Side Plank

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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

 

 

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Day 9: Core Compliments

Strong CoreA strong core will compliment everything you do. It will improve your technique, give you added strength and stamina…push you over those hills and carry you across the finish line. Bottom line..runners need a strong core!

The Runner’s World’ article, “The Core of the Matter: Strengthen your core muscles, and you’ll run smoother and faster, with fewer injuries. Bonus: A set of seriously taut abs” stresses the importance of core work for runners.

Exercise Physiologist for the Nike Farm Team, Jack Daniels, Ph.D. explains,

“The stronger your core, the more solid you are as you hit the ground. That reduces your need for unnecessary stabilization, and allows you to be a more economical runner.”

Yes…we do planks everyday and that’s awesome…but we still need to do more. Today’s ab exercises will give you more stability and help ensure you maintain proper running form during challenges such as hills, sprints or the final leg of long distance runs, supporting tired muscles even when you are fatigued.

Day 8 exercises:

  • Plank – :45
  • Russian Twists – 40X (each side)
  • Burpees – 15X
  • Bridge – :45 (2X)
  • Calf Raises – 10X (each leg)
  • Plank – :45
  • Side Planks – :45 (each side)
  • Calf Stretches
  • One Arm Camel (stretch for :30 using each arm)
  • Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball

Need how to videos? Click here for the exercises…and scroll down for the stretches.

standing abs

all cardio challenge

 

Bonus workouts: Want to give your ab workout an extra boost today? How about some good old Standing Abs! Three rounds would be amazing! Tag your post #StandingAbs. Or stick with this weeks #AllCardioChallenge and keep the cardio streak alive.

Choices are awesome right? 🙂

 

Running Drills: If you’ve haven’t fit them in yet…what are you waiting for? Butt kicks and Bounding are on the schedule this week. Check out Monday’s post for why these are a great addition to your workout and abs made in the kitchenhow to do them correctly.

Final Thought….we can do all the ab work we want but if we don’t eat well..all that work is for nothing. For those who fell off the wagon with the No Sugar Challenge (me included) recommit to no sugar or junk today. make the commitment to eat healthy, balanced foods…in moderation…and make it a great Wednesday!

one arm camel

One Arm Camel 

 

spinal stretch on stability ball

Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball

 

 

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Day 7: What Do They Say About Monday?

Monday startoverGood morning Challengers and happy Monday!

Everyone pretty much killed week 1…but if you know you didn’t give it your all…time to regroup, recommit, and get to it! Will you struggle to make time for you or will you be strong and power through?

What do they say about Monday? NEVER SKIP A MONDAY WORKOUT! 🙂

I’m going to start adding bonus workouts and running drills this week. These extra workouts and drills are meant to get you moving more and improve your running efficiency…but don’t stress if you don’t get each one in today. I will refer to them all week so just do your best and keep being active!

Day 7 exercises: Legs – 3 sets of 10

  • Plank – :30
  • Wall Sit – :30 (3X)
  • Calf Raises
  • Sumo Squats
  • Plank – :30
  • Side Planks – :30 each side
  • Pigeon Pose all cardio challenge
  • Calf Stretches
  • Quad Stretch

Week 2 Bonus Workout:

All Cardio Challenge: This bonus workout can be done any day this week…or everyday this week…so fit it in when you can to get your heart rate up and burn some calories!

When you do fit it in make sure you post using #AllCardioChallenge so we know you went the extra mile! 🙂  One last thing ere…DON’T SKIP THE BURPEES! They are good for you…just try them! Keep your core tight and go slow until you have the form correct. Remember to watch the “how to” videos again if you need reminders on form for any of our exercises.

Running Drills:

We’ve talked about some running drills before, but this week we are going to start introducing two drills per week to get you familiar with them.  Going forward I will ask you to incorporate them into your routine 3-4 times a week. They can be done as warm ups or after your run to reinforce good running form when you’re fatigued.

These drills are for everyone! It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner runner or a veteran …we can all benefit from adding running drills into our weekly routine.

According to RunningCompetitor.com,

“If you want to improve as a runner, you’ve got to do more than just run. You’ve got to make time to do the extra stuff, too. Taking 20 minutes to do a handful of drills…can dramatically improve your running form and economy (or the ability to run fast efficiently) and increase your stride cadence and racing speed.

