Running with a lower-back injury and misaligned hips was a challenge, but this post-exercise core routine enabled me to continue running pain-free.
Runners looking to improve their form, stability, and long-term running health can benefit from a well-rounded core workout. This routine, designed to be performed after a run, includes five exercises: sit-ups, superman, glute bridge, V-up, and push-ups. Each movement targets different aspects of the core and supporting muscles critical for running.
Sit-Ups
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Cross your arms over your chest or place your fingertips behind your ears (without pulling your neck).
- Engage your core and lift your upper body towards your knees, exhaling as you rise.
- Lower yourself back down with control, inhaling on the way down.
Superman
(Details not provided in this paragraph.)
Glute Bridge
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart, and arms at your sides.
- Engage your glutes and core and lift your hips towards the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- Hold for a second, then lower your hips back down with control.
V-up
(Details not provided in this paragraph.)
Push-ups
(Details not provided in this paragraph.)
This combined routine challenges the entire core (including abdominals, lower back, hip flexors, and glutes) and upper body, complementing running by improving stability, posture, and strength. Performing two sets of 20 repetitions each ensures adequate volume without fatigue that can impair running recovery.
Proper form is crucial: maintain a neutral spine, engage your core muscles throughout each movement, and avoid compensatory motions such as neck pulling during sit-ups or hips sagging in push-ups. This will maximize benefit while reducing injury risk.
The workout requires no equipment and can be done anywhere with space to lie down. It's recommended to perform this workout 2-3 times per week after running. Embrace this simple yet effective core workout to enhance your running performance and reduce the risk of injury.
[1] [Source for the benefits and proper form of the exercises] [2] [Source for the recommended repetitions and sets]
This core workout, including sit-ups, glute bridge, V-up, and push-ups, aligns with health-and-wellness practices to improve the fitness-and-exercise performance of runners. By incorporating science-backed exercises that target various aspects of the core and supporting muscles, this routine contributes to sports analysis findings about the importance of core stability, posture, and strength for running. Performing these exercises without equipment, two to three times per week after running, can help reduce the risk of injury and enhance performance through the challenging of the entire core and upper body.
