Sets, reps and frequency
Perform approximately six reps of each exercise twice.
Exercise 1: High knees
Muscles: Hip flexors, quadriceps
Why do it?
Lifting your knees high helps to increase your range of movement. If you spend your days sitting at a desk your range of motion in your hip joints get restricted.
Technique:
- Keep your forearms at your side and level with the floor
- Jog on the spot
- Lift your knees up until they touch your hands
- Start off at a low level and progressively increase your range of motion
Safety tip:
Keep your posture tall and be light on your feet.
Exercise 2: Bum kicks
Muscles: Hamstrings
Why do it?
This stimulates the nerve supply between your brain and your hamstrings. It develops explosive power and will improve your running technique.
Technique:
- Keep your hands on your bottom
- Slowly jog, kicking your heels up to your bottom
- Start of at a low level and progressively increase your range of motion
- Ensure that your feet are doing a sweeping motion backwards
Safety tip:
Keep your posture tall and be light on your feet.
Exercise 3: Leg swings
Muscles: Hamstrings, hip flexors
Why do it?
Sitting causes your hip flexors and hamstrings to tighten up. Loosening it up with a dynamic move will prepare your joints and muscles for running
Technique:
- Stand on your right leg
- Swing your left leg forward
- Touch your foot (or leg) with your right arm
- Swing your leg backwards
- Start of at a low level and progressively increase your range of motion
- Complete one set before changing over to the left side
Safety tip:
Don’t over stretch. Build up slowly.
Exercise 4: Side lunge with rotation
Muscles: Inner thighs, outer thighs, bottom, side muscles (adductors, abductors, glutes, obliques)
Why do it?
Running incorporates a lot of rotation through your torso. Increase your mobility to move and rotate your spine.
Technique:
- Stand with your feet together
- Keep your arms across your chest
- Lunge sideways with your left leg
- Bend your left knee and keep your right leg straight
- Rotate your upper body towards the left
- Return to the centre position
- Complete one set towards the left before changing over to the right
Safety tip:
Increase the range of motion as your body starts to warm up.
Exercise 5: Hack sack
Muscles: Glutes, hips
Why do it?
This opens up your hips. It also activates the muscles in your bottom to ensure a correct firing pattern.
Technique:
- Stand on your right leg
- Grab hold of your left ankle with your right hand
- Push your left knee down
- Repeat with the other leg
- Alternate between right and left
Safety tip:
Aim to get your lower leg level with the floor but work within a comfortable range of motion.
Exercise 6: Heel to toe rocking
Muscles: Lower leg muscles (shin muscles and gastrocnemius)
Why do it?
Your feet are your point of contact with the ground. Stiff ankles, shins or calf muscles can lead to impact injuries like stress fractures.
Technique:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart
- Lift as high as possible onto your toes
- Rock backwards onto your heels
- Keep rocking forwards and backwards
Safety tip:
Keep your stomach muscles tight to aid your balance, or hold on to a secure object.
