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Stretches for Runners

Essential stretches to keep tight muscles at bay so you can enjoy
running without feeling restricted.

Ability to Counter Rotate the Trunk

(ref Joanne Elphinston)

The ability to counter rotate your upper and lower back (i.e upper back rotate left,
lower back rotate right) is a vital component of normal movement that is often lost
in endurance athletes, and has many adverse effects on performance, technique,
breathing and muscle function. The upper back is frequently stiff in endurance
athletes, and this will help prevent that.

 Sitting with feet on the floor, relaxed posture, hands on lap.
 Keep head still, and rotate through lower rib cage.
 Your shoulders will move as your ribs move, they shouldn’t be pulling you

into rotation.
 Do 20 times, little and often during the day; and for warm up.

Calf Stretches- gastrocnemius and soleus muscles

It is vital to have good calf length otherwise the foot can compensate, and foot function can be altered. Good
calf length is even more important in those with flexible feet. Tight calves will alter step length, calf function,
and activation of muscles down the back of the legs (the posterior chain) and can result in foot, calf and ankle
in injury.

Gastrocnemius

 Stand facing the wall, hands on the wall; feet shoulder width apart,
one foot in front of the other.

 The toes of the rear foot must be pointing forwards with the arch
lifted, and the rear knee straight.

 The heel must remain on the ground.
 Lean into the wall, keeping the rear knee straight.
 Hold 30 sec x 3

© Alison Rose CSPC

Gastrocnemius

This is a good alternative stretch for those with very flexible or very flat feet
 Stand facing the wall, hands on the wall, feet shoulder width apart.
 Feet pigeon toed, arches lifted, knees straight.
 Lean into the wall, keeping knees straight and arches up.
 The heels must remain on the ground.
 Hold 30 sec x 3

Soleus

 Stand facing the wall, one foot in front of the other, toes pointing forward
 Dip down, bending both knees. You should be able to get the knee about four

fingers width in front of the toes, if you dropped a plumb line down from the
knee.
 The heel must remain on the ground.
 It is the rear foot that is the one being stretched.

Quadriceps (front of thigh)

This is important, as tight quads will rotate the pelvis anteriorly and can put stress on the back and hamstrings.
If one quad is much tighter than the other it can result in rotation through the pelvis.

 Lying on your side, bottom knee drawn up level with hips.
 Tighten your abdominals, and flatten back.
 Start with the top thigh in front of the pelvis. Hold top ankle so

that the heel is touching your buttock.
 Keeping your back flat, and your heel touching your buttock,

pull top leg back behind you until a good stretch is felt in front
of thigh
 Keep the knee lower than hip.
 Hold 30 seconds x 3
 If you have problems with your knee, hold the foot with a
towel, and don’t take the heel to your buttock.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Hip Flexors

 Start in a lunge position, with the front knee at
90°, and the rear knee on the floor.

 Hips should be square, abdominal muscles
drawn in.

 Take weight forward onto the front leg,
maintaining the alignment of the pelvis.

 Put the hand on the side of the rear leg out in a
stop sign(elbow at 90 °, at shoulder height).

 Side flex towards the opposite side ( ie towards
the front leg side).

 Rotate back to the side of the rear leg- you
should feel the stretch in the front of the hip.

 Hold 30 sec x3

Gluts Stretches

 Sit on chair.
 Perfect posture, with good lumbar arch (lordosis).
 Cross one leg over the other, putting the foot on the outside of the thigh.
 Maintaining posture, pull the crossed knee towards the chest to feel stretch in buttock.
 Hold 30 sec x 3.
 If doing this stretch on the floor, have one leg straight out in front of you, cross the other leg over the

thigh. Sit with good posture and bring the knee to your chest.
 The chair stretch is better if you have tight hamstrings. It is important to maintain good posture.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Hamstrings

This stretch is important as it will allow full extension of the leg, whilst allowing the
spine to stay in neutral. Very important for runners.

 Sitting on chair.
 Perfect posture, with good lumbar arch (lordosis).
 Slowly straighten one leg, maintaining perfect posture.
 Full stretch is the point just before the back starts to lose its lordosis.
 Hold 30 seconds x 5

Raised Pec Stretch

Important for runners as tight pectoral muscles (or “pecs”) will alter arm carriage and change how the thorax
moves when running, therefore reducing general efficiency. Tight pecs can also result in rounded shoulders,
and therefore breathing issues and alter the balance of strength around the thorax and upper body.

 Stand facing the wall, arm out to the side with the elbow at
90 degrees and at shoulder height.

 Turn chest and rib cage away from the wall / arm, keeping
the front of the shoulder close to the wall. Feel the stretch
in the front of the shoulder.

 Repeat 1. with the elbow at shoulder height, and
2. with the elbow just above shoulder height.

 Hold both stretches for 30 sec x2

© Alison Rose CSPC

Latissimus Dorsi Stretch

Adequate latissimus dorsi (“lats”) length is important because the lats run from the lower back into the
shoulder. Short lats can cause tightness in the lower back and also alter arm position, and the position of the
thorax. This is particularly important in those that swim and cycle as well as run, or perform activities involving
the arms being above the head, for example in the gym or at work.

 Lie on your back, with knees bent up and the back relaxed, flat on floor.
 Arms out to the side, elbows bent at 90° and palms up to the ceiling. Forearms should be touching the

floor.
 Keeping the forearms on the floor, slide the arms up past your ears, above your head. Keep back flat

on the floor.
 Repeat 5 to 10 times

Iliocostalis stretch

Iliocostalis are a group of muscles that run from the back of the pelvis and the sacrum and attach onto the
ribs. They can get very tight in runners for a variety of reasons, and will then affect breathing and thoracic
rotation, as well as pelvic alignment.

 Stand with your hands on the wall, or on the
side of a table. Hands should be in line with your
hips.

 Walk your feet backwards until your hips are
square and your arms are straight. Your back
should be parallel to the floor.

