Donkey Kicks

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Day 24: Back to Legs & Booty!

booty dayHey Core Crew! How is everyone feeling today? I bet we’ve got some sore arms and abs after the killer workouts I’ve seen this week!

Loved seeing all the speed work yesterday! Y’all really rocked it out and left everything on the pavement…or treadmill. 🙂

Ready to get back to the most important strength exercises for runners? You guessed it…it’s leg and booty day!

Day 24: 4 sets of 15

  • Squats
  • Donkey Kick + Fire Hydrant
  • Single Leg Deadlifts
  • Calf Raises (10X per each leg)
  • Plank – 1 min (3X)
  • Side Planks – 1 min (1X each side)
  • Calf Stretches
  • Pigeon Pose
  • Quad Stretch

You probably know how to do these properly but if you need a reminder here are the how to videos and of course if you’re running…PLEASE take time to go through the 7 Key Stretches for Runners!

stairs workoutBonus: #GotStairs? 

If you don’t have stairs this will be a tough bonus but a great workout if you can find some.

Glute Bridges are similar to the bridge we do on Ab Day except instead of holding the bridge up for a certain amount of time go up and down 20 times slowly. Tighten those glutes and feel the burn!

*Side Note – I’m not a fan of lunges for runners so if you skip them…I’m cool with that!

Running Drills and Speed Work: I’ve seen lots of running  this week on our way through the Appalachians…and some great speed work yesterday!  I have a feeling there’s more killer speed sessions coming today. Click here to find out this week’s track workout and the running drills to add in before you run…and after your warm up. These drills will loosen you up and get you ready for that speed work!

I’m not racing this weekend but I know a bunch of you are! Melissa is running her 2nd full at the Tamoka Marathon…Chris, Catherine, and Lisa are running the Tamoka Half Marathon…who else is racing? Let me know so I can be thinking about you this weekend!

Only a few days left in our March Challenge. Do you have a friend or family member you think will benefit from our group next month? Refer a friend and get April free..or if you paid for the month already…get your $$ back! New members are $10 for the month, $30 for the quarter, or $100 for the year. Core members will always be $5/month. Referrals are awesome so if you know someone who need the accountability and support…tell them about Strong to the Core! I’ll be sending out reminder to those who are due for April. If you’re ready to pay for April now…click here.

Legs/Booty, stairs, speed work, running drills…lots to do and so little time… Let’s get to it and make it a great Thursday Core Crew! 🙂

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Day 17: Love Leg Day!

last squat repMy Favorite leg day!! Squats, Donkey Kicks & Fire Hydrants oh boy!

It’s time to knock out a killer leg day then rest up so we can tackle those races and long runs this weekend!

What’s on your schedule this weekend? Let me know so I can be thinking about you and cheer you on!

Day 17 exercises: 3 sets of 15

  • Squats
  • Donkey Kicks + Fire Hydrant
  • Single Leg Deadlifts
  • Calf Raises (1 set of 10 each leg)
  • Planks – 1 min (2X)
  • Side Planks – 1 min (1X each side)
  • Calf Stretches
  • Pigeon Pose
  • Quad Stretch

How to videos here…stretching exercises at the bottom.

Bonus: #GetClammy

Basic clamBasic Clam: 10 – 15 times

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on your mat. Place a plump pillow or medicine ball between your knees and lengthen your spine. Exhale as you engage your inner thighs and squeeze the pillow. Inhale as you release the pressure without dropping the pillow. Do not allow your tailbone to lift up as you squeeze; keep your spine long so that your tailbone stays down, recommends Robinson. Perform 10 squeezes, noticing how it feels to keep your pelvis steady while engaging your inner thighs.

Open Clam: 10 – 15 each sideopen clam

Lie on your side with your spine aligned with the edge of your mat. Stack your legs one on top of the other, and tuck your knees forward about 45 degrees. Exhale as you lift the top knee up, keeping your feet stacked. Your legs should look like an open clamshell. Inhale as you close your legs. Keep your pelvis steady throughout the movement. Intensify this exercise by squeezing your buttocks three times in the open clamshell position.

Clam Squeeze: 10 -15 timesScreen Shot 2016-03-17 at 5.44.06 AM

Stay in the same position that you used for open clam and place the pillow between your knees. Keep your feet stacked as you slowly exhale and gently squeeze the pillow. Keep your spine long so that your back does not tuck or arch. Inhale as you release the pillow. To intensify this exercise, perform three tiny pulses when you are in the squeezed position.