Each of the drills highlights one or more aspects of good running form and accentuates them through repetitive motion, which trains the body to become comfortable with that movement so it can be inserted into your typical running mechanics.”

Screen Shot 2016-03-07 at 5.52.31 AMButt Kicks:

Why: Butt kicks engage the hamstrings and accentuate the recovery portion of the running gait and improve leg turnover cadence.

How: Run in place with your thighs more or less locked in a neutral position and try to kick yourself in the glute with your heel on each stride. Focus on keeping he rest of your body still and simply flicking your lower leg backward. If you’re not making contact, you need to improve your dynamic range of motion. Do two or four reps of 15 kicks with each leg.

Bounding:Screen Shot 2016-03-07 at 5.59.17 AM

Why: Bounding increases foot, calf and hamstring muscle power and develops single-leg stance stability necessary to maintain fluid running form while fatigued.

How: On a flat or very slightly downhill slope, alternate thrusting into the air off one leg in an exaggerated skipping motion. The focus should be on a powerful leap into the air and a quick (but not super fast) cadence. Your arm motion should be synced to the opposite leg’s action, holding steady for the brief moment while you’re off the ground. Do three to four reps of 10 leaps on each leg.

Lots going on here…but don’t let it overwhelm you. The bonus workout and running drills can be incorporated throughout the week when you have time but I wanted to get them out early so you can plan ahead to fit them in.

As always…never miss a Monday workout! Let’s get the week started right and make it a great day Challengers! 🙂

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Day 5 & 6 – Time On Legs & Abs!

Long slow distanceHey Core Crew… it’s Saturday and we all know what that means! Who’s ready for some LSD??

Long Slow Distance is not a new concept.. as you can tell from the picture…I mean…she’s wearing a cotton tank so we know this was a while ago…

But the basic elements remain…and it goes back to “time on legs”. If you’re training for a 5K…you should work up to running more than 3.1 miles on the weekend, 10K…more than 6.2 miles, Half and full marathon….you should be logging some serious hours on the road!

Low intensity…or slow, conversation paced running…will allow your body to adjust to the training without overworking your body. In fact, 80% of your training runs should be at this pace! That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add speed, hills, intervals, or other running drills…but if you are in it for the long haul, this pace should be your foundation.

It’s important to work up to a distance you are comfortable with. Don’t go jumping willy nilly into tons of miles. Plan out a schedule that will help you reach your goals in a healthy manageable way to build up your endurance over time. Time on Legs…to do well..you’ve gotta put in the time.

So today is a rest day from strength training…IF you are running today. If you run on Sunday…please use today to knock out Day 6 (Sunday: Abs) and get that long run in tomorrow.

We still have work to do today and don’t skip your stretches!

Day 5:

  • Long run: Conversation Pace – Long run means different things to all of us so whatever level you are at…get out there and log some miles!
  • Plank – :30 (2X)
  • Side Planks – :30 (each side)
  • 7 Key Stretches for Runners – This is so important today! I promise it will feel so good!

Day 6: Sunday – Abs

  • Plank – :30
  • Mountain Climbers (50 each side)
  • Heel Touches (30 each side)
  • Bicycle Crunches (30 each side)
  • Plank – :30
  • Side Planks – :30 (each side)
  • One Arm Camel
  • Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball

I think I neglected to include the how to videos for these ab exercises so I will put the videos below. And if you need a reminder about how to do today’s ab stretches, please click here and scroll to the bottom. Let me know if you have any questions or need some help with modifications.

Remember to do your best and make it a great weekend Challengers! 🙂

Mountain Climbers: Great full body exercise! Keep your hips low and your core tight.

Heel Touches: Perfect for those love handles! Again…keep your core tight and bring your shoulders up off the ground.

Bicycle Crunches: Last ab exercise for the day. Do these strong even if you need a rest as you go. Try to bring your knees up as high as possible and again…keep your core tight! 🙂

 

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March Challenge: Day 3 – Strong Legs

runners have the best legs

Runner have the best legs! But running alone won’t get us across the finish line faster. Strong, sexy runners legs take a little extra work but that translates into more power…and more speed on race day.