 To stretch the right side, put your right hand
onto the left one, and without moving your feet,
take your pelvis towards the left. Your ribs and
pelvis should be curved into a C shape, and you
should feel the stretch down the right side of
your rib cage. Breathe five times, relaxing
through the rib cage and the area being
stretched.

 Repeat to the other side

© Alison Rose CSPC

Thoracic and Intercostal muscle stretch

The intercostal muscles lie between the ribs and can get very tight. They may tighten up if the runner has poor
posture, poor balance, or reduced strength and stability, as they tighten to try to add stability into the system.
This can result in poor mobility of the thorax, poor running technique and reduced ability to breathe. These
muscles can also tighten up in those who are asthmatic.

 Kneel down facing a wall, low table or chair. Place your left leg
out to the side, and straighten pelvis so it is pointing forwards.

 Put your left hand on the wall or table, and reach up with your
right arm, and feel the gaps between your ribs widen.

 Reach over toward your left, opening out through the ribs.
Breathe five times.

 Repeat to the other side.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Self help for runners

Self-massage techniques will teach you the skills to release tight
muscles and help prevent discomfort from taking the enjoyment out of
your running! If an injury does creep in, we have advice to get you back
as quickly as possible covered too.

Self massage with a foam roller

Quadriceps

Face-down with both thighs resting on top of the foam roller. Support
yourself on your elbows and forearms, and keep your abdominal and
back muscles tight to stabilize your spine. Roll slowly back and forth on
the roller, from just above your knees to just below your hips, and pause
at any spot that feels especially tender. Increase the effectiveness of this
by bending and straightening the knee. This will also help to mobilise
different layers of muscle.

IT Band

On your side, with your lower leg extended & on top of the foam roller &
your upper leg bent with your foot firmly on the floor. Support your
upper body on one elbow and forearm. Keep your abdominal and back
muscles tight to stabilize your spine. Roll up and down the outside of
your leg. Bend and straighten your knee.

Glute / Piriformis

Sit on the centre of the foam roller, with one foot crossed to the
opposite knee. Place one or both hands on the floor behind you to
support your upper body. Slowly rock and roll the glute of your bent leg.
Then switch leg positions to roll the opposite glute and pause at any spot
that feels especially tender.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Hamstring

Sit with back of your thighs on top of the foam roller and both hands on the
floor behind you. Roll your hamstrings from just above your knees to just
below your pelvis and pause at any spot that feels especially tender.

Calf

Take a position same as hamstring exercise, except with your calves instead
of your hamstrings on top of the foam roller. Roll from just above your
ankles to just below your knees, and pause at any spot that feels especially
tender. Pull your foot up and down to increase the mobility of the tissues
and work through the layers of the muscle.

Upper Back

Position same as lower back exercise, except with your upper back on top
of the foam roller. Keep your abdominal muscles tight and your head, neck
& lumbar spine in a neutral position. Roll slowly from the lower edge to the
top of your rib cage. Do NOT roll onto your neck.

Lower Back

Face-up, with your lower back on the foam roller, both knees bent, and
feet flat on the floor. Keep your abdominal muscles tight to support your
upper body and stabilize your spine, keep your spine in a neutral position.
Look straight ahead and keep your head and neck in a neutral position. Roll
from just above your hips to just below your lower ribs.

Tibialis Anterior

Position the foam roller on the front of your shin, off the bone. Roll slowly
up and down the muscle. You can also hold your position and flex your toes
forward and backwards on areas that are tighter along the tibialis anterior.

Adductor

Lie face-down, support yourself on your elbows and forearms, and keep your abdominal and back muscles
tight to stabilize your spine. Place the inner thigh of one leg on the top of the foam roller. With the knee bent
roll the roller back and forth along the length of your adductors by slowly moving your hips. Bend and
straighten your knee.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL)

Position the foam roller on the outside of your hip and roll along the TFL.
You can also hold the position that you are in and rock forward and back.

Self Help Massage with the Peanut

The peanut is probably one of the best items to have in your self-help armoury.
To make one for yourself, you will need two tennis balls and a roll of thin electrical tape.

Hold the two tennis balls together, and using the electrical tape,
wind around the two tennis balls lengthwise, overlapping each
piece by half a width of tape, each time you pass the tape around
the tennis balls. Continue this until the tennis balls are
completely covered in tape, and they should now look like a
peanut. Cut the end of the tape, and then put another few
rounds of tape around the “waist” of the peanut.

Back muscles

The muscles up and down the sides of the spine, the erector spinae, are tight in most people, due to the fact
they are difficult to stretch, and from our modern day lifestyles. They can also tighten because they can be
weak and long in most people. There are also muscles between the shoulder blades, the rhomboids and
trapezius muscles, which layer on top of the erector spinae and can also get very tight.

1. To loosen these muscles using the peanut, lie on the floor, with the peanut between your shoulder
blades. Have your knees bent up, and use your legs to move your body so you can roll the peanut up
and down the muscles alongside the spine from just above the lowest ribs, right up to the top of your
shoulder blades.

2. To further loosen the muscles between your shoulder blades, lie on your back with the knees bent up
and with the peanut between your shoulder blades. You can open out your arms at the shoulders, with
the elbows at 90 degrees and the palms pointing towards the ceiling. Slide the arms along the floor,
and past your ears, to allow sliding of the muscle layers and lengthening of the muscles.

3. In the same position as above, have your arms straight, with the hands by your hips, palms facing the
ceiling. Take your arms up and over your head, and at the end point reach and lengthen as far as you
can through your fingertips.

Do these techniques until you feel the muscles have loosened or lengthened. It is not necessary to spend more
than five minutes doing this regularly. If the muscles are very tight, then it would be more advisable to do this
in stages over a number of weeks.

