Workout Wednesday: Speed and Strength Track Workout for Runners

As a running coach and a personal trainer I understand that it can be challenging for runners to find the time to do their (needed!) strength training. You want to run more in order to improve in running. You're afraid if you do lower body strength training that you'll be sore and it will hurt your future runs. Not to mention, when do you find the time to squeeze it all in?

I developed this track speed and strength interval workout so that you can do your running workout and leg strength workout on the same day! It should about an hour to complete and you'll be stronger for it. It may make you temporarily sore, especially if you are not used to strength training, but in the long run you'll be stronger, faster and less prone to injury. What's not to love about that? 

Speed and Strength Track Workout

Warm up by jogging two times around the track, which is 800 meters or a 1/2 mile. 

WALKING LUNGES

Perform 12 walking lunges on each leg on the straight of the track. Be sure if there are other people or runners on the track that you yield to them and always stay on the farthest inside lane (aka out of the way). Once you complete 12 walking lunges on each leg jog the rest of the way around the track at a conversational pace. 

With your feet hip width apart and your toes pointed straight ahead, hold your core stable and your back straight. Take one large step to lunge forward until your front knee is lined up over your ankle and your back knee is nearly touching the track. Do not allow your knee to go forward past your toes. Once you are in the lunge position push back up to standing with your back leg. Repeat with other leg. While in the low position resist the urge to lean forward or rest your arms on your thighs.

SQUATS

Perform 12 squats and then jog the rest of the way around the track at a conversational pace.

Starting with your feet hip width apart push your hips back and then lower  your body by bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as low as your flexibility will allow. In the low position, engage your core, squeeze your glutes and push up to standing. 

STAIR REPEATS

Run up and jog or walk down the stadium stairs. Run up the stairs as quickly as you can, swinging your arms as you go. Repeat five times, then jog one time around the track. 

SIDE SQUAT UP STAIRS

Side squat up 12-15 steps. Face the other direction to work the other leg and side squat 12-15 steps. Jog or walk back down the stairs and jog one time around the track.

Stand sideways on the bottom step. With your back straight, push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat position. Using your leading leg, step up to the next highest stair. Follow with your back leg. Try to stay in the low position as you work up in 12-15 steps. 

Face the other direction to work the other leg and repeat on other side for 12-15 steps.

RUN!

Run fast for one lap around the track. You should be working hard and breathing heavily for this lap. You get to rest after this, so give it all you have!

Walk one lap around the track to recover.

That's 1.25 miles work + your warm up and cool down = 2 miles. Beginners, you're done! Good job. 

Intermediate to advanced runners: Rest and repeat 1 or two more times or until an hour is up.

It is important to remember that while I am running coach and personal trainer, I am not your running coach and personal trainer. Please speak to your doctor before beginning any new exercise program and/or work with a fitness professional who knows your unique abilities and goals. 

I'd love if you would give this speed and strength track workout a try and let me know what you think!

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Coach Lea

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY: FOUR MINUTE SQUAT CHALLENGE

I love quick and effective workouts. Not every workout that you do has to be an intense hour-long session. It took me a long time to break out of the all-or-nothing mindset. I used to think if I didn't have the time for a full-blown workout, I wouldn't bother with one at all. The truth is that a 15 minute workout that you actually do is always 100% better than the hour workout you didn't do. 

Today's squat challenge explores eight different squat variations. It is a fun way to get in a lower body workout and possibly try some new moves. If you are a runner, this is great workout to do after you finish your run to squeeze in some quick strength training. 

Can you find four minutes in your day for this fun squat challenge? You will perform this squat circuit Tabata-style, which means you will do work for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds for four minutes. If you want to make it more challenging, rest for one minute after each four minute circuit and repeat until your Glutes are on fire!

This circuit incorporates eight squat variations. 

