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Understanding Your Core + Legs and Abs Workout

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A Canadian study over 13 years and 8,000 people showed a death rate more than double for people with a weak mid-section! So today we’re going to dig in to the most talked about magazine body part and get to know why it really matters!

  • Core and abs are not the same thing.
  • A strong core means better endurance, better strength and a pain free back.
  • A strong core also means better posture, which can instantly make you look leaner.

All right now we know it’s important, let’s learn what it does and then work it!!!Understanding your core for peak performance in any sport and a core workout for more than abs

ANATOMY OF A SIX PACK
It might be called a six pack, but there are actually 8, which you probably know if you’ve seen Magic Mike! But beyond the visual, there is a whole lot happening in the core that will make you a stronger runner and keep you healthier overall.

External Obliques: The ab muscles along your sides
Internal Obliques: Help to twist your body from side to side
— You can work these with bicycle crunches, side planks, the moves below!
— Super important for keeping shoulders square while running
— Better breathing while running! A sign of oblique weakness is that people stop breathing when performing simple movement patterns to maintain stability.

Rectus Abdominus: The a fore mentioned eight pack across your front
— You can work these through crunches, sit ups, really most any traditional ab move
— Helps to contract the body to curl upper body down or lower body up, helps to raise legs

Transverse Abdominus: Lies beneath your other muscles and it’s your major stabilizer
— You can work this through planks, Pilates, stability ball moves
— Helps to improve breathing for your runs!Understanding your coreHip Flexors: Originating on your spine these muscles help raise your leg
— You can work this through many of the hip exercises I’ve shown!
— Stronger hip flexors mean raising your knee higher and more power in your stride

Lower back (made of 3 muscles): Keep your spine stable and allow you to bend backwards
— You can work these through lying on your stomach and doing supermans, deadlifts
— A weak low back won’t support that strong core!

Glutes: Stabilize your hips
— You can work these through squats, lunges, running!
— Helps to provide power to your stride, keeps your running gait aligned and ensures your hip flexors aren’t overworked

Understanding the Core for Better Running (plus a workout!) #runchat Click To Tweet

ABS AND LEGS WORKOUT
Now that we know our abs are so much more than a six pack (and that while most want to be able to see abs, they serve an important purpose), let’s put it all together with a workout!! No crunches, no sit ups and nope not even a plank today.

Working your core in different ways is key to hitting all the different muscles and one way we often neglect, but works instantly is BALANCE. Not only will it force you to tighten your core right away, but improve your running.

Abs and Legs Core Workout
Do core 2-3 times per week
12 -15 reps on each side x 2
A workout for your full core - abs and legs in one - Click for the workoutLunge to Lift
Feet hip width apart, lunge to the right and reach left hand to toe. Tighten your core and transfer weight to the left foot, raise left arm to the side and right knee in front. (Add a light weight for more strength!)

Curtsy Lunge
Step left leg behind right with arms overhead side crunch to the right. Stabilize your core and lift left leg up and out to the  side then bend to left.

Lunge with Rotation
Step forward with right leg and rotate left elbow towards right knee. Rotate back to facing forward and step back to standing.

Now repeat on the other side!

How often do you work your core?

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Posted by amanda Categories: Abs, running coach, workout

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Annette says

    November 15, 2015 at 9:13 am

    Wow, if I didn't know how important core was before, I do now! Thanks for sharing!
    My recent post A Brief Hiatus

  2. Krysten says

    November 15, 2015 at 9:11 pm

    My external oblique's need work! I am going to try to do more side planks! Great info girl!

  3. The Chi-Athlete says

    November 16, 2015 at 8:58 am

    WONDERFUL anatomy lesson! I am beginning a new training cycle that will be more strict with corework. I used to be very diligent with it — my core is still a monster.:D
    My recent post The Weekend That Got Away

    • RunToTheFinish says

      November 16, 2015 at 10:12 am

      you know I totally go through phases where I am really good and then slack off, so back at it!!
      My recent post Understanding Your Core + Legs and Abs Workout

  4. Janelle says

    November 16, 2015 at 9:21 am

    I definitely need to focus on my core – thanks for the moves!

