Ancient wisdom tells us that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Now this proverb applies beautifully to your running journey but what happens if that single step is a bit unstable, our left knee drops in a fraction or our right hip collapses too much?
Well, the average marathoner takes over 50000 steps to get to the finish line so that single wobbly step gets amplified enormously through the course of a race, not to mention the training block. Beware, injury awaits the unbalanced runner but all hope is not lost.
One of the most underrated and useful things a runner can do is to bulletproof their body by improving their single leg balance and stability.
Test yourself out now. Pop the shoes off and hold a single leg balance for 30sec (close your eyes if you’re in the expert category). There is always room to improve here!
Better stability will;
1. Improve Running Efficiency
Strong and coordinated stabilising muscles will help your body move more efficiently with less wasted motion and less wasted energy.
2. Help Prevent Injury
Weak stabiliser muscles increase the risk of patellofemoral pain, ITB syndrome and plantar fasciitis among many other common running complaints.
So, by improving the balance of that single step we’ll be more efficient on race day, reduce our injury risk and ultimately have a more consistent and enjoyable running experience. We don’t need Confucius to tell us that stability training is a no brainer!
Try adding a handful of the following exercises into your routine twice a week: 1. Single leg balance (do it while you’re brushing your teeth) 2. Single leg squat 3. Single leg calf raises 4. Side plank 5. Banded crab walk6. Walking on your toes / heels7. Bulgarian split squat8. One leg glute bridge
Happy Running!
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