Runner’s World article “Get Strong Legs” says,

Multiple studies show that regular strength training can improve running economy-how efficiently the body uses oxygen-by as much as eight percent, translating into greater speed and more muscle endurance. And it makes sense for runners to focus on their most important body part. “Strong legs also mean more power on the hills,” says Bob Larsen, who coaches elite marathoner Meb Keflezighi.

Besides just gaining more power, strengthening our legs will also give us other benefits. You need to be strength training your lower body for 3 reasons:

  1. To condition the muscles and soft tissues of your lower body to effectively support the weight in your upper body.
  2. To balance the strength, endurance, size, and control of the upper and lower body.
  3. To prevent injury to your lower joints and extremities.

Runner’s World says we should focus on the following muscles groups: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, and calves. Great! We will work on all of those today. 🙂

Day 3 exercises: 3 sets of 10 for each exercise

  • Plank – :30
  • Squats – Add weight for more difficulty
  • Donkey Kick + Fire Hydrant – Do these simultaneously but make sure you watch your form on each rep to get the most out of both exercises
  • Single Leg Deadlifts – This is a slow precise exercise that will strengthen our hamstrings and help us learn how to stabilize on one leg. It also fires up up the entire posterior chain creating a phenomenal and strong rear end.
  • Calf Raises – 10 per side
  • Plank – :30
  • Side Plank – :30 each side
  • Calf Stretches – Hold a deep stretch to feel the calf muscle getting softer
  • Pigeon Pose
  • Quad Stretch

Looks like a lot…but it really won’t take long at all. If you’re not sure about how to do these exercises, please check out the “how to” videos and scroll towards the bottom for the leg exercises. Stretching instructions for today are below.

It’s getting closer to the weekend which means long runs are coming up so if you are running today….take it easy and slow. Conversation pace. Keep it short save energy for your long slow distance this weekend.

That’s all for today Challengers! Push yourself, feel those legs burn, and make it a great day! 🙂

Pigeon Pose: My favorite stretch! This feels fabulous! Watch here to see how to do it correctly.

Quad Stretch: Instead of standing to stretch your quads…kneel down and push your hips forward while holding your foot up. This will give you a better stretch and you will feel it higher in your quads as opposed to closer to your knee.

Kneeling-Quad-Stretch

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March Challenge: Day 2 – Trash Run

Hey Core Crew….welcome to Day 2! Trash run

You’ve heard me talk about warm ups and cool downs before..but most of us still don’t do it. I’m guilty too… we might get in a warm up but then we give every free moment we’ve got to our run and strength workout so when we’re done there’s no time left for a cool down.

But cool downs are an important part of letting our body recover so today I would like to suggest a running assignment that will force us to slow down…and help our community at the same time.

Who’s up for a Trash Run?

Before you leave for your run today (or whenever your next run is) grab a small bag and stuff it in your top or shorts for later. Start your run with a slow warm up…5 min or 1/2 mile…then go into your workout. When you are 1/2 mile from home…start your cool down.

During your cool down…walk…and pick up pieces of trash along your route!

Get in a great workout with a proper cool down and make a difference in your community at the same time! Take a photo of your trash stash and post it when you’re done with your strength workout. Let’s see who’s area is the dirtiest and who will take the time to cool down…and make a difference!

If you’re not running…maybe your injured or haven’t caught the run bug yet…you can still get out and do a trash run… just walk instead of running. Being active is what it’s all about anyways…get up…get moving…and walk your way to a fitter life…and a cleaner community. 🙂

Trash running isn’t a new concept…and here I was thinking I had some bright idea… there’s even a website with vocabulary for this emerging “sport”.