  5. thisrunnersrecipes says

    November 16, 2015 at 6:38 pm

    More core work i goal right now – it's easy to slack off when training is demanding so I like to focus on it whenever my mileage goes down to rebuild that habit. Love the workout!
    My recent post Mile Markers 11/9/2015 – 11/15/2015

  6. Shannon says

    November 16, 2015 at 7:27 pm

    Great info, Amanda! I need to start doing these exercises, I know they will help out with my running.
    My recent post Monday Musings: Sinus Infections

  7. Katiesfitscript says

    November 17, 2015 at 7:59 am

    Oh my goodness, I didn't know people could die from a weak core! haha! I feel like I have a strong core, but I honestly never work it so it's odd. I guess just genetic!
    My recent post Thunder Road Marathon Recap

  8. Angela @ happy fit mama says

    November 17, 2015 at 11:31 am

    Core work is at the epicenter of my PT workouts. It’s the foundation for everything!

  9. vitatrain4life says

    November 17, 2015 at 2:44 pm

    Two – three times per week, although it should be more! Love how you broke this all down and set the record straight!! It's so, so important for runners.
    My recent post The Rundown – Perspective

  10. whostardis says

    November 17, 2015 at 3:59 pm

    core strength has been my focus the past month and will be the rest of the year. i didnt realize how weak those muscles were until i took a core class and was struggling so much!!

  11. a traveling Wife says

    November 24, 2015 at 3:24 pm

    Thanks for the clarification on the difference between core and abs. I feel like that gets confused so often and I KNOW there are people that believe if they have a 6-pack, then their core is extremely strong. :)
    My recent post Running Through A Haunted Town

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SHARE THE ONE that resonates most with you. 🏃‍♀️🏃🏾🏃🏽‍♂️
 
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Which one hits home for you?
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#runningmotivation #runninginspiration #medalmonday #fitnessmemes #runningmemes #runningquotes #runnerslife #runnerlife
AVOID HITTING THE WALL (save this and review befor AVOID HITTING THE WALL (save this and review before races) -AKA  Bonking. UK friends giggle at that, but it’s a term just like fartlek.
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It’s that painful moment when your mind tells your legs to stop and it feels like there’s nothing you can do to turn the tides. It leaves emotional scars!🥵
 
WHAT TO DO!
1️⃣Train differently - seems obvious, but consistent training that follows a plan which progressively and smartly builds your miles and strength and speed...ya it works.
 
2️⃣Fuel, fuel, fuel - force yourself to eat before races and long runs even if not hungry.
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Starting fueling sooner than you think you need to and keep doing it. During races your body is running on more carbs and needs that steady flow of energy. 
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🧠 Your brain functions on CARBS, stop depriving it or it will tell you to stop running. If food while running is an issue for you, checkout something like @genucan.
 
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Thanks to @moxie82co for capturing this weird moment, it worked great for this post.
HIT THOSE HIPS!!! I’ve given you a couple hip mo HIT THOSE HIPS!!! I’ve given you a couple hip mobility workouts, now we add strength!
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🥳For the next 30 days in the Virtual Run Club we’ll be going hard on all the pre-hab work for hips, glutes and abs. Because running isn’t just about the miles.
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3 CORE MOVES
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You can use these as a progression or do all three, they’ll target the hips, glutes and core in different ways with each variation.
 
Aim for 15 reps prior to a run or do multiple rounds as part of a workout!
 
1️⃣Side Plank Kneeling Hip Raise - Really focus on your core engaging to raise up and keeping your elbow under your shoulder.
 
2️⃣Side Plank Kneeling Leg Raise - Again core should be tight to keep hips lifted, not sagging towards the ground. Then focus on your hip and glute to raise the top leg.
 
3️⃣Straight Leg Side Plank Leg Raise - Engage the core to keep hips high and press the bottom foot in to the ground to really engage your glutes. Slow and steady to remain stable while raising and lowering top leg.
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