Core Strength Training Exercises - Improve Your Running Performance

Core strength training builds strong core muscles and provides you a base for all of your running and sports activities. Strengthening your core muscles will improve your running economy, speed and power. You will run faster with less effort. Here are some basic core strength training exercises that you can perform anywhere.




ABDOMINAL CRUNCH

This is a body weight exercise or can be performed using single station or multi-station machines.

TECHNIQUE

•Lie face up on a mat. Flex your knees and bring your heels close to your buttocks. Cross you hands over your chest. Tuck you chin into your chest.

•Slowly curl your upper body towards your knees until your shoulder blades leave the floor. This should be a rolling, curling motion. Concentrate on strongly contracting your abdominal muscles. Hold this position for a moment.

•Slowly allow your upper body to curl back to the floor.


THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

•Breath throughout the exercise.

•Exhale on the upward portions and inhale on the downward portion.



CORE STABILIZATION

This is a body weight exercise.

TECHNIQUE

•Lie face down on a mat. Support your weight with your feet and forearms. Tuck your pelvis so that your hips are pressed forward and your body is straight. Hold this position.

•Holding the above position, lift your left arm. Hold that position for 20 seconds. Return the left arm to the support position and lift your right arm and hold for 20 seconds. Return the right arm to the support position and lift your left foot off of the mat and hold for 20 seconds. Return the left foot to the mat and lift the right foot and hold for 20 seconds.

•Now comes the fun part. Return the right foot to the mat. Now lift your right arm and left foot at the same time. You should now be supporting your body with your left forearm and your right foot. Hold that position for 20 seconds. Now return the right arm and left foot to the mat and lift your left arm and right foot and hold for 20 seconds.


THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

•Breath throughout the exercise.

•Use a controlled curling motion throughout the exercise.

•Be sure to keep your hips tightly tucked during this exercise. Do not allow your lower back to arch or curl. Keep your body very straight.



DOUBLE CRUNCH or V-CRUNCH

TECHNIQUE

•Lie face up on a mat. Hold your feet off of the floor with your lower leg parallel to the floor and your upper leg perpendicular to the floor.

•Slowly curl your upper body towards your knees until your shoulder blades are off the floor. This should be a rolling, curling motion. Concentrate on strongly contracting your abdominal muscles. At the same time, using your lower abdominal muscles, push your hips up off of the floor. This motion should be like pushing your knees straight up toward the ceiling. It should not be a rocking motion.

•Slowly allow your upper body and hips to curl back to the floor.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

•Breath throughout the exercise.

•Exhale on the upward portions and inhale on the downward portion.

•Use a controlled curling motion throughout the exercise.



EXERCISE BALL ABDOMINAL CRUNCH

This is a body weight exercise that is performed using an exercise ball.

TECHNIQUE

•Lie on the exercise ball so that the ball is supporting your lower back. Place your feet wide and flat on the floor for balance. Cross your hands over your chest or use them to support your head. Do not pull on your head. Tuck you chin into your chest.

•Slowly curl your upper body upward. This should be a rolling, curling motion. Concentrate on strongly contracting your abdominal muscles. Hold this position for a moment.

•Slowly allow your upper body to curl back to the starting position.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

•Breath throughout the exercise.

•Exhale on the upward portions and inhale on the downward portion.

•Use a controlled curling motion throughout the exercise.



EXTENDED ARM CRUNCH

This is a body weight exercise.

TECHNIQUE

•Lie face up on a mat. Flex your knees and bring your heels close to your buttocks. Extend your arms over your head and clasp your hands together. Tuck your chin into your chest.

•Slowly curl your upper body towards your knees until your shoulder blades leave the floor. This should be a rolling, curling motion. Concentrate on strongly contracting your abdominal muscles. Hold this position for a moment.

•Slowly allow your upper body to curl back to the floor.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

•Breath throughout the exercise.

•Exhale on the upward portions and inhale on the downward portion.

•Use a controlled curling motion throughout the exercise.



OBLIQUE ABDOMINAL CRUNCH

This is a body weight exercise or can be performed using single station or multi-station machines.

TECHNIQUE

•Lie face up on a mat. Flex your knees and bring your heels close to your buttocks. Cross you hands over your chest. Tuck you chin into your chest.

•Slowly curl your upper body towards your knees and rotate your body so that your left elbow moves toward your right knee. This should be a rolling, curling motion. Concentrate on strongly contracting your abdominal muscles. Hold this position for a moment.

•Slowly allow your upper body to curl back to the floor.

•Alternate between moving your left elbow to your right knee and your right elbow to your left knee.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

•Breath throughout the exercise.

•Exhale on the upward portions and inhale on the downward portion.

•Use a controlled curling motion throughout the exercise.



RAISED LEG CRUNCH

This is a body weight exercise.

TECHNIQUE

•Lie face up on a mat. Hold your feet off of the floor with your lower leg parallel to the floor and your upper leg perpendicular to the floor.

•Slowly curl your upper body towards your knees until your shoulder blades are off the floor. This should be a rolling, curling motion. Concentrate on strongly contracting your abdominal muscles. Hold this position for a moment.

•Slowly allow your upper body to curl back to the floor.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

•Breath throughout the exercise.

•Exhale on the upward portions and inhale on the downward portion.

•Use a controlled curling motion throughout the exercise.



RESISTED ABDOMINAL CRUNCH

This is a body weight exercise or can be performed using single station or multi-station machines.

TECHNIQUE

•Sit with your back flat against the bench. Stabilize the resistance against the front of your shoulders.

•Slowly curl your upper body towards your knees until your shoulder blades are curled away from the bench. This should be a rolling, curling motion. Concentrate on strongly contracting your abdominal muscles. Hold this position for a moment.

•Slowly allow your upper body to curl back to the bench.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

•Breath throughout the exercise.

•Exhale on the upward portions and inhale on the downward portion.
 
•Use a controlled curling motion throughout the exercise.