This can also be done leaning on the peanut against the wall.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Self Help Massage with a Ball

A tennis ball, Orb Ball (a slightly larger, 5 inch diameter, slightly harder ball), an Omni massage roller (flat base,
with a ball that moves within the base) or a dog ball are all ideal for getting into various areas that are harder
to stretch. Do not overdo the techniques. You are aiming to loosen the muscles and keep them mobile, and
not cause bruising and irritation of the tissues and nerves.

Hips and gluts

To get into the side of your gluts and the front of your hip, lie on
your side with the ball under the area you want to work on. Relax
the muscles you are trying to effect, and allow the ball to sink
deeper into the muscles. You can flex and extend the hip to gain
greater range and allow the muscle tissues to lengthen.

This can also be done in standing, leaning on the wall, with the ball between your hip and the wall. It can be
useful to put the ball in a sock, so you can hold onto the sock, to stop it rolling away or falling onto the floor.
This is quite a useful technique to gain greater hip extension and to lengthen out the TFL, and tight glut
muscles in the front of the hip.

Be careful if using the ball into the back of the buttock. The sciatic nerve runs right down through the middle
of the buttock and it is not a good idea to roll directly on top of this, as it is possible to cause damage. If you
experience a strong nerve type of pain, move the ball away from the area.

You physio may show you other areas, that they would like you to concentrate on.

Feet

The feet are a much neglected area by all of us and yet they work incredibly hard for us. They take a
hammering through life, on a daily basis, depending on what shoes we wear and how much standing or sitting
we do during the day. They need to hold us up, and have to cope with enormous forces going through them.
The deep flexors (muscles that hold your arches up, and curl your toes) start in the calf and the tendons run
through the feet. There are many other muscles in the feet that support the structure of our feet and these
are multi-layered. There are nerves that pass through the feet, which need to slide and glide through the feet
for good function. Our feet need to be mobile enough to absorb shock and then need to be able to form a
lever, using the foot muscles and the shape of the bones, to allow us to push off the foot and give us
propulsion. They are very clever! These techniques can also be used before running to wake up the feet.

Place the ball on the floor.
1. Stand and simply roll the ball along the sole of the foot, making
sure you include the inside and outside of the foot, and run
from the back of the foot, just in front of the heel bone towards
the toes.
2. As above, but as you roll the ball forward and back spread the
toes out and up towards the ceiling.
3. As above, but roll the ball from side to side across the underside of the foot.

© Alison Rose CSPC

4. With the ball under the sole of the foot, bend the knee as if you are doing a bent knee calf stretch.
5. With the ball under the sole of the foot, lean on the wall as if doing a straight leg stretch.

This does not need to take more than a few minutes per foot for the full series.

If your feet are very sensitive, do these techniques whilst you are sitting in a chair.

Calf muscles

1. Sit on the floor, with your legs outstretched, and the ball
under the calf. Work the ball up and down the calf, pulling
the foot up and down, and working from the inside to the
outside of the calf. Putting the other leg on top of the leg
you are working on, will increase pressure through the
calf. If your hamstrings are very tight, it may be necessary
to sit on a cushion.

2. To reach the deeper calf muscles, lie on your back with
the knees bent up and the lower leg up on the seat of a
chair.

3. Place the ball under the calf, and work the ball up and
down the calf, pulling the foot up and down, and working
from the inside to the outside of the calf. Putting the
other leg on top of the leg you are working on, will
increase pressure through the calf.

Pectoral muscles

These are the muscles at the front of the shoulders, which can get very tight in runners and through modern
life style. When tight, they can contribute to altered arm swing, rounded shoulders and poor posture, which in
turn can affect how well (or not) we breathe. The deeper pectoral muscle, the pectoralis minor muscle, can be
very difficult to stretch and mobilise.

This is most easily done by placing the ball on the edge of a door frame and sinking the front of the shoulder
into the ball. There is a small bony bump just under your collarbone, and a few centimetres in from the
shoulder joint. Place the ball on the inside of this bony bump (on the sternum side), into the muscles there.
From here, if you are very tight, slowly sink the ball into the muscle. You can then take the arm backwards to
lengthen through the muscle. Again there are nerves in this area, so just take care how much pressure you are
adding.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Running, Cross training, Running volumes, Injury

Running is a repetitive sport by nature. Impact forces are the forces that are absorbed when the foot strikes
the ground. During walking, the foot striking the ground creates an impact force of 1-1.5 times body weight
per step. Running increases this to 3-4 times body weight. Jumping and ballistic activities can increase impact
forces to up to ten times body weight. Running is therefore one of the sports that can result in injury, more so
than less impactful sports like swimming and cycling. Being strong enough and stable enough to cope with
what you are asking your body to do is very important for runners, and it is important to try to maintain a level
of conditioning to enable you to hold your technique whilst running.

Running off road and on softer surfaces like good grass or canal paths will reduce the impact on your legs and
joints and is much more forgiving than tarmac. If it is very muddy, and it is hard to maintain form, then this
can cause issues of its own in terms of how your body compensates to stay upright, especially if you have
issues with balance and control. Cement is the hardest surface to run on, far harder than tarmac.

IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO PREVENT OR MINIMISE INJURY, RATHER THAN HAVING TO BACK RIGHT OFF AND
BUILD EVERYTHING BACK UP AGAIN

MOT

It is always worth checking in with a physiotherapist who works with sports people every so often, to get
checked out to make sure you aren’t building bad habits, and to add in any other injury prevention
progressions. We tend to spend more on our cars than on keeping our bodies healthy, but it is definitely worth
maintaining a healthy body for what we want it to do.

Building volume

It is recommended that runners do not increase their volume by more than 10% per week. I would also not
recommend that runners, particularly if they are novices, increase more than one thing per week. For
example, I would not suggest that you increase the amount of speed work and total volume of miles in a
week.

Recovery days

Often forgotten as a vital part of training, but rest days are when your body is able to adapt to the training you
are putting it through. Don’t skimp on these and don’t try to make up for lost time.

