by Amanda MacMillan | January 15, 2008 06:11 AM
Once a week I park myself in the living room, but it’s not to watch TV. For 30 minutes I cycle through six moves that will—hopefully—help improve the way I swing my arms, kick my legs, and plant my feet as I run.
I’m training for the Shamrock Half Marathon to be held in Virginia Beach in March with the help of Coach Mindy, owner and head coach of The Running Center. Yes, I’m still doing some real running during my thrice-weekly jogs. But I’ve also added these “Runditioning” exercises, which were developed by Coach Mindy to help improve running form and performance and to prevent injuries. Here’s a breakdown of my new regimen.
• "Running Arms": Holding five-pound hand weights, I stand with one leg in front of the other. Keeping my elbows bent at 90 degrees, I alternate my arms, swinging them forward and backward in controlled movements. I am careful not to cross in front of my body or let them flail out to the side.
• Leg Strengthening: I wrap a resistance band around my ankle and anchor the other end of the band to a couch leg. Facing away from the couch, I raise my leg up till the knee is bent to a 90-degree angle, 12 times per leg. Then I switch positions to face the couch and kick back, 12 times per leg.
• Balancing: I must simply balance on each leg for 30 seconds. Finally, something I’m good at! Since only one foot is touching the ground at a time when running, my body needs to get used to supporting all my weight on one leg. Coach Mindy taught me to use a balance board (shown at top left), but solid ground works too when I’m not at the gym.
It feels a little strange to use my couch as a training partner and to stand around on one leg in my living room, but if I stick with it, I should run more efficiently during the race.
And this isn’t the end of the indoor fun. At midnight on Saturday, for example, I’m hopping on a spin bike and will pedal away for an hour in the middle of Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal.
No, I’m not crazy. It’s part of New York Sports Clubs’ Saints and Spinners ride, for which they’ll set up 100 spin bikes for 24 hours. For $100 an hour you can donate or fund-raise for a great cause: Dr. Mehmet Oz’s HealthCorps charity, which educates schoolkids about nutrition and exercise.
I’ve never taken a spin class, so this should be interesting, to say the least. And you can still sign up. Maybe I’ll see you there!
Thanks for your comments, everyone. Interestingly, my running coach has advised against me doing squats or lunges. Distance running is hard enough on the knees, she says. Perhaps I'll explore the controvery in a later post.
Posted by: Amanda | January 24, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Interesting info
For balance - use a Bosu Balancer - I've found it to be great.
Agree with the earlier comment about trying squats which are great for a mid and lower body work out.
Also do crunches to help build abdominal and back muscles.
Best
Posted by: rahul verghese | January 23, 2008 at 02:15 AM
Being a repeat back surgery patient, I have had to almost completely stop running, a sport that I truly love.
Since I am always looking for low impact workouts to help keep me in shape for when I do have to run, I have to take a fitness test twice a year, I found your article and some of the follow-on comments very useful.
Thanks.
Posted by: joebrochin | January 22, 2008 at 12:06 PM
"Leg Strengthening: I wrap a resistance band around my ankle and anchor the other end of the band to a couch leg. Facing away from the couch, I raise my leg up till the knee is bent to a 90-degree angle, 12 times per leg..."
You would be better served by doing proper squats. With a squat, you engage the entire body, including cardiovascular if you do them quickly enough (see Tabata Interval http://www.leanandhungryfitness.com/content_show.cfm/content_id.20047)
The exercise you are doing doesn't have much of a functional real-world equivalent/benefit.
You might also try Samson stretching: http://www.dietsite.com/dt/exerciseplanner/stretch13.asp
Posted by: Andrew | January 21, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Another good indoor exercise to simulate a small hill workout is to march in place and raising your knees high as you do so. This way the quads get some extra exercise.
Posted by: Peter | January 20, 2008 at 08:56 AM
I'm sorry but nothing prepares you as much for running as does...well...running. Other excercises are important but never as a substitute, that is, unless an injury is present. How about a quote from Once A Runner?
"And too there were questions: What did he eat? Did he believe in isometrics? Isotonics? Ice and heat? How about aerobics, est, ESP, STP? What did he have to say about yoga, yogurt, Yogi Berra? What was his pulse rate, his blood pressure, his time for the 100-yard dash? What was the secret, they wanted to know; in a thousand different ways they wanted to know The Secret. And not one of them was prepared, truly prepared to believe that it had not so much to do with chemicals and zippy mental tricks as with that most unprofound and sometimes heart-rending process of removing, molecule by molecule, the very tough rubber that comprised the bottoms of his training shoes. The Trial of Miles, Miles of Trials. How could they be expected to understand that?"
Posted by: Sam | January 19, 2008 at 04:26 PM
Thanks for stopping by my blog the other day. Your postings are interesting, although they do get me into trouble occasionally. For example, it's been difficult to explain to my coworkers why exactly, I'm standing around the office on one leg or the other on such a regular basis.
Posted by: Adam | January 19, 2008 at 05:46 AM
Why would anyone NOT want to leave their house for the beautiful outdoors?
On a rainy day, YES. In the winter YES. But, when I drive by the gym, on those beautiful summer, spring or fall days, and see the "runners" walkers" and bikers I feel so sorry for what they are missing outdoors.
Posted by: Ruth | January 19, 2008 at 04:54 AM
Interesting site. Thanks for the comment. I too do some of these exercises. If balancing for 30 sec on each leg is becoming too easy, try shaking your head side to side or even move your torso around and continue to maintain balance... got that from the Physical Therapy guy. Good luck :)
Posted by: Nancy | January 15, 2008 at 06:35 PM
Great site Amanda, et al!
This has the looks of a site where I will learn quite a bit and visit often! Thanks for cluing me in to it's whereabouts and leaving me your comment my blog earlier!
You have a new subscriber.
Posted by: Bill | January 15, 2008 at 04:37 PM
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I have been having fun reading yours as well. Your coach sounds like she has some interesting stuff for you to do. Thanks for sharing the "runditioning"!
Posted by: Jenny | January 15, 2008 at 04:15 PM
Amanda, thanks for the heads-up! I'm considering registering either for Fri at 6 PM, so I can spin with Bill from The Biggest Loser, or Fri at 9 PM with Kwame Jackson from the Apprentice. Can you tell I love my competitive reality TV shows? :)
Also, I'm looking forward to trying some of the exercises you mentioned.
Posted by: Laura | January 15, 2008 at 12:36 PM