Atlas – Basic Core
Outline
1. Prone or planks - 60 seconds
2. Side/lateral holds - 60 seconds
3. Supine - 60 seconds
4. Prone knee bent - 60 seconds
5. Hip thrusts - 15-25 repetitions each leg
6. Donkey kicks - 15-25 repetitions each leg
7. Fire hydrant - 15-25 repetitions each leg
8. Hurdles - 15-25 repetitions each leg
9. Lower back extensions - 15-25 repetitions each leg
10. Opposite arm/leg - 15-25 repetitions each leg
11. Double eagles - 15-25 repetitions each leg
Goals
This is the first core routine in our three part system. It’s designed to
work on the basics and the foundation of what will be a rock solid set of
hips, glutes, abs and lower back. Once you’ve mastered the basics in this
routine, you’ll be able to safely move on to more advanced routines and
exercises. Furthermore, this routine doesn’t require Swiss balls,
medicine balls, or a gym, which makes it the go-to for travelers and to
those just getting started.
Like all the core routines you have available to you now, these exercises
are designed to help you improve your running economy and maintain
proper form to race faster, finish stronger, and prevent injuries.
The benefit of this routine is that we target all planes of the body from
the abs, obliques, hips, glutes and lowerback. In essence, this is the
“bread and butter” core routine for runners.
Prone or Front Plank
Muscle groups emphasized: erector spinae, rectus abdominis (abs), and
transverse abdominus.
Value for runners: This exercise triggers your deep core muscles and the
muscles in your back, which will help you maintain proper form during the latter
stages of a race. Strengthening these deep core muscles, particularly the transverse
abdominus, also prevents hip, lower back, and glute injuries.
Logistics: Hold plank position for up to 60 seconds.
Notes: Flex your deep core muscles to prevent your lower back from sagging down
or from angling up. You should be able to rest a board flat on your back, glutes, and
legs. Beginners can balance their weight on their hands until they feel comfortable
moving to the elbows. Advanced runners can place their feet on a swiss ball or
extending their elbows further out in front of their center of gravity.
Side Plank
Muscle groups emphasized: transverse abdominus, gluteus medius and
gluteus minimus muscles (abductors), the adductor muscles of the hip, and the
external and internal obliques
Value for runners: The obliques, adductors, and abductors help stabilize the hips
and prevent excessive twisting motion. The side plank will prevent injuries to the
hip and the IT band and also correct possible hip drop problems.
Logistics: Hold the side plank position for up to 60 seconds.
Instructions: Like the front plank, do not let your hips bend towards the ground or
point towards the air. There should be a straight line down from your head to your
feet. Beginner runners can balance on their hands instead of their elbow. Advanced
runners can lift their top leg off the ground.
Supine Holds
Muscle groups emphasized: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back
Value for runners: The supine plank strengthens the hamstring and the glutes to
strengthen the posterior chain, which helps generate explosive power during the
running stride and also protects against injury from speed work.
Logistics: Hold the supine plank position for up to 60 seconds.
Instructions: Keep your core muscles tight and in a straight line. You do not want
your hips/waist to dip or to be elevated. This is a difficult exercise, so beginners will
definitely need to start on their hands instead of their elbows. Advanced runners
can life one leg off the ground and alternate.
Prone or plank with bent knee
Muscle groups emphasized: Erector spinae, rectus abdominis (abs), and
transverse abdominus and hip flexor.
Value for runners: This modification of the basic plank engages your hip flexor
and quads to place you in a more running specific position.
Logistics: Hold the supine plank position for up to 60 seconds.
Instructions: Flex your deep core muscles to prevent your lower back from
sagging down or from angling up. You should be able to rest a board flat on your
back, glutes, and legs. Beginners can balance their weight on their hands until they
feel comfortable moving to the elbows.
Hip Thrusts
Muscle groups emphasized: Hips, glutes, lower back, and hamstrings.
Value for runners: Like the supine holds, this exercise dynamically targets the
hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and hips (the posterior chain) to help prevent injury
when introducing speed work and to provide more power to the pawback motion of
the stride.
Logistics: Perform 15-25 repetitions each leg.
Instructions: At the top of the movement your body should be in a straight line
from your knee to your head. Beginners can thrust on both legs while advanced
runners can rest their foot on a medicine ball or swiss ball for added difficulty in
balance.
Donkey Kicks
Muscle groups emphasized: Glutes, lowerback, hips
Value for runners: Donkey kicks strengthen the glutes , which help maintain a
powerful and fluid stride and ward off knee and hip injuries.
Logistics: Perform 15-25 repetitions each leg.
Instructions: Try not to swing or use momentum to bring the leg up. Your leg
should pause for 2 seconds just after it is parallel with your lower back, and then
slowly lower it back to the starting position. Advanced runners can add ankle
weights or use theraband or bungee cords to add resistance.
Fire Hydrants
Muscle groups emphasized: Hips, abductors
Value for runners: The abductors help stabilize the hip. Strong abductors will
prevent most knee and hip injuries such as IT band syndrome.
Logistics: Perform 15-25 repetitions each leg.
Instructions: Focus on using only your hips to make this movement and not
shifting your body. Pause for 1 second at the top and then slowly bring back down.
Hurdles
Muscle groups emphasized: Hips, abductors, glutes
Value for runners: Hurdles are a dynamic movement that combine the benefits
from the fire hydrant exercise and the donkey kicks. This exercises will help “open
up” the hips and improve your range of motion.
Logistics: Perform 15-25 repetitions each leg.
Instructions: Keep your back in a straight line and originate the movement at the
hip. Imagine trying to balance a broom on your back.
Lower back extension
Muscle groups emphasized: Lower back, Glutes
Value for runners: Having a strong lower back helps you maintain proper form
late in a race and strengthens your body against sciatic and piriformis issues.
Logistics: Perform 15-25 repetitions.
Instructions: Don’t jerk or go too fast with the movement. Use slow repetitions
with a 2 second pause at the top.
Opposite arm/leg
Muscle groups emphasized: Lower back, Glutes
Value for runners: Opposite arm, opposite leg helps isolate each glute and each
side of the lower back to identify and address any structural weaknesses so your
dominant side can’t take over.
Logistics: Perform 15-25 repetitions.
Instructions: Don’t jerk or go too fast with the movement. Use slow repetitions
with a 2 second pause at the top.
Double Eagles
Muscle groups emphasized: transverse abdominus, gluteus medius and
gluteus minimus muscles (abductors), the adductor muscles of the hip, and the
external and internal obliques
Value for runners: The double eagle will help you run with less side-to-side
motion by strengthening the oblique muscles. Not only with this help prevent hip
and knee injuries, it will make you more efficient and therefore faster.
Logistics: Perform 15 repetitions.
Instructions: Work hard to keep your back flat on the ground and try not to rest
your legs on the ground or in the vertical position
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