Nutrition

Remember that our bodies need good fuel and fluids to keep going, just like any other machine! You wouldn’t
run a car without good fuel, so you shouldn’t do that with your body. If you aren’t sure what to eat, do seek
the advice of an SENr registered sports nutritionist. An SENr practitioner is Sports and Exercise Nutrition
registered.

Ways of increasing and building running volume and speed

Just going out and plodding around the streets can be dull for most of us. It may also not be the most effective
way to get fit. For those that lack fitness, or only have the strength or the time to run short distances, it may
be beneficial to be creative with what you do during a run.

© Alison Rose CSPC

For example a 30 minute space of time could consist of:

 A 30 minute run
 Running 3 minutes on, 60 seconds walking, 7 times through, focussing on technique
 Warm up 5 minutes, 10 x 60 seconds faster running with 30-60 seconds break, warm down for 5

minutes
 Warm up 5 minutes, 6-10 fast runs up a hill (speed and distance will vary with the size of the incline of

the hill), walk/jog back down to recover, 5 minutes warm down.
 Warm up for 5 minutes, 6-10 times run up a sets of steps in the woods etc, and walk back down to

recover, 5 minutes warm down
 Warm up for 5 minutes, run at a faster pace for 15-20 minutes (or break this down into 4 x 5 minutes

at faster pace etc), and warm down for 5 minutes.

Training Diary

Definitely worth having, even if it is just on a piece of paper that allows you to see what you have done over
the previous few weeks, and to help you plan. The reason for seeing what you have done in the previous
weeks, is so that it is possible to see changes in volume and how you have built things up. It is also useful for
recording new shoes, illness, stress at work, house moves and anything else that may affect training. If you do
get injured, it may be that this training diary that points out why.

Event Training

If planning for an event, plan out in advance what you would like to do. This gives you the greatest chance for
success and will enable you to stand on the start line with the knowledge that you have done as much as you
have – or if necessary to stop and plan again if things haven’t gone the way you wanted them to.
If planning for an event like the marathon (or another race), it is a good idea to have a twelve to sixteen week
plan, and put in key points, like race day itself, the days that you will want to taper, other events you may have
decided to do on the way to the big event as preparation, rest days, and key long runs or sessions, making sure
they are not too close to the event. This type of planning will enable you to pre plan and hopefully avoid panic.

Calf muscle strength

It is also important to be aware of the strength of your muscles and whether they can cope with what you are
asking your legs to do.

Calf muscles are some of the most important muscles for any runner, and calf strength and activation is vital.
Runners should be able to do 3 sets of 20-25 calf raises, straight knee and bent knee (gastrocnemius and
soleus muscles raises) to be able to run most safely. As a physio, I would be restricting the volume of running
done by runners who are not strong enough. Inadequate calf strength results in reduced ability to absorb
impact forces and the impact of hitting the floor, and it also changes the ability to push through the foot to
propel the body forward when running. This results in having to use a series of the wrong muscles to run with,
for example more use of hip flexors to lift the legs forward, which can result in poor performance at best and
injury at worst.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Research by Prof Paul DeVita (Medicine & Science in Sports &Exercise) has shown that muscles in the lower
leg and foot are prone to much less activation and power in the over 40s. They also suggest that with each
passing decade there is a 20% drop in stride length and speed. Aging athletes push off the ground less
powerfully with each stride. The suggestion from this research was to strengthen calves & feet to offset injury
and maintain speed.

If you are training for a marathon and discover you have inadequate muscle strength, particularly in the
calves, it is important to build strength while you are training, but also to monitor volume of training. It may
be that you have to supplement your running training with cross training to gain fitness while you build
strength in weak muscles.

Cross Training

Cross training for runners involves any activity that does not involve running. This can be swimming, aqua
jogging, step machines, and cross trainers/elliptical trainers. They can be used as mentioned above to build
fitness safely while coming back from injury, building strength, and also can be used to manage the volume of
running training.

Being injured does not necessarily mean that you will be unable to train. It may be that you need to cross train
for a period of time to allow an injury to settle. This enables you to keep fit while doing rehabilitation and
addressing the causes of injury.

Injury

Injury is the plague of all runners. Do not just try to run through injury, but equally it may not be that you need
to rest fully. A number of people stop running all together hoping that rest will help, only to discover that the
injury returns immediately on starting to run again. It is important to know why the injury has happened in the
first place, and it is worth having a good think about this. It may be a new pair of shoes that doesn’t suit your
feet, an increase in volume or a change in terrain. If an injury doesn’t settle within a week or so, it is worth
seeing a physio who knows runners, to work out the cause of the injury, and to address this, so that you can
get back to running as quickly as possible. Resting an injury is rarely the only thing that can be done, and it is
important to get the right advice from a physiotherapist who works with sports people.

RICE

Most athletes know these initials which apply to addressing acute injury.
R-Rest the affected part. This may mean sitting with the leg up, or using crutches and or a boot to fully off load
the area. If this is needed, see a physio.
I-Ice the area. It is better to ice for a maximum of 10 minutes, every 60-90 minutes, than to apply ice for a
prolonged period of time, due to the effect on circulation. If the injury is very superficial ( ie close to the skin)
or over a bony area, ice should be applied for less time. Apply the ice through a wet flannel, to avoid ice burns,
and never sit on an ice pack.
C-Compress the area if there is swelling, to minimise the amount of swelling.
E- Elevate the injured limb, to help reduce swelling.
Do not use ibuprofen, as this affects healing. Do not use aspirin as this can increase bleeding in an area of
injury.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Trainers

Choose the right trainers for your foot type and that feel good for you to run in. If you wear orthotics, take
them with you to try on shoes, and usually you will need to remove the inner sole of the trainer, especially if it
is thick and has a high arch, to enable the best fit for the orthotic. Noene make a flat, lightweight insole, which
is great to go under an orthotic. Keep an eye on how much mileage you are doing in the shoes, 300-500 miles
is a general maximum, depending on technique and surfaces run on.
If the trainers have a high heel tab, cut it off, especially if you have had trouble with your Achilles. It will not
affect the performance of the shoe, as long as you don’t cut it too low, and may well save you a miserable
number of weeks.

