You always read about the importance of cross-training and doing more than just running. I firmly believe in becoming a better athlete in order to become a better runner. However, when you are training on a busy schedule or you are in the peak weeks of marathon training, you don’t have the time or the energy to fit in several other forms of exercise.
If you only add one type of exercise into your training to supplement your running, make it a core workout. Core work provides the most benefits for the least amount of time and energy. Pilates refers to your core as your “powerhouse” because of the role it plays in functional movement. For runners, a strong core improves running form (by improving posture), decreases risk of injury, and increases fatigue resistance. Essentially, core work enables you to run further and faster.
Core work encompasses and extends beyond traditional ab exercises. Ab muscles (including the deep stability muscles) and back muscles comprise the core. Many core exercises also strengthen the glutes and hips.
You can add core exercises onto a total body strength training routine or do them as their own workout. Ideally, you want to do 2-4 core workouts per week. Consistency matters! I like to do a few shorter core workouts and then incorporate core-focused exercises into my weekly strength training workouts.
6 Core Workouts for Runners
My core workout for runners is a combination of my favorite core workouts: Pilates, stability ball, and weight lifting. This workout will strengthen and stabilize your core, prevent injury, and improve your running form. You can do the whole workout on its own or pick one of the sets to add to your own strength training routine.
Let’s quickly break down each of these exercises. For many, I’ve included instructional videos rather than written explanations, since they’re easier to understand with a visual medium for form cues.
Pilates Hundred: This exercises activates your core, teaches you to engage your transverse abdominis, and warms up your core. Watch this video from Pilatesology for demonstration.
Pallof Press: This exercise is important for runners because it is anti-rotational. It trains your core to stabilize against resistance, which means you can power up and down hills and run long without detriment to your form. This video from Competitor demonstrates how to safely and effectively do a Pallof Press.
Russian Twists: Russian twist is a rotational exercise that works your obliques, transverse, and other abdominal muscles. This video from Runner’s World explains two variations of the Russian twist.
Stability Ball Passes: This exercise is deceptively hard and works all of your core muscles, including your hips and inner thighs. Focus on keeping your abs engaged throughout the entire exercise. For a visualization, see this video from PopSugar.
Stability Ball Hamstring Curls: Your core extends beyond just your abs; it includes your lower back, hips, and glutes. While this workout strengthens your hamstrings primarily, it also works the lower back, glutes, and stabilizing muscles in the hips and abs. This video shows you how to correctly do a hamstring ball curl.
Side Plank: Side planks are a variation of the basic forearm plank, with a bit more focus on the obliques and hips. Be sure to keep your hips stacked and shoulders down away from your ears when doing a side plank. For demonstration, see this video.
Bridges: Many runners are familiar with the glute-strengthening, abdominal-stabilizing powers of bridges. For more of a challenge, do raise one leg in the air at a time and do single leg bridges. You want to be using your glutes the entire time, so watch this video for cues on proper form.
Pilates Series: When done properly, you will feel your core burning by the end of this exercise! The series of five is included in most Pilates workouts and consists of the single leg stretch, double leg stretch, scissors, double leg lower, and crisscross. This Pilatesology video will guide you through all five exercises.
Now let’s get to these fun and challenging core workouts for runners from the other wonderful ladies of the monthly workout round up!
Vita Train for Life gives you a quick equipment-free core workout that you can do at home or the gym:
Fine Fit Day has a total body workout that will functionally strengthen your core:
Brooklyn Active Mama designed a workout to help new moms get their core back into pre-pregnancy shape:
Happy Fit Mama brings you a no-equipment core workout that will work your back just as much as your abs:
Linking up for Wild Workout Wednesday!
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What’s your favorite core exercise?
What’s your workout today?
21 Responses
This looks like a great workout! I always say I should start incorporating pilates into my routine. I think it would really help with the learning to control my core like I talked about on Monday!
Thank you! Pilatesology has a bunch of short demo videos for individual Pilates moves on Youtube, which makes it easy to incorporate a bit into strength training for after a run. I really do think it helps with core control!
I always forget about 100’s until I do them and remember -> DO THESE!!! I say this every month but I love this round up. Great workouts from great runners!
I love these round ups also! Hundreds are so hard – I swear they never get easier, but they are effective.
You are going to recognize a few of these in my post today! CORE AND GLUTES FOR THE WIN
Great minds think alike! Loved your post today – I think I need some curtsey lunges back in my life!
I love this round-up and all the different ways we came up with to work our core!!
Me too! So many good ideas of workouts to try, especially this month!
a strong core is really important! I never had much strength there but pure barre has definitely changed that. I love that it strengthens my core during each workout so I don’t have ot think about how to get the right core exercises into my routine lol
That’s why I love Pilates – it’s such a strong core workout that even if I skip a few core moves in strength training, that stability and strength is still there!
I have been slacking SO HARD on core work and now I feel guilty and panicky. CRAP.
Now you have a bunch of good workouts to try! Allie’s and Sarah’s look especially great!
This is a great list of core exercises! I’m going to bookmark this one because I really need to start working on getting my core strength up.
Such great moves! And an awesome round up! Def need to add some of these to my routine 🙂
Thank you! Definitely several great workouts to add in – I’ve already tried a few of them! 🙂
I love dead bugs – so much harder than they look!
Oh yes they are! And those are the best core exercises because they are working all those small muscles.
Such awesome workouts! Pinned for later- thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you for pinning!
Hi Laura, this is a really useful post. I actively practice pilates and yoga outdoors and find your core workout list a strong reference for many types of exercise as well as running.
I’mpretty pleased to find this website. I wanted to thank you for ones time due to this wonderful read!!
I definitely loved every part of it and i also have you book marked
to check out new stuff in your site.