and basically use it as a foundation from which to move off of. There’s a saying in exercise physiology, “You can’t fire a cannon from a canoe.” Just as a cannon needs a solid foundation to shoot from, our arms and legs need something solid to move from as well.

Strength and stability in the core also produces good posture. When the muscles in your core start to fatigue, your posture relaxes and everything starts to become very loose and heavy. Imagine being able to maintain a supportive posture throughout your entire run, no matter the distance, and you start to understand why core strength and endurance are so important.

(Image credit: Adobe Stock)

Core Workout for Runners

Below you’ll find two separate core workouts for runners. A core isolated workout, and a core integrated workout. It’s important to first learn how to control the core muscles in isolation, as there are likely some lingering weaknesses waiting to be exposed. This is largely due to the faulty training programs and exercise fads we’ve all been subject to over the last 50 years.

Both of these workouts can be done by beginners, however, simultaneously helping you integrate the strength in your core throughout your entire body (which is what we have to do while running). With enough practice, you’ll develop a midsection that will not only power you through every run, but will also protect you from injury.

Give these home core workouts a try! They’re borrowed from our extensive training library here at Dynamic Runner. If you sign up with us, you can try out all of our programming for 7-days FREE, and join a community of thousands of runners around the world all on a journey to run pain-free. Click here for your free trial!

1. Core Isolated Workout

Leg Lifts

Instructions:

1. Start lying on your back with your legs straight (harder) or bent (easier)
2. Rotate your pelvis backwards by engaging your abdominal muscles, this will flatten the space underneath your lower back
3. While maintaining a flat lower back, slowly lower your legs as low as possible
4. If you feel your lower back lifting from the ground, immediately reverse the movement and return to the starting position
5. The point just before your low back comes off the ground is where you’ll go to on each rep
6. Try 3 sets of 10 reps, 30-60 seconds rest in between sets

Dead Bugs

Instructions:

1. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent to 90° and arms pointing straight up
2. Rotate your pelvis backwards as in the previous exercise and hold this position with your core
3. Stretch one leg and the opposite arm out straight, pause slightly when both extremities are straight, return to the start position
4. Switch to the other arm and other leg, repeat
5. Do 3 sets, 10 reps total per set, 30-60 seconds rest in-between

Sit Up Twist

Instructions:

1. Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent or flat (the flatter your legs, the easier this exercise will be)
2. Rotate your pelvis backwards as in the previous two exercises, hold this position throughout the movement
3. With your hands at head level, flex your trunk by contracting your abdominal muscles, bringing your torso to an upright position
4. At the end of your movement, twist one way you contract your side (oblique) abdominal muscles
5. Reverse the movement, ensuring you maintain a flat lower back throughout
6. Repeat, but this time rotate the other way after performing the situp
7. Do 10 reps (5/side), 3 sets, 30-60 seconds rest in-between sets

The first two exercises teach and train your abdominals to resist the pull of your hip flexors, which is important for protecting your low back and maintaining stability while the legs are in motion. The last exercise works on trunk flexion and rotation to help build a solid anterior and lateral abdominal wall capable of producing sufficient stiffness for efficient energy transfer.

2. Core Integrated Workout

Reverse Lunge to Leg Lift

Instructions:

1. Start in a standing position with a dumbbell held at chest level
2. Take a deep breath, hold it, and draw the belly button in to engage the core
3. Step back with one leg and drop into a reverse lunge
4. Press up out of the lunge, and immediately go into a leg lift with your back, contracting the glutes and hamstrings
5. Step back to the starting position, repeat on the other leg
6. Repeat for 10 reps total (5/leg), 3 sets, 30-60 seconds between sets

Hip Hinge Swing

Instructions:

1. Start with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart and a dumbbell/kettlebell hanging between your legs with straight arms
2. Inhale, letting the belly expand, holding the breath, and then drawing the belly in to create tension in the core
3. Allow the weight to drop between your legs as you hinge at the hips, bending the knees just slightly
4. Breathe out as you contract the hips (squeeze the butt) to push the weight and your arms up to shoulder height
5. Repeatedly do these steps so the weight is continuously swinging
6. Try doing for 10-20 reps or for time, 30-45 seconds, 3 sets, 30-60 seconds rest in-between

Wide to Narrow Squat

Instructions:

1. Start with your feet in a wide squatting stance
2. Take a breath in, draw the belly in to engage the core
3. Drop into a squat
4. Press yourself out of the squat and into a small jump
5. Land in a narrow stance and go immediately into a narrow-stance squat
6. Time your breathing so your exhale happens when you come out of each squat
7. Reset your core on every rep
8. Try for 10 reps total (5 narrow, 5 wide) or for time, 30-45 seconds
9. 3 sets, 30-60 seconds in between sets

Each of these exercises teaches you to properly engage your deepest abdominal muscle called the transversus abdominis (TVA). This muscle acts as a natural weight belt that supports the low back and integrates the trunk with the extremities. Having good tone in your TVA and coordinating it to work with the larger muscles in your legs is crucial for injury prevention.

Written by Eric Lister – Certified Personal Trainer & Corrective Exercise Specialist