Orthotics

Feet are meant to work in certain ways for optimum function. They need to flatten slightly-or pronate- when
striking the ground, in order to absorb shock. They should then be able supinate, which is when the arch lifts
slightly and the bones “wind together” to form a stronger and more supportive foot, which along with the
muscles in the foot and calf, forms an effective lever for propulsion. Both pronation and supination are normal
and vital components of foot function. Over-pronation or when the foot flattens too far, and remains in the
flattened position, can place a large amount of stress on the bones, the ligaments between the bones, the
tendons and the muscles in the foot and calf. An over-pronated foot is an ineffective lever, and although foot
strengthening and physiotherapy correction of the foot can be done, there are times when an orthotic will be
necessary to improve foot function, in the same way as using glasses to correct poor eyesight. A good orthotic
should still allow adequate pronation for shock absorption, but prevent the foot falling into over-pronation. It
should then help your foot to supinate into the right position to allow the muscles in your foot and calf to
work to help propel you forward. The correct orthotic should help your muscles to work more effectively, and
therefore they should become stronger. A good orthotic should also relieve stress on the bones, ligaments and
tendons. Poor foot function will alter and reduce the function of the entire lower limb, which will have a huge
effect on running and walking, and is a major cause of injury.

When choosing a podiatrist, go on recommendation and choose one who works with runners!

Sports bras

Ladies, a normal bra is not good enough to run in. Shop around, but possibly the best sports bra for running in
is the Shock Absorber Ultimate Run Bra. A good sports bra, will not only minimise bounce when running, but in
supporting the bust, will also help to support the muscles in the upper back and shoulders and can help
reduce back, shoulder and neck pain. Very important!

© Alison Rose CSPC

Breathing

Surprisingly, many runners do not breathe well which is an issue for training, performance and recovery. Many
people, both runners and non-runners breathe through only a fraction of their lungs. Often, people can
breathe too much through the top of the rib cage, and underuse the lower part. This can be through habit,
tightness in the muscles in and around the thorax, or from fixing with the diaphragm, to help with balance. All
strength exercises and drills should be done breathing well to train good habits and prevent fixation through
the rib cage.
Breathing exercises can be done lying down with the knees bent; sitting in a chair, in front of a mirror until the
correct technique is achieved, and eventually standing up and during exercises. It is important the correct
technique is used. It can be too difficult for some people to breathe well in the sitting position, in which case
the exercises should be done lying down initially and progressed to the upright position when able.
To inhale, the lower rib cage should widen and expand first. The upper ribs should not be the first area to
expand, but will do so further into the breath. Exhalation should be fairly passive under the weight of the rib
cage and should be a full but not forced expiration. This will then allow a full inspiration to occur.
If you are aware that you have a dysfunctional breathing pattern, and have addressed any medical issues with
your doctor, then it is worth seeing a physiotherapist as poor alignment, tight muscles, poor posture and bad
breathing habits can be causing the issues experienced, and are easily addressed.
Do a maximum of 4 breaths at a time as breathing deeply can make you dizzy, and do not do them in the car
for that reason!

© Alison Rose CSPC

Strength and Conditioning for Runners

Essential exercises to ensure your muscles are firing on all cylinders to
prepare your body to feel good when you run and help prevent niggles
stopping you in your tracks.

Calf Strength

Calf muscles are some of the most important muscles for any runner. Runners should be able to do a
minimum of 3 sets of 20-25 calf raises, bent knee and straight knee (gastrocnemius and soleus muscles raises)
to be able to run most safely.
Inadequate calf strength results in reduced ability to absorb the impact of hitting the floor, and it also changes
the ability to push through the foot to propel the body forward when running. This results in having to use a
series of the wrong muscles to run with, for example excessive use of hip flexors to lift the legs forward, which
can result in poor performance at best and injury at worst.

Gastrocnemius Raises (straight knee)

 Stand on edge of step on one leg with knee straight.
 Fingers on wall for balance.
 Lift the heel up and down, going onto the toes, keeping the knee

straight, lifting the heel as high as you can.
 Go through full range with a smooth movement.
 Build up to 3 X 25.
 Do daily after running.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Soleus Raises (deep calf)

 Stand facing the wall, on one leg with the knee bent.
 Keep the knee over second toe at all times.
 Without moving hips, lift heel off floor and go onto toes, then lower.
 Do not let knee fall in.
 Go through full range, lifting the heel as high as you can, aiming for

smooth movement.
 Build up to 3 x 25.
 Do daily after running.

For more of a challenge...
If either exercise is too difficult to do on one leg initially start on two legs, and progress to single leg raises.
If either of these exercises becomes too easy, you can make it more plyometric on alternate days by
increasing the speed on the way upwards, or by using weights added to a rucksack.

Abductor Strengthening

Abductor muscles (down the outside of the hip) are important to stabilise the pelvis and keep the pelvis level
when standing on one leg. If one side is weak, the swing phase of the opposite leg can be affected as the pelvis
drops, and muscles around the trunk can compensate affecting movement and breathing.

 Lie on your side, with the bottom knee bent up, and the top leg straight. The top knee should be just
behind the hip (you shouldn’t be able to see it).

 Lift and lengthen the waist so there is a small gap between floor and your waist, and your spine is
straight.

 Lengthen through top hip by pushing top heel away from your head.
 Raise and lower top leg to hip height from the HIP JOINT ONLY, keeping waist long (DON’T HITCH HIP).
 Don’t push bottom leg into floor.
 2 x 30 secs of repetitions with the toes pointing forward, and the knee behind the hip.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Dynamic Balance

Good functional balance is important in all sports. A good test for assessing
functional balance is to stand on one leg and turn the head from side to side,
saying the days of the week out loud, making sure you aren’t screwing up your
toes.

