A few days ago we talked about the importance of core training for runnersas an element that favors the transfer of forces during the race. Your training will turn us into more efficient runners : when running with a correct posture (thanks to the activation of the deep muscles of the central area of ​​our body) we will spend less energy in performing the same training, and fatigue will appear later.

Do you know how to train your core efficiently if you are a runner? We give you five exercises that you can include in your routine from today.

Plank or front plate

The exercise for the core par excellence, along with all its variants. The front plate or plank executed correctly ( and avoiding the most common mistakes) helps us to train the internal musculature of the abdomen efficiently.

It is included within the isometric exercises since it does not need movement: we simply have to maintain the correct posture for approximately 30 seconds while we lengthen our body and keep the muscles active.

Plank or side plate

Perfect for working the obliques. We can execute it simply by holding the posture, as an isometric exercise, or we can add movement by slightly raising the hip upwards. The feeling should always be to push the hip towards the ceiling from below, rather than pulling up.

We can do it supported on the hand or, if we notice pain in the wrist, we can use a handle like those used in Pilates or Yoga or lean on the forearm.

Dead Pilates bug

An exercise often little valued in Pilates, but that is able to activate large muscle groups of our body is the dead bug, which also allows us to work on coordination. The execution is simple: we lie on our backs with our legs in the air and our knees are bent at 90 degrees, and our arms are stretched towards the ceiling. From this position we extend arm and leg opposite to the ground while we elongate.

The difficulty of the exercise lies, on the one hand, in arm-leg coordination, and on the other, in keeping the rest of the body immobile while we only move the limbs. The transversus abdominis, the muscles of the abdominal girdle and the musculature of the back work in this exercise. Test it if you have not done it yet.

Pike with fitball

One of my favorite exercises and what you can do also with the TRX is the pike. We start from the position of a horizontal plank or plate and activate the abdomen to bring the hip toward the ceiling forming an inverted V. The ideal is to distribute the weight of the body between the middle and shoulders, and not make the mistake of carrying all the weight on the arms.

To do this with TRX, we extend the straps to the longest position and place the feet on the stirrups. A good combination, harder but that helps us work more muscles, is to perform a flex just after the pike. A demanding exercise that offers very good results.

Bird-dog in quadrupedia

Apparently a simple exercise whose difficulty lies in keeping the whole body aligned at the same time we elongate and maintain balance. From the quadruped position (on all fours, with hands just below the shoulders and knees just below the hips), with the spine in a neutral position, we raise opposing arms and legs in a straight line with our backs.

Eye with lifting the leg too much as this will cause our hips to rise to the side. The weight of the body should be located in the middle zone, activating the transverse of the abdomen and the internal musculature of this area to avoid falling to the ground. We can hold a few seconds in this position or add movement to the exercise by flexing the elbow and knee and bringing the limbs towards the center to extend them again.

You already have five exercises that you can do practically anywhere and that will help you strengthen the entire middle zone, which one is your favorite?