Exercises to increase leg strength

Many people think that running is just about running as hard as you can, but running requires skills, and the person's leg strength also needs to be sufficient. If the leg strength is not in place, there will be a lot of trouble and burden. So everyone needs to pay attention. You must exercise your leg strength during the running process. Only in this way can you achieve the most critical and effective method, and the running process will become easier.

1. Squat training is not specialized enough for running

Running is a whole-body exercise, so the upper limbs, waist, abdomen and lower limbs all need certain strength training. The lower limbs are of course the focus of running strength training. The two lower limb strength training movements that runners are most familiar with are squats and wall squats.

For beginners, the above two movements can improve strength, but for mature runners, the effects of the above two movements are very limited. Why do you say that?

Because the movement patterns of squatting and wall squatting are very different from running, wall squatting is a static exercise, while running is a dynamic activity; in addition, squatting is a symmetrical movement pattern of both legs, while running is an alternating movement of both feet, which is an asymmetrical movement pattern. Therefore, the squatting movement pattern does not conform to the characteristics of running movements, and squatting to train strength is not "specialized" enough. In other words, squatting belongs to general strength training, not special strength training for running. For runners, what you need is running-specific strength training.

2. Lunge training is more combined with running

Therefore, only strength training that simulates running movements is truly effective strength training. What are the core characteristics of running movements? That is to always use one leg to exert force, and alternately push back and swing forward with both legs.

Therefore, simulating the action of swinging one leg forward and pushing the other leg backward is the special strength training for running. What kind of strength training action can better simulate the running action? Another classic lower body strength training movement - the lunge exercise is more similar to running.

Therefore, we have reason to believe that lunge training is more effective than squats and wall squats, and is more helpful in improving running-specific strength.

3. Complete lunge training method

There are many variations of the lunge. How can you make the lunge more similar to running? The following set of movements provides a good method for runners.

Action 1: Lunge

Running integration: ☆☆☆☆★

Difficulty: ☆☆☆☆★

Applicable to: Beginner runners, runners with knee pain

Exercise value: It can be used by beginner runners to learn the movements, and it can also be used by runners with knee pain to exercise their legs without pain.

Move 2: Lunge

Running integration: ☆☆☆★★

Action difficulty: ☆☆☆★★

Applicable to: beginners and advanced runners.

Exercise value: This is the most classic lunge training, and this exercise also requires certain control of the body's center of gravity.

Move 3: Marching lunge

Running integration: ☆☆★★★

Action difficulty: ☆☆★★★

Suitable for: Advanced runners, senior runners

Exercise value: Running is a forward movement, so the marching lunge exercise is more combined with running. The marching lunge has higher requirements for body stability and control.