Other things to avoid are clenching your fists or jaw, or squeezing down with your
arms.

By turning the head, speaking and breathing, you are training your balance
reactions without using non-functional bracing strategies.

This is good to do on a daily basis, building to 30 seconds at a time.
(ref Joanne Elphinston, JEMS)

Squats and hip folds onto a chair

Ideally the hips should flex (fold) equally and straight ( ie not veering off to
one side or the other). One hip may stop folding at a certain point in the
range which will have an effect on spinal and pelvis alignment when sitting,
standing and walking.

This is a good corrective exercise to do, to encourage equal hip flexion and
gluts length, and to maintain functional range of the hips for movement and
sitting. It is also good for training the movement pattern required to squat
as a strengthening exercise.

From a standing position, relax gluts and fold at the hip joints, taking the
sitting bones down equally towards the floor.

It may help to have a chair behind you to give you somewhere to aim for and so that your brain doesn’t fear
the movement. Push your feet into the floor to get back to the start position, as this then helps to activate the
gluts.

This may be done with greater numbers of repetitions
for strengthening or as an exercise done more
frequently during the day, with fewer repetitions (ie 5-
10) to improve hip position and hip mobility. It can also
be done with a Swiss ball behind your back to allow
better hip mobility.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Gluts Strength - Shoulder Bridge

The gluteal (buttock) muscles are important for runners for
stability of the pelvis and for power and propulsion when
running.

Start position: Lying on your back, with the knees bent up. Draw
in your lower stomach muscles.

Level 1
 INHALE to prepare, draw in your lower stomach muscles.
 As you EXHALE, push your feet into the floor to engage
your buttock muscles, and lift your pelvis in the air,
without arching your back
 INHALE and hold the shoulder bridge position
 EXHALE, and return to the start position by folding your
hips.
Reps: 3 sets of 10 reps

Level 2
 INHALE to prepare, and draw in your lower stomach
muscles
 As you EXHALE, push your feet into the floor to engage
your buttock muscles, and lift your pelvis in the air,
without arching your back.
 INHALE and hold the shoulder bridge position
 As you EXHALE, lift the left foot off the floor and
straighten the knee, keeping the pelvis LEVEL.
 INHALE and bend the knee to place the foot back on the
mat.
 EXHALE and return to the start position by folding your hips.
 Repeat alternating legs and allowing your spine to return
to the mat in between shoulder bridges.
 Progress by extending each leg before lowering the pelvis.
 It is important to maintain a level pelvis.
Reps: 10 on each leg

Build to 3 sets of 10, for whichever is your appropriate level.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Leg Slides

Help to train abdominal strength and control of the pelvis when
moving the legs.

Start position: Lying on your back, with the knees bent up. Draw
in your lower stomach muscles.

Level 1
 INHALE to prepare, draw in the lower stomach muscles.
 As you EXHALE, slide your left heel along the floor as you
straighten the leg, maintaining a level pelvis
 As you INHALE, slide your left heel back along the floor
towards your hip, as you bend the knee.
 The pelvis should remain level throughout the movement.

Repeat alternating legs
Reps: 10 with each leg. Do three sets.
Progressions-

1. Lift and lower each foot alternately, taking the leg to table top position and back to the floor. Table
top position is where the hip and knee are at 90º, with the lower leg parallel to the floor.

2. Straightening the leg out at 45º towards the ceiling.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Four point kneeling

Trains core and back muscle strength and rotational control of the trunk and pelvis, while moving the arms
and legs.

Start position: On all fours, on your hands and knees. Your knees should be directly under your hips, and your
hands under your shoulders. Elbows are soft and the creases of your elbows should point towards each other.
The head and neck should be in alignment with your spine. The spine should be long in a ‘tabletop’ position.
If a broom stick was placed along your back, it should touch your sacrum (the bottom of your back), between
your shoulder blades and the back of your head.

Exercise 1 – Rotational control of the trunk.
 INHALE and draw in your lower stomach muscles.
 Lift your right hand and left lower leg 1cm off the floor. Maintain a stable spine while you breathe normally.
 Repeat on opposite side
 Repeat up to 10 times each side, holding for up to 10 seconds each. The aim is to build strength to maintain
stability of the spine at a low load ( aiming for no wobbling through the spine)

Exercise 2- Rotational control of the trunk, and gluts, hamstrings and back muscle strength
 INHALE and draw in your lower stomach muscles.
 As you EXHALE, reach your left arm forwards off the mat. Simultaneously slide the opposite foot along
the floor away from the body, and continue to reach with the leg, lifting it off the mat. Maintain a
stable pelvis and trunk
 INHALE and bring the arm and leg back to the start position.
 Repeat alternating arms and legs.
Reps: 10 on each side, do 3 sets

Tips
 Imagine balancing a drinks tray on you lower back to avoid rocking sideways.
 Imagine reaching through the arms and legs to reach the wall at each end of the room.
 Have someone place a broomstick along your spine as described above.

Build to 3 sets of 10 of one or both exercises

© Alison Rose CSPC

Leg swings on a step

A very simple but excellent exercise that covers many bases! It can help to identify co-ordination and balance
problems, trunk control and ability to move different parts of the body separately. It is very specific for
anyone who runs or walks!
Stand with one foot on the edge of a step. Stand with relaxed, good posture. Swing the hanging leg, and swing
the arms in time. Make sure it is opposite arm and leg you are swinging in time with each other. Continue to
breathe. Keep the toes of the stance leg relaxed.
Try to do this exercise for repetitions of 30 seconds.
Progressions are to swing the arms and legs like you are running (figure 2)

© Alison Rose CSPC

Bent knee fall out –
For rotational control of the trunk and abdominal strength.