1. Traditional Chair Squat

Push your hips back and lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor (like you are sitting back in a chair) or as low as your flexibility allows. In the low position, engage your core, squeeze your glutes and push up to standing in an explosive movement. Return to center, pushing hips back and repeat for 20 seconds. Take a deep breath in as your lower to the squat and breathe out as you return to standing. Rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

2. Wall Squat

Stand against a wall and lower your body to a squat position so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight, your core engaged and your arms pressed into the wall. Do not rest your hands on your knees or lean forward. Hold in an isometric low position for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

3. Curtsey Squat (Right Side)

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Cross right leg behind the body and to the left. Bend left knee 90 degrees, or as low your flexibility will allow, toes pointing forward, then return to starting position. Repeat for 20 seconds on one side. Rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

4. Curtsey Squat (Left Side)

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Cross left leg behind the body and to the right. Bend right knee 90 degrees, or as low your flexibility will allow, toes pointing forward, then return to starting position. Repeat for 20 seconds on one side. Rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

5. Lateral Squat (Right Side)

While facing forward, with toes pointing straight ahead, take a wide step out to your right side. With your hips back, bend your right knee, while straightening your left leg. With your back straight, hing at your hips to touch the floor with both hands on either side of your foot. Do not allow your knee to move forward beyond your toe. Be sure to keep your torso and both feet facing forward. Repeat for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

6. Lateral Squat (Left Side)

While facing forward, with toes pointing straight ahead, take a wide step out to your left side. With your hips back, bend your left knee, while straightening your right leg. With your back straight, hing at your hips to touch the floor with both hands on either side of your foot. Do not allow your knee to move forward beyond your toes. Be sure to keep your torso and both feet facing forward. Repeat for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

7. Sumo Squat

With your legs in a wide stance and toes pointing out, push your hips back and lower yourself into a sumo squat. Do not allow your toes to move beyond your toes. Repeat for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

8. Sumo Squat (Pulse)

With your legs in a wide stance and toes pointing out, push your hips back and lower yourself into a sumo squat. Do not allow your toes to move beyond your toes. Stay in the low position and pulse the reps without returning to standing for 20 seconds. Rest for one minute before repeating the circuit.

Give it a shot and let me know how you feel!

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Coach Lea

Workout Wednesday: Awesome Partner Workouts

Friends can be a great motivator to exercise. It is true that sometimes we feel more obligated to our friends and family than we do to ourselves. We may not think twice about cancelling on ourselves for our daily workout, but if we know we have someone counting on us we are more likely to show up so we don't let them down. 

I developed this fun partner workout for my boot camp. When we work together to achieve our goals, we may push ourselves harder, have some friendly competition, have more laughs and often can enjoy it all a little more. 

If you have a friend that is your workout buddy, your running partner or your accountability mate consider yourself fortunate. A good friend can be a major motivator in your healthy lifestyle. 

Partner Workout

In our camp, we worked through five circuits. Each circuit had three exercises, five reps each, that our partners worked together to complete as many times as possible in five minutes. 

Circuit One

Partner one: 5 air squats

Partner two: Isometric low squat hold for the duration of the partner's reps.

Switch roles.

Partner exercise: Low plank jump over. One partner holds a low plank and the second partner jumps or steps over their partners ankles five times before they switch positions.

Repeat circuit for five minutes

partner exercise: low plank jump over

Circuit Two

Partner one: 5 push ups

Partner two: Isometric high plank hold for the duration of the partner's reps.

Partners switch roles

Partner exercise: Back to Back side plank with twist. Partners perform a straight arm side plank so they are back to back. With one arm straight in air, touch hands in the high position, then reach below to touch hands under the plank. Repeat five times.

Repeat circuit for five minutes.

Partner exercise: Back to back side plank with twist

Circuit Three:

Partner one: 5 reps (each leg) bridge march

Partner two: Isometric bridge hold in high position for the duration of the partner's reps

Partners switch roles

Partner exercise: Partner assisted sit ups. Partners sit facing each other and lock ankles. Sit up towards your partner and  hi-five in the high position. Repeat five times.

Repeat circuit for five minutes

Partner exercise: Sit ups

Circuit Four:

Partner one: 5 reps of static lunge right leg

Partner two: Isometric hold of low right leg lunge position for the duration of the partner's reps

Partner one: 5 reps of static lunge left leg

Partner two: Isometric hold of low left leg lunge position

Partners switch roles

Partner exercise: High Plank hi five. Face your partner in a high plank position. Make sure your wrists are directly below your shoulders and your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your toes.

Partner exercise: High plank high five

Repeat circuit for five minutes.

Circuit Five:

Partner one: 5 triceps dips on partners knees 

Partner two: 5 floor floor crunches

Partner exercise: Crunches, tricep dips

Partners switch roles

Partner exercise: Back to Back side plank, switch sides from earlier circuit. Partners perform a straight arm side plank so they are back to back. With one arm straight in air, touch hands in the high position, then reach below to touch hands under the plank. Repeat five times.

Partner exercise: Back to back high plank (other side)

Repeat circuit for five minutes.