Here’s some fun terms runners can relate too:

  • GU-dar: a trash runner’s internal beacon for finding GU packets. Having a great GU-dar is essential to being a great trash runner. It takes some time to naturally spot those shiny little packets and tabs, but once you develop a strong GU-dar, GU packets beware.
  • Rubber Necking: missing trash due to taking in the scenery, watching other trash runners, or simply not paying attention. A drafting, rubber-necker is a recipe for disaster.
  • Trashlek: much like its “cleaner” cousin the Fartlek, the Trashlek is a great aerobic training technique.  It involves a light jog to a piece of trash and then a hard-paced sprint to put the trash in the appropriate receptacle.  A moving retrofitted trash collecting jog stroller or stationary trashcan does the trick.  This is a great substitute for boring and less environmentally beneficial track workouts.
  • Dumpster Break: a bathroom break while trash running.  No explanation needed.
  • Trashole: formerly known as a litterbug, a trashole is someone who throws his or her trash on the ground for the rest of us to see and ultimately pick-up.
  • Butt Stroll: when you intend to go for a vigorous trash run, but find yourself in a stroll due to an over abundance of littered cigarette butts!

It seems that most “trash runners” stop to pick up trash while they’re running…but I want you to force yourself to cool down so let’s wait till after we’re done with our run and avoid costly injuries. Please don’t stop mid stride to reach down and pick up some trash. Hamstring, back, and knee injuries while trash running are out of the question. 🙂

When you get done with your run jump right in to today’s strength exercises.

Day 2 exercises: Ab Day

  • Plank – :30
  • Russian Twists – 40 each side
  • Burpees – 10
  • Bridge – :30 (2X)
  • Plank – :30
  • Side Plank – :30 each side
  • One Arm Camel stretch – :30 each side
  • Spinal stretch on stability ball – :30

No injuries!! Make sure you are doing these exercises correctly by watching the “how to” videos. Then take the time to do the ab stretches. As we go higher in reps and time…these stretches will feel wonderful so get used to doing them now. Below are “how to” videos for each stretch.

One Arm Camel: This is a yoga pose that is going to stretch out our ab muscles. Great way to keep our tummy muscles ready to go again in a few days.

https://youtu.be/kYkjhS1_cVQ

Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball: Great stretch for our abs and spine and feels wonderful! If you don’t have a stability ball…you might want to invest in one sometime soon. You can get them at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx for under $20 and there are tons of ways we can use them to get stronger and stretch.

I hope everyone has fun with today’s workouts and smiles all the way through! Let’s get it done and make it a great day! 🙂

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March Challenge: Day 1 – Make Time!

Make time for it

Good morning Challengers and welcome to Day 1 of our March Challenge!

If you didn’t get a chance to look over the main challenge page with the calendar click here. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Print out the calendar and put it somewhere you can see it everyday. I will post the calendar as a file in Strong to the Core as well.

Now that you have the plan and are committed to this month’s workout…let’s get started!

The first thing you need to do is plan a time for your workouts. You know that if you don’t make the time to get it done…life happens…then the day is over and you are exhausted.

To keep that from happening…think about your day and schedule your workouts so you know when you will get them done and can fit it in without stressing out. I’m a morning person so my workouts are usually done before lunch. When is your “me” time?

Having that time set aside for you will make all the difference in wether you finish 15 days… or 30 days. Make a plan and stick to it. Of course we are all going to have days when the plan won’t work…but without a plan you will have a hard time succeeding.

Now it’s time to get moving….

Day 1 exercises: Arms – 3 sets of 10 Keep calm and get it done

  • Plank – :30
  • Tricep Dips
  • Overhead Shoulder Press
  • Bent Over Reverse Fly
  • Calf Raises – 10 each leg
  • Plank – :30
  • Side Plank – :30 each side
  • Arm Stretches – Bicep Wall Stretch & Tricep Towel Stretch

Don’t feel overwhelmed…it looks like a lot but it won’t take long at all. Just get started and knock it out. Watch the “how to” videos to ensure you are doing them correctly. Check out the videos below to see how to do the arm stretches for today. These will help keep your muscles soft and ready to work them again in a few days.

No bonus yet…let’s ease into it and see how it goes this week. Tuesday is usually a run day for most of us though so go out and log some miles to burn calories today and get some time on legs today!

When you are done, post in Strong to the Core that you have completed Day 1!

No slackers today y’all…I want to see everyone getting it done and making it an awesome day! 🙂

Bicep Wall Stretch:

Tricep Towel Stretch:

https://youtu.be/-F879zfDQUs