Start position: Lying on your back, with the knees bent up, feet hip
width apart. Draw in your lower stomach muscles
Level 1

 INHALE as you draw the lower stomach muscles in. Place your
fingers on your hip bones.

 EXHALE as you take your right knee away from the other one,
keeping your foot on the floor.

 Your pelvis should remain level, with the hip bones pointing up
to the ceiling. The static leg should remain still.

 INHALE as you bring the right leg back inwards to the start
position.

 Repeat with alternating legs.
3 sets of 10

© Alison Rose CSPC

Hip flexor strength

The hip flexors are important for hip stability, and for lifting the knees when running. This exercise also helps
to build trunk strength and stability, which is also very important for runners.

 Sit on a chair, tall through the trunk with good posture.
 Maintain this posture as you exhale and float one foot up off the floor.
 Inhale as you lower it back to the floor.
 The sitting bone on the side of the lifting leg should feel as if it gets heavier on the chair.
 If your trunk shifts or rotates when lifting the leg, then you can press your hands into the seat of the

chair for stability.
 Repeats in sets of 10 per side.
Progress by lifting your arms in the air, but only if it is possible to maintain the stability of the trunk.
Can also be done on a Swiss ball for a greater challenge.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Side Plank on knees, with running arms and leg

This helps to train strength and stability of the trunk, while
moving the arms and legs, as required when running.

Start position- Lie on your side, resting up on your elbow, with
your knees bent up, and the hips at 45 degrees. Your elbow
should be directly under your shoulder. Your heels should be in
line with the back of your pelvis, and the knees stacked one on
top of the other.

 Lift your rib cage from the floor using the muscles in
the side of your trunk, so that your spine is in a straight
line between your shoulder and your pelvis.

 Lift your hips up and forward so your trunk is now in a
straight line between your shoulder and your knees.
You should feel this in the hip/ side of the glut closest
to the floor.

There are different levels for this exercise. Choose the
appropriate one for you- not just the hardest one.
 Hold for 3 sets of up to 30 seconds, making sure you

breathe.
 If this is easy, lift the top leg, keeping the knee bent.

Hold for 3 x 30 seconds, breathing.

 If this is easy, and you are able to keep the hips still,

take the top knee forward and back, with the
movement coming from the hip joint, not the trunk.
You can then also add in the top arm, moving in the
opposite direction to the top leg (like running arm and
leg). Keep breathing. The pelvis should remain still. If
doing this level, then build up to 3 sets of 5-15
repetitions, stopping to correct positioning if the pelvis
starts to move.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Lunges

Lunges are one of the most useful and important exercises for runners to be able to do. They train dissociation
(the ability of the body to move various limbs separately) of the arms, legs and pelvis, and they also train
rotation and dissociation of the trunk on the pelvis. This should happen naturally when running and walking,
and injury can occur without the ability of the body to dissociate these areas. Lunges also help to build
strength, control and power throughout the whole body.

Static Lunges

Learn to achieve the prefect static lunge before progressing to the other lunges. The basic alignment
positioning is the same for all lunges.

 Stand with one foot in front of the other, with good posture, and the pelvis level, with both hip bones
pointing forwards.

 Go into a lunge position - by bending the back knee and relaxing the front buttock to let the front hip
fold, take the pelvis straight down toward the floor until the front knee is at 90◦. The front knee should
be in line with the foot and hip.

 Imagine your back is sliding down an imaginary glass wall- the trunk should remain over the pelvis and
not move forward.

 The pelvis should remain straight and level. The front knee should not come in front of the ankle or
across the midline.

 Return to the start by pushing the front heel down into the floor to activate the front gluts.
 Breathe in on the way down, and out on the way back up to the start position.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Static lunges taking arms over head

 Go into a static lunge as above.
 Breathe in on the way down, at the same time as taking your arms

over your head, maintaining the trunk position and your neutral
spine.
 The pelvis should remain straight and level. The front knee should
not come in front of the ankle or across the midline
 Breathe out on the way back up, bringing the arms back by your
sides. Activate the front gluts by pushing the front heel and foot
down into the floor, as you return to the start position.
 Repeat 3 x 10
 NB can also do this using running arms (ie one forward, one back as
you go into the lunge). See below.

Lunges with running arms

 Go into a static lunge as above, with the right leg forward. For these lunges, in the start position, when
the right leg is forward, the right arm should be forward, to enable an arm movement during the lunge.

 Breathe in on the way down into the lunge, relaxing the front gluts to allow the front hip to fold. At the
same time, bring the left arm forward and the right arm back. Maintain the trunk and pelvis alignment.

 The pelvis should remain straight and level. The front knee should not come in front of the ankle or across the
midline

 Breathe out on the way back up, bringing the arms back to the start position. Activate the front gluts
by pushing the front heel down into the floor, as you return to the start position.

 Repeat 3 x 10

© Alison Rose CSPC

Lunge Rotations

 Go into a static lunge position as above.
 Keep the pelvis level.
 Place hands across chest. Breathe in on the way down into the lunge. At the bottom of the lunge

and keeping spine tall and over pelvis, rotate the torso towards the side of the front leg as you
exhale.
 The pelvis should remain still, with the thorax rotating over the pelvis. The front knee should not
come in front of the ankle or across the midline
 Rotate back to the front again so that you are facing forwards.
 Breathe in on the way back up to the start position; activate front gluts by pushing the front heel
down into the floor, as you return to the start. Exhale and repeat.
 Repeat 3 x 10
 NB rotation should come from the rib cage, not the pelvis. The pelvis should remain still.

Lunges can be progressed once the initial technique has been mastered

They can be progressed by:
 Stepping forward into a lunge and pushing back off the front foot, to come back to stand on the rear
foot.
 Stepping forward into a lunge and stepping forward through the front foot, moving forward to stand
on one leg.
 Lunge backwards and return to standing.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Learn basic running drills to help prevent injury and improve your
running form, to show off your running style!