Recruit a friend and give it a shot! Let me know what you think!

Coach Lea

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5 Essential Strength Training Moves for Runners

You love to run. I am just like you. I love to run too. I came down with AOR (Adult Onset Runner) around the time I turned thirty. You see, I never played sports in high school, never ran track in college, never was interested in being active at all. When I first started running it was because I wanted to lose a few pounds. I had no idea it would change my whole life. I was clumsy and un-athletic. Actually, I am still clumsy and un-athletic, but that never stopped me from being a great runner! What tried to stop me were the nagging injuries. I would run and run and run. I thought the more running the better. 

But then I would get hurt and sidelined. Once I stopped running due to an injury (or sickness due to overtraining) I would lose my motivation for exercise and the weight would creep back on. I repeated this over and over again: Run too much, get hurt, stop running, gain weight, repeat. It was a terrible cycle and I learned to break it when I incorporated strength training (and recovery days) into my training. 

Now I run a lot less and strength train more. I still love to run and regularly run half marathons. Running is an important part of my training and my emotional wellbeing. There is nothing like hitting the pavement to clear my head, workout my body and release those feel-good endorphins. My goal in exercise is no longer to burn the most calories possible. I want to get stronger, build muscle and most importantly, stay healthy so I can keep running long into the future.

five essential strength moves for runners

FIVE ESSENTIAL STRENGTH MOVES FOR RUNNERS

The good news is that you don't have to spend hours in the gym if that is not your thing. Spend 30 minutes three times a week working on your strength and you might be surprised to find yourself a faster, healthier and a more balanced athlete. 

The Circuit

Complete the exercises in circuit style. Perform each exercise for one minute before moving to the next exercise without rest. Once you complete all five exercises in the circuit, take a one minute break before repeating the entire circuit two more times. In less than 30 minutes you will knock out these essential strength moves for runners. 

Warm up before beginning. 

A NOTE ABOUT PROGRESSION

Over time your body adapts to the stresses that you place upon it. That is why you'll find the exercises get easier after awhile. While it is nice that they feel easier, it is your sign that they are no longer as effective. I recommend starting this program using your bodyweight as the primary resistance. As you get stronger you can progress the exercises by adding weights. It is important to routinely evaluate your progress and increase the weight, intensity or time spent performing the exercises so that you can continually challenge yourself to get stronger.

After the description of each exercise, I added a tip on how to progress the exercise when you are ready. Generally it should take 3-6 weeks to adapt and be ready for the next progression, but every individual will progress at their own rate. 

LUNGE WITH TWIST

The lunge is a great exercise for strengthening glutes, hamstrings and quads. We add a twist because runners move in only one plane of motion (Sagittal plane: front to back) so it is necessary to gain strength in the other planes of motion in order to stay balanced. 

With your feet hip width apart and your toes pointed straight ahead, hold your core stable with your back straight Take one large step to lunge forward until your front knee is lined up over your ankle and your back knee is nearly touching the floor. Do not allow your knee to go past your toes. Once you are in the lunge position, twist your torso in the same direction as your front leg. Push back up to standing and change legs. Repeat for one minute then switch legs.

To progress this exercise: add weight or hold the weight out with straight arms.

SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT

When you run you are essentially balancing on one leg at time repeatedly for the duration of your run. If you perform exercises unilaterally (one side at a time) it will help reduce muscle imbalances, improve core strength & stability and increase runner-specific strength. The single leg deadlift is an ideal exercise for runners.

Standing on one leg, keep your knee lightly bent and perform a deadlift by bending at your hip while keeping your back straight and neck neutral. Extend your free leg behind you in line with your body. Lower until your back is parallel to the floor. With your back straight return to the upright position. Repeat for one minute then switch legs. 

single leg deadlift

To progress this exercise: add a dumb bell or kettlebell.

ROW TO SIDE PLANK

Core strength for runners is very important. Strengthening the muscles that make up your abs, hips, glutes, lower back and pelvis are critical to helping you become a stronger, faster, less injury-prone runner.

Start in a high straight arm plank position with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your legs wider than hip width for stability. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to ankles while engaging your core. Do not allow your hips to hike up or sag down.

With your core tight and your glutes engaged lift your right elbow to row as you bend your elbow up toward the ceiling.

Twist to the right to move into a side plank position stacking your right leg over your left foot. Reach your arm to the ceiling and hold for 5 seconds before returning to plank position. Repeat for one minute then switch sides.

row to side plank (part one)

row to side plank (part two)

To progress this exercise: add a dumb bell or kettle bell.