Reverse clamReverse Clam: 10 – 15 each side

After performing clam squeeze, put the pillow aside. Keep your knees pressed gently together and rotate your top thigh inward to lift your shin and foot upward. Your clamshell is now opening to the rear. Exhale as you lift up; inhale as you close the clamshell. Repeat this movement without allowing your spine to tuck or arch. To intensify this exercise, add tiny pulses – about ½ inch — in the open clam position.

Running Drills and Speed Work: Have you added the high knees and grapevines in before you run this week? What about last weeks butt kicks and bounding? Have you thrown in some speedy fartleks while pounding the pavement (or treadmill)? If not…try them! These are fun drills that will give us strength, power, and speed! Click here for Monday’s post with all the info you need to do them properly.

When you’re hating me (in a good way 😉 ) remember that…

exercise makes you happy

Make it a great Thursday Core Crew! 🙂

Stretches:

Calf Stretch
Pigeon Pose
Quad Stretch

 

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Day 10: Be Smart…and Think Negative

Good morning Core Crew and welcome to Day 10! pass people

Race weekend is fast approaching for many of us so I wanted to talk a little about race strategy today. We’ve all done it…excitement and nerves high…the pulse of the crowd vibrating through you….the gun goes off and runners surge forward taking you right along with them.

You feel great…for a little bit…then realization sets in. You started out too fast and your fading….even faster.

It’s so hard to ignore everything going on around us and stick to our plan to go out at a comfortable pace. Depending on the length of your race…this is a make it or break it moment. Running a 5K, 10K or 15K? If you ignore the need to warm up…your plan better be a slow first mile warm up…and I do mean slow…conversation pace. I know I know…it’s race day…so if you don’t like that idea. Get out for a warm up mile and get this muscles limber and ready.

Running a half or full marathon? I don’t suggest adding more miles to your day…but that first mile should be your slowest mile of the race. Think about me being that little voice inside your head…because if you are racing this weekend….I’m gonna want see those splits! What will I say to yours….?

I can’t physically be with you on race day…but I can be that voice of reason telling you to be smart…and think negative splits! Be the one with the knowing smile as you pass all those runners who went out too hard in the first mile. 😉

If you are racing this weekend….I do not want to see running over the next 2-3 days! This means you Jose Javier Soto! And everyone else too…Ginny, Chad, Amiee, Chris, Diane, Melissa, Catherine, Lisa, Paula, Jennifer, Tiffany….and everyone else I’ve missed.

In fact, if you’ve put in some work this week and your legs are sore…I’m giving you a pass today. No leg workout! If you’re feeling good…throw in the legs but go easy and be safe. I want your legs fresh and ready for the big day!

So what do you do when you can’t workout? REST! Eat well, sleep a lot, drinks lots of water, stretch! I can’t wait to hear about all my awesome Challengers kicking some serious butt this weekend. Whatever your goal is…reach for the stars. There’s no better feeling then leaving everything you’ve got on the road on race day.

Not racing this weekend…Go Run! Time on legs remember?? Knock out Day 10 legs and go run for those of us who are forced to rest.

I always do a little research just to make sure I’m giving out good advice…and this is what I found today….According to Running.Competitor.com’s article “The 4 Best Strength Training Exercises for Runners”, 

“To become the best, most efficient runner you can be, just running isn’t going to be enough. Strength training is one of the single most important non-running aspects of training that can help you become a better runner. Add these four running specific strength training exercises to your running routine and you’ll become a stronger, faster, more complete runner for it.”

And what are the best strength exercises for runners?

Screen Shot 2016-03-10 at 5.41.28 AM

Well this is good news…we do all of these exercises! Single Leg Squats…think Pistol Squat, we’ve done them before and I promise you’ll see it on the schedule again soon!

Day 10 exercises: 3 sets of 10

  • Plank – :45
  • Squats
  • Donkey Kick + Fire Hydrant
  • Single Leg Deadlift
  • Calf Raises (1 set of 10 each leg)
  • Plank – :45
  • Side Planks – :45 each side
  • Calf Stretches
  • Pigeon Pose
  • Quad Stretch

How to videos are available here if you need them and once again…stretches are below.

all cardio challenge

 

Bonus Workout: #AllCardioChallenge

Even if you’re not racing this weekend…you still have some LSD coming up this weekend so make sure to get plenty of rest, eat well, drinks lot of water….and make it a great day Core Crew! 🙂

 

pigeon-pose-yoga

Pigeon Pose


Kneeling-Quad-Stretch

Quad Stretch