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“Positive Addiction” is how William Glasser defined running in which you perform a repetitive activity without self-criticism that has a beneficial effect on your mind and body. According to one study, individuals who ran more than 50 miles per week had significantly greater increases in HDL cholesterol (the good fat) than individuals who ran less than 10 miles per week. Below are exercises that will enhance your strength for when you are running:
1. Plank
Start by lying on your stomach. Support your elbow with feet slightly apart, and keep your toes about hip distance apart with shoulders directly above the elbows. Straighten your whole body so it’s forming a straight line from the top of your head to the heels. Hold the plank position for 30-second to one full minute.
2. Russian Twist
Start by lying on your back with upper legs perpendicular to the floor, knees bents 90-degress. Hold the weight in front of your body while keeping the back straight. Twist your trunk as far as you can to the right side, tap the weight on the floor, and then reverse the motion to the other side.
3. Overhead Lunges
Hold a pair of dumbbells straight above your shoulder, with arms straight and elbow locked, feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Then, step forward with your right leg into a deep lunge position, bending both your knees and return to the starting position then repeat with left leg.
4. Squat
Stand with your feet hip distance apart with toes facing forward, with your arms out in front at shoulder height, squat down by bending your knees, leaning forward at the waist while keeping the back flat and knees tracking behind the toes. Squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground or to the point where you can no longer keep a flat back, then, press up through your heels to return to the starting position.
5. Single Leg Deadlift
Hold two dumbbells or a weighted bar in front of your body while standing tall, then shift your weight to your right foot. Hinge forward by bending your right knee and raising your left foot behind you in line with your upper body, letting the weights hang down. Lower the weight while keeping them very close to the tops of the legs until they go past your knees. Pause, then reverse the motion and return to the starting position
6. Pistol
Stand tall and balance on your right foot, squat down by bending at the knee and sitting your hips back. Once your right knee is at about 90 degree angle, push back up by extending your leg to starting position.
7. Rotational Shoulder Press
While standing tall with feet hip width apart, hold a pair of dumbbells outside your shoulders. As you press the weights up with your right hand, rotate your body to the right side. Lower the weights to your shoulder as you rotate back to the center, then rotate to the left as you press your left again upward this time.
If you perform these exercises correctly, you’ll quickly find that your ability to run longer and faster will be improved. Just make sure you don’t overdo it and workout too much too soon; take it easy at first, then gradually increase your workout time.
