Runner’s Legs

People with “Runner’s Legs” don’t get them on accident. They train them. Hard. Whether it’s running mile upon mile, think Prefontaine, or the sprinter whose legs look like they were taken off Seabiscuit, they are in the gym training and on the track fixing flaws. The mechanics of running that they work on is a whole different article to be written in itself. So let’s take a look at what some things are that you can do to improve your running legs not on the track.

Imagine your normal leg routine. How many times does it include squats, lunges, hamstring curls, and leg extensions? Now that may be good for some occasion (on leg extensions a rare one), but certainly not day in and day out. Why train bi-laterally for a sport that is never bi-lateral? During a run, besides in the blocks or starting, you are always on one foot. So mix up your leg routine. Throw in some single leg squats or RDL’s every once in a while and build those pillars one leg at a time.

Now, if you just go in and just jump into single leg exercises, you probably won’t be getting the most out of your workout. Weak ankle stability will hinder your legs in the long run. Do not build strength on a weak foundation. You are only loading up on whatever dysfunctions you have and different parts will break down. Instead, first work on stability through the joint and strengthen the tiny muscles within your foot. The bottom of your foot is just as sensitive to touch as your hand. There are a lot of nerve endings that end there and if you don’t stimulate them, they stay asleep and you won’t know what your foot is doing with the ground. Start your leg routine with a 2 minute lacrosse ball roll out on the bottom of your foot.

So that’s all well and good, but ankle stability isn’t going to get you from point A to point B. That is just one link in the chain. Actually, the last link when it comes to actual running mechanics. What your ankle does is directly related to what your knee does. Also, what your knee does is directly related to what your hips are doing. So if A = B, and B = C, then A = C. For non-math majors, that means everything your legs do during running is because of what your hip is doing. Any hitch, misstep, or irregular stride is caused by either tightness, weakness, or a mechanical flaw in your hips. The more irregularities in your running, the more risk for injury. Your body wants to run smoothly. It’s what you do to it that affects that ability.

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