Core Work for Runners

The core is the “core” of our bodies. Our energy and our power comes from our core. A strong core provides stability, protects your back, and enables you to perform stronger. A weak core can result in sidelining you during the active running season!

This workout requires about 15 minutes and a fitness ball.

1. Start out lying flat on the ground. Feel your entire back against the mat. Stretch your arms above your head and circle them around breathing deeply. Feel the pull in your belly as you reach up. Reach back up again and imagine your body stretching as tall and lean as it can. Do this 3-4 times to warm your core.
2. Slowly bring both legs up so your knees are bent and you’re in crunch position. Feet slightly wider than hip width apart. Your hands should rest by your side or you can lace your fingers under your head. Crunch up, exhaling on the up, inhaling on the down. Count slowly 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 up, down 1 and 2. (Four counts to go up, two counts to go down.) Start with 10 reps.
3. Lay flat, keep knees in same position. Allow knees to lay over to your right side. You’re going to do a side oblique crunch. As with your regular crunches, exhale on the effort up to a count of four. Inhale and go down to a count of two. Complete 5-8 reps. Position your knees on your left side and repeat.
4. Return to center and do ten more crunches as in number two.
5. Get your fitness ball and sit on it. Skooch the ball under your lower back and stretch back over the ball with the ball supporting your lower back. Relax into the stretch. Hold for a count of five.
6. Come back up, feet flat on floor, ball under lower back. Lace your fingers behind your head not behind your neck. Crunch as in number 2. Exhale on effort up for four, inhale down for two. Complete ten reps. Repeat number five.
7. Turn carefully on ball so that you are on your “side” on the ball. Place on hand behind your head with elbow pointing at ceiling. Stack or cross your feet so you are stable. Crunch sideways bringing your elbow down toward your hip for 5-8 reps for your right obliques. Repeat number five. Turn onto your left and crunch 5-8 reps. Repeat number five.
8. Repeat step six.
9. Return back to the floor. Place ball under feet so that your feet and lower legs are resting on the ball. Do one set of ten crunches, same pacing as in number two.
10. Roll over onto your tummy. As in number one, you’re going to stretch as far with your hands above you and with your feet below you as you can. Slowly lift your outstretched arms bringing your chest and arms up off the floor for a slow count of five. As you are comfortable with this move you can add lifting the legs off the floor, or alternate lifting one leg, then the next, five on each leg.
11. Move into pushup position, hands flat on mat under shoulders, back perfectly straight, neck aligned in neutral position (neither looking up nor looking down). Hold for a count of five, breathing slowly. As your strength increases, you can increase the time. Advanced: Turn onto one side in a sideways plank. Move from left, to full plank, to right plank.
12. Finish by repeating number one. Give yourself a GOOD stretch.

Crunch position	Side Crunch	Plank
Fitness ball crunch	Side ball crunch	Side plank