Running faster isn’t just about hitting the pavement and hoping for the best; it’s about training smart and building strength where it counts. In this article, we’re diving into the top exercises recommended by Kristi Eramo O’Connell a CrossFit Games athlete that will help you improve your running speed and overall performance. These exercises focus on strength, stability, and power—key elements to becoming a faster, more efficient runner. Let’s break down each one and see how it can take your running to the next level.
The Power of Unilateral Strength: Single Leg Drop to Box Jump
The first exercise on our list is the Single Leg Drop to Box Jump. It’s a powerhouse move that combines strength, stability, and explosive power—all crucial for enhancing your running speed. When you run, each leg operates independently, and this exercise addresses any imbalances by focusing on unilateral strength.
Why it works: The explosive nature of the box jump element enhances your power development, which is essential for sprints, hill runs, or just pushing off harder during your regular runs. By building power in this way, you’re not just running faster—you’re running more efficiently.
How to do it: Start by stepping onto a low box or plate. Lift one leg and focus on a controlled takeoff and landing, emphasizing a soft catch to promote joint stability. This exercise is excellent for your ankles, knees, and hips, helping to keep you injury-free despite the repetitive stress of running.
Strengthen Your Quads and Hips with Cyclist Squats
Next up, the Cyclist Squat is a deep squatting motion that targets your quadriceps and hip flexors—two critical muscle groups for propelling you forward during a run. Stronger quads and hips translate to a more powerful stride and better running mechanics.
Why it works: By engaging your quads and hip flexors in a deeper range of motion, you’re enhancing your stability and balance. This is particularly beneficial for runners who deal with the impact forces with every stride.
How to do it: Elevate your heels on a plate or small platform. This allows for a deeper squat, targeting the quads and hip flexors more directly. Keep your torso upright and drive your knees forward, focusing on stability and strength through your lower body.
Improve Balance and Core Strength: Goblet Hold Single Leg Lower
The Goblet Hold Single Leg Lower from a low box is another fantastic exercise for building unilateral strength, stability, and core strength—all vital for efficient running. This move not only strengthens your quads, hamstrings, and glutes but also engages your core to maintain proper posture and balance.
Why it works: Improved balance and core strength are essential for maintaining stability during your runs, especially as you start to fatigue. This exercise also helps prevent injuries related to instability, ensuring you can keep running strong.
How to do it: Hold a weight (like a kettlebell) at your chest while performing the single-leg lower. Focus on sitting your hips back and down, keeping the non-working leg unloaded. This movement emphasizes control, stability, and proper alignment of the knee and glute, reducing pressure on your knees.
Boost Hip Mobility and Stability: Half Kneeling Adductor Slide
Hip mobility and stability are often overlooked but are crucial for a strong running stride. The Half Kneeling Adductor Slide specifically targets your adductors, which are key for lateral stability and overall hip health.
Why it works: Improved adductor strength and hip flexibility contribute to better pelvic stability, reducing the risk of injuries like hip or lower back pain. This exercise also engages your core, enhancing your running posture and control.
How to do it: Begin in a half-kneeling position with one knee on the ground. Slide the opposite leg out to the side, focusing on keeping your hips square and feeling a deep stretch in your adductors. To make it more challenging, hold a kettlebell in a goblet position to engage your core even more.
Enhance Lateral Stability: Copenhagen Plank
Lateral stability is crucial for runners, even though running primarily involves forward motion. The Copenhagen Plank targets your adductors and improves lateral hip stability, which can prevent injuries and enhance overall running performance.
Why it works: Strengthening the muscles responsible for stabilizing your hips in a lateral direction helps prevent imbalances and injuries such as groin strains, which are common in runners due to the repetitive nature of the sport.
How to do it: Perform this plank variation by positioning your top leg on a bench or elevated surface, with the lower leg hanging free. You can start from your knee and progress to your ankle as you get stronger. Focus on maintaining a straight line with your body and keeping your hips stable throughout the movement.
Increase Range of Motion and Strength: Jumping Deficit Lunges
Jumping Deficit Lunges take the traditional lunge to the next level by increasing the range of motion, which enhances flexibility and strength in your lower body muscles. This exercise is particularly beneficial for generating more power during your running stride.
Why it works: The deeper lunge position stretches and strengthens the muscles around your hips and knees, improving your mobility and allowing for a fuller range of motion during your runs.
How to do it: Use a small platform to create a deficit, then perform a lunge, ensuring that you lower your back knee as close to the ground as possible. The added jump helps build explosive strength, crucial for quick takeoffs and sprints.
Build Core and Hip Flexor Strength: Single Leg Leg Lifts Over a Dumbbell
Core and hip flexor strength are essential for keeping your pelvis stable during running. The Single Leg Leg Lift over a dumbbell targets these areas, helping to prevent hip drop and other common running issues.
Why it works: Strengthening your hip flexors and core not only improves your running form but also helps absorb the impact of each stride, reducing the risk of injury.
How to do it: Sit with a dumbbell placed vertically in front of you. Lift one leg over the dumbbell, followed by the other, and then reverse the motion. Keep your legs as straight as possible and focus on engaging your core throughout the movement.
Stronger Legs, Faster Runs
Incorporating these exercises into your routine will help you build the strength, stability, and power necessary to run faster and more efficiently. By focusing on the specific muscle groups and movement patterns that contribute to running, you’ll not only see improvements in your speed but also reduce your risk of injury, allowing you to keep doing what you love—running. So, lace up your shoes, hit the gym, and start training smarter today.
For more detailed guidance on each exercise, check out the full video from the CrossFit Games athlete here.
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