Pre-Hab Series: Core

This is the first in a series of articles where I hope to bring some of my course learnings to the athletes. I'm going to start with the first entry in a series on pre-hab. What is pre-hab? Well unfortunately we are all likely too familiar with exercising for rehabilitation, this is exercising to prevent injuries and build a body that can handle more and better training. "Injury free is the place to be!"

This entry will cover Core pre-had, and provide you with a simple guide to a handful on exercises you can do to improve core strength. The core is super important in running because we need to hold the core tight as we move our limbs around it. For example, look at a running photo at the end, good chance you'll see an arm shooting across the body with the opposite leg coming across to balance this out. This is throwing off your running efficiency and creating bad running form. Here are seven exercises to help improve your core strength. Links to videos in the workout name.

Front Plank

Standard plank. Starting in a push-up position and resting on your elbows, raise you hips off the ground and hold your body straight. Don't let you butt drift up or your head drop. Stay flat and in-line. Starting out you can aim to hold for 10 seconds, take a rest (10 seconds) then repeat 3 times for a total of 30 seconds plank time. As you progress you can work to holding the plank for 30 to 45 seconds.

Side Plank

Prop your body up on one elbow and place your feet heel-to-toe. Lift your body up so it forms a plank, but this time sideways and perpendicular to the ground rather than parallel. Hold for 10 seconds, lower your hips, rest for 10 seconds, roll over to change sides, repeat 3x. Again, progress to holding the side plank for longer periods of time.

Careful not to tilt your head forward or rotate the hips. Don't progress to longer side planks until you can hold the position properly. This exercise strengthens the side of the core (obliques). Full disclosure, I know I'm weak here and need to focus on strengthening the sides of my core.

Leg Lowering

Lie flat on your back, place your hands slightly under your hips and raise your legs to 90 degrees or close to it. Pull your bellybutton to the ground, tighten your lower back against the ground, and lower both legs toward the ground. Once your back begins to arch, stop and raise your legs back to the starting position. Repeat this 10x.

The lower you can get your legs to the ground before you back arches is a good sign that your lower core strength is in good shape. If you can only get a foot or two down, you know you have a weakness/deficiency you need to address.

Metronome/Wind Shield Wipers

Lay flat on your back, raise your legs to 90 degrees or close to it, spread your arms out into a 't' shape with palms down, and slowly lower the legs to one side in the direction of one hand and touch the ground with your feet. Reverse direction touch the other side. Doing both sides is 1 rep, repeat 5x.

This can be a very demanding core exercise for beginners.

Sit-up with a Twist

Laying on your back with knees bent and feet flat to the floor, anchor your feet under a couch or chair if necessary. Sit up and rotate your core so that you can twist to face one side, lower back down, sit-up, twist to the other side. Repeat 5x.

Perform this exercise slowly. Quality or quantity.

Jane Fonda/Leg Lifts/Leg Abduction

How on your side and flex your top foot so your toes come towards your face. Slightly rotate the top leg inward (toward the other leg) and raise it one or two feet in the air. Return to starting position. Repeats 10x on one side, then roll over and do 10 more on the other side.

Don't roll your hips or top thigh backwards, your body will want to cheap and use non-hip muscles. The goal is to see how strong the Gluteus Medius is. This is the small muscle in your hips that helps keep your pelvis stable when your in your single leg running stance as we run from leg to leg. Weak muscles will lead to your hips dropping while running.

Fit Ball Balance

Get a large fit/exercise/Swiss ball. Using a doorway or wall for stability, climb onto the ball and kneel on it. Release your grip on the doorway/wall and balance on your knees for 5 seconds while stabilizing your core. As you become more confident, balance for longer. Be careful not the fall. Use the doorway/wall for balance to stabilize if needed.

If you don't have a ball, an alternative is to stand on one leg and spell "I R-U-N F-A-S-T" with the leg that's in the air.

When running you are hoping from one foot to the other, so there is always a split second where you are balancing on one foot.

Building a Routine

Core exercises are something you can work on almost everyday with a negative impact on your training. A little goes a long way with core work, so you don't need a long, intense routine. Here is a simple workout structure you can begin the implement, that won't take more than 15-20 minutes. Once you "master" these exercises you can find natural progressions readily available online.

If you have any questions reach out to me through Final Surge, e-mail: markdidham@gmail.com; or Facebook PM.