Strength Training
In addition to running, I’ve been trying to do some core and upper body work as well as some leg strengthening exercises. I’m not particularly looking to get ripped. I’m doing it for a few main reasons:
- Core and upper body strength helps running in a number of ways: balance, form, etc.
- On the days when I’m not running, I feel lazy. Getting in a workout makes me feel like I did something.
- OK, maybe a little to get ripped. I’d love to discover my inner six pack.
Here’s what I’ve been doing.
Abdominal exercises.
- Bridge: 1-3x 30 seconds
- Oblique bridge: 1-3x 30 seconds
- Supine Running: 3×10
- Hip Twist: 3×10
- Lying draw in with hip flexion: 3×10
- Traditional crunches: 3×20
- Twist crunches (elbow to opposite knee): 3×15
Most of these I got from this article.
Upper Body
- Pushups: 9
- Dumbbell curls: 3×10 w/15lbs
- Dumbbell bent over row: 3×20 w/15lbs
- Dumbbell lateral raise: 3×15 w/5lbs
- Dumbbell Lying triceps extension: 3×10 w/5lbs
- Dumbbell bench press: 3×10 w/10lbs
Most of those you can just do a search for. As you can see, not a lot of weight. Going for more reps. I’ll probably pick up some 25 lb dumbbells in the next week or two. I think I’m ready for more weight on the rows at least. The curls are still a challenge with 15 lbs and the rest still have a ways to go progressing through the weights I have. Anyway, this is just a snapshot. It’s constantly evolving. I’ll have more to say on the pushups next week. Also, I don’t have a bench, so the “bench presses” are really more “floor presses”. 
Leg work
- Squats: 3×12 (no weight)
- Leg extensions: 3×10 w/10lb ankle weights (sit straight in chair, raise one leg horizontally, back down, next leg)
- Side leg lifts: 3×15 (lie on side, raise upper leg, lower, 15x, switch sides)
These are mainly targeting the quads, which don’t always get as much of a workout from running as, say, the hamstring and calves do.
All told, this takes me close to an hour. I’ve actually stopped doing the bridges since they seem to aggravate a pulled muscle in my lower right back. I’m just going to let it heal thoroughly before I try again. Anyway, I’ve been posting my workouts on Daily Mile without a whole lot of detail about what I’m doing. I figured I’d write it up here, then can just link to this if anyone wants to know.
