Leg workouts for runners are as important as air to breathe. Runners require ultimate strength in their legs to run farther distances; for instance, you will need it for improving your weekly mileage. This is why conditioning your legs for enduring the stress of long distances is important. It can take a little time for your legs to actually get used to the physical strain of running higher mileage.
Strategies for Leg Workouts for Runners
A common strategy for leg workouts for runners includes looking for stepping up is to link up long continuous runs. It is to simulate the legs that might become fatigued during the course of long runs. This strategy can be valuable for well-experienced runners and aid in developing the necessary mental stamina for big events.
However, beginners should stick to the basic workout regimes by following some easy leg workouts as explained below:
Squats
Squats help to strengthen the glutes, quads, calves, and hamstrings. For doing this exercise, you need to stand with your feet hips apart. Now, you need to push down your buttocks till the point they reach lower than your knee level. You need to keep your spine neutral throughout the position.
An important note to consider here is to keep your knees over your toes as you perform this workout, so your body stays in balance.
Squats to Hydrant
This workout is used for strengthening the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and hip flexors. For doing this exercise, you need to stand with your feet a bit wider than you would do in a typical squat. Now get low just as you would in a typical squad. Shift your body weight to your left leg while lifting your right leg. Now, return to the centered squat. Repeat the movement on the opposite leg.
Make sure you keep your spine neutral in this position as well. Keep your arms for establishing the balance you need.
Jumping Lunges
These lunges help in the activation and strengthening of the hips, glutes, and quads. It helps in improving the stability and coordination of your pelvic core as well. You will need to stand with your feet apart at a distance of your shoulders and your arms bent. Now, take a step forward with your right leg and put it down into the lunge position. Bring your right knee over the right ankle and keep the left arm extended forward. Lower your buttocks and prepare yourself to jump. Propel your body upward and switch your arms as you are switching legs in this exercise for leg workouts for runners.
Box Jumps
It helps to build stamina in the glutes and raises the heart rate. It also helps in the strengthening of the quads. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and take a partial squat position. Now, swing your arms forwards and push with the legs for jumping onto a high step or a box. Keep the back flat with your chest up and knees being aligned with your toes.
Single-Leg Dead Lifting
It helps in the strengthening of the core, back, and hamstrings. You need to stand straight and lift one foot off the ground. Now, tip forward as you hinge the body at the hip. Now, lower the chest and the head toward the ground as your foot comes up from behind you. Keep your knee in a slightly bent position.
Good Mornings
This specific exercise for leg workouts for runners helps simulating the glutes, lower back, and hamstrings. You need to stand with your feet at the width of your hip distance. Put your fingertips on your ears, and your elbows are facing outward. Now pull your belly in toward your back, keeping your back neutral. Hinge at the buttocks and pull them back while lowering your torso at the point where it is almost parallel to the floor. Now return to a standing position and squeeze your glutes at the top of your motion.
Calf Raises and Drop
It is used for strengthening the calves, Achilles, feet and improving stability in the lower leg. This exercise is doable on the floor without using the eccentric drop. Stand with your toes on a surface while you place your hand on a rail. Keep your feet at a hip-distance apart. Secure your weight with your heels getting off in the air behind you. Slowly lift the heels upward and hold a bit for a beat. Now, lower your heels down beyond the neutral starting position for an eccentric drop.
Single-Leg Calf with Eccentric Drop
You can increase the intensity of the calf raises with this specific exercise as a part of the leg workouts for runners. You need to shift your body weight for standing on one leg in this exercise. Make sure in this exercise you keep your forefoot secured on the step and not try to balance it. Now, lift the heel high gradually and hold for a second. Now lower the heel down beyond the initial position for the eccentric position. Repeat on the opposite side.
Reverse Lunges
The reverse lunges help in activating glutes, hamstrings, and your pelvic core with some less strain on the joints in comparison to a forward lunge. You need to stand tall with your feet distanced at a shoulder width and your hands placed at your buttocks or overhead. Now, take a big step in the backward position and place the front knee directly over the ankle. Now, lower the hips and bring the front quad parallel towards the floor. You need to push your back leg forward and return to your initial position. Now, repeat the movement with the opposite leg.
Final Word
These were some exercises for leg workouts for runners that are aimed to strengthen your leg, provide stamina to your lower core, and bring stability. For a better understanding, it is always recommended to follow all the steps and keep practicing to get your body in a better form.
Check out our article on benefits of 800 meter repeats