Drills are not only for the elite and top level runners. We use them in the clinic to address movement pattern
dysfunctions and errors, that can lead to injury or are due to injury; lack of efficiency and poor technique. They
can be used to help speed up nerve firing, and to encourage the correct muscles to fire in the right order. They
are also used to help runners to access and retrain joint movements and movement patterns that are
necessary for runners to move well.

Trunk Position

The importance of the position of the trunk cannot be overemphasized. In standing and during exercises, the
trunk should be over the pelvis. To run efficiently, the trunk should be a few degrees in front of the centre of
gravity. Good posture is vital for efficiency of movement and breathing. For maximum efficiency and core
recruitment, the diaphragm, which sits at the bottom of the rib cage, should be in line with your pelvis and
therefore your pelvic floor. This enables good support of the trunk when breathing, and allows the abdominal
muscles to switch on efficiently, to support both the pelvis and leg movements, but also to support the upper
limbs.

To feel where the trunk should be when
running, stand tall, so that your trunk and rib
cage are stacked on top of each other.
Maintain this position while you go up onto
your toes, and then start to slowly lean
forward from the toes. Maintain the trunk over
pelvis position i.e. do not fold at the hips. The
point at which you start to want to take a step
with one foot as you are about to overbalance,
is the position you are aiming for.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Running Arms

The arms are a vital part of running technique, and frequently missed as a cause of injury.

 The arms counterbalance the lower half of the body, and should be part of an efficient running
technique.

 The shoulders should be relaxed, and allow the arms to swing from the shoulder joints with little effort.
 The elbows should be at approximately 90º.
 The arms should swing alongside the trunk, with the elbows able to come behind you, and the wrists

brushing past the side of your waist, in line with the shoulders.

There will be a subtle degree of trunk rotation, and counter-rotation of the trunk on the pelvis, which balances
with the shoulders. The muscles in the front of the shoulders should be relaxed and the trunk should be tall,
with good but not rigid posture. Breathing is important in runners, and if the shoulders become rounded, then
this will affect breathing, diaphragm movement and lung capacity. As you run faster, your arms should help
with forward propulsion.

Common errors are:
The shoulders are too fixed, which can cause excessive trunk rotation.
The elbows come too far forward, and because of this, they don’t then come back behind the shoulders. This
can often result in backward lean of the trunk, which is less efficient and will load up the spine.
The elbows are too wide, and go out to the sides, instead of behind. The often results in the hands coming
across the centre of the trunk, which again can cause excessive trunk rotation. It can also result in the pectoral
muscles being too tight and affecting breathing.
The arms just dangle from the shoulders, and are therefore not adding anything to the technique, and are
hindering efficiency.

Foot pedals

This is a great exercise, for mobilising the feet, ankles and toes. It is a great precursor to the fast foot roll
through drills.

 Start position is standing on the spot, with both feet on the floor.
 Lift the heel of one foot, bending the knee, and roll through the toes, which

remain on the floor.
 Repeat this movement with the other foot, as you simultaneously take the

first heel back to the floor.
 Do this repeatedly aiming for timing and rhythm. You should have an

awareness of the muscles in the feet and calves working. Allow the toes
joints to bend. Bring in running arms when able.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Fast feet roll throughs

Maintain foot and ankle mobility, promotes foot and calf muscle strength and
function.
Prevention and rehabilitation of foot, calf, shin and Achilles injuries.

 Bend both knees
 With alternating feet, roll through each foot from heel to toe,

making sure you are aware of the pressure of the big toe on the
floor, before lifting the heel.
 When bringing the floating foot through for the next step, ensure
the foot is pulled up towards the shin (ie ankle at 90º).
 Make the movement a definite rolling through the ankle joint and
toes, feeling the muscles in the calf and foot working
 The other foot should not be placed on the floor until the full
movement of the standing foot has occurred.
 Knee should remain bent at all times and the angle should not
change. Hips should not go up and down (ie remain parallel with the
floor from the initial start position) All movement should come
from the ankle joint itself
 Maintain good posture
 Running arms

High knee walking, front knee bent

Promotes and trains postural control, stability and balance. Encourages contraction and strengthening of gluts,
hamstrings and calf muscles. Helps prevent loss of technique.

 Start position- Stand and float the right knee up to hip height, so the thigh is parallel with the floor. Right
knee is bent, with knee at 90º, ankle at 90º, and foot pulled up towards the shin.

 The knee of the standing leg should be straight when the other knee is up at hip height. This is achieved by
allowing the hamstring to relax and
lengthen, which then allows the gluts
to fire.

 If stable enough, drive up onto toes
on the left leg, holding for one
second at the top. The gluts of the
standing leg should be active in this
position.

 Walk through onto right foot and
repeat

 Running arms
 Maintain good posture

© Alison Rose CSPC

Hip Circles

Promote correct movement and mobility through the hip joints, particularly
in those who tend to overuse the back, and hitch through the waist. Helps to
correct overstriding and excessive heel strike. Helps to promote good thigh
speed, and correct foot placement.

 Do single sided initially.
 Start position- Stand facing the wall, with finger tips on the wall. Stand on

the left leg, and flex the right hip, so that the thigh comes toward hip
height. Be at a distance from the wall so that the lower leg hangs vertically
down from the knee and the toes are a few inches away from the wall, with
the ankle at 90º. You should not have enough space between your foot
and the wall to be able to kick the toes in front of the knee.
 Bring the right foot back to the floor.
 Circle the right thigh from the hip, with the back remaining relaxed, and
the waist long. Think about floating the knee or the thigh in circles to
encourage the correct thigh movement.
 The front ankle should be at 90º, with the foot up towards the shin. The
toes should just brush close to the wall, but not touch it. This is
important as it will help prevent over-striding, and the reaching of the
foot that comes with over-striding.
 The midfoot of the floating foot should skim the ground under you during
the circular movement, before bringing the foot up and under the buttock
again, and back to the start position.