SQUAT

Squats are a great exercise for runners because they help increase the strength needed to run faster on flat surfaces and get us up those hills.

Starting with your feet hip width apart push your hips back and then lower  your body by bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as low as your flexibility will allow. In the low position, engage your core, squeeze your glutes and push up to standing Take a deep breath in as your lower to the squat and breath out as you explode up to standing. Repeat for one minute before moving on to the next exercise.

squat

To progress this exercise: Try single leg squats or add weight. 

HIP THRUSTER (BRIDGE)

The hips and glutes generate the power to propel you forward during your stride. This exercise is fantastic for building both hip and glute strength for runners. 

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Reach your arms over your head towards the ceiling while raising your hips off the floor so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause at the top then slowly lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat for one minute.

hip thruster (bridge)

To progress this exercise straighten one leg and lift off the floor while in the bridge position. Switch legs and repeat. 

It's important to remember that while I am a certified personal trainer, I am not your trainer. Please get clearance from a medical professional before beginning a new exercise program and consult with a fitness professional who knows your unique history, needs and abilities. 

5 essential strength training moves for runners

Running is no doubt a fantastic exercise for losing or maintaining weight, for building endurance and feeling great. To improve in running you have to run more, but as a personal trainer, I highly recommend balancing your running routine with some weekly strength training moves. It will help you become a stronger runner, help avoid injuries and keep you running healthfully long into the future! 

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Coach Lea

Bodyweight Bootcamp: Four Minute Tabata-Style Workout

Guess what the #1 reason is that people give for not working out? Not enough time. We all know what that's like. Between work, family and social obligations it can certainly feel like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done, especially that one hour workout that you intended to do. 

I have a solution. How about a four minute full body workout? Now, I'm not suggesting that anyone ever got in the best shape of their lives by working out for four minutes day. I'm saying for those days when life gets in the way, a quick four minute workout can help boost your energy levels, release those feel-good endorphins and help you get in a little strength and cardio training to maintain your fitness.

This is a twist on a Tabata-style workout. Traditional Tabata workouts push as hard as possible for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. In this version you will perform the moves for 20 seconds then do an isometric hold for 10 seconds. Repeat four times with a one minute rest between sets and in only 20 minutes you'll get in 4 sets of a full body workout. 

Ready?

Free PDF printable - download here

SQUATS

Starting with your feet hip width apart push your hips back and lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, like you are sitting back in a chair, or as low as your flexibility allows. In the low position, engage your core, squeeze your glutes and push up to standing. Take a deep breath in as your lower to the squat and breath out as you return up to standing.

Repeat for 20 seconds then hold in the low squat position for 10 seconds.

PUSH UPS

Start in a high plank position with your hands placed a little wider than your shoulders. Keeping your body in a straight line, while engaging your core bend your elbows slowly to lower your chest to the floor. Once in the low position, push back up to the starting position. If this is too challenging, drop to your knees. 

Repeat for 20 seconds then hold in the low position for 10 seconds.

BRIDGE THRUSTERS

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Raise your hips off the floor so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause at the top then slowly lower your hips back to the floor.

Repeat for 20 seconds then hold the bridge position for 10 seconds.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Start in a high straight arm plank position with your wrists directly under your shoulders with your legs wider than hip width for stability. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to ankles while engaging your core. Do not allow your hips to hike up or sag down. Quickly bring your right leg, then your left leg in to touch your elbows.

Repeat for 20 seconds then hold the high plank position for 10 seconds.

LUNGES (EACH LEG)

With your feet hip width apart and your toes pointed straight ahead, hold your core stable with your back straight and take one large step with your right leg to lunge forward until your front knee is lined up over your ankle, your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is nearly touching the floor. Do not allow your knee to go past your toes. Use your right leg to push back up to standing in the same position as you started.

Repeat for 20 seconds then hold in lunge position for 10 seconds. Change legs.

SIDE PLANK DIPS

Start in a side elbow plank position with your elbow directly under your shoulders. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to ankles while engaging your core. Lower your hips to the ground to "dip" then return to side plank position. 

Repeat for 20 seconds then hold in side plank position for 10 seconds. Do not allow your hips to hike up or sag down while performing the isometric hold. Repeat on other side.

Can you find four minutes in your day to give it a try? If you do, let me know what you think!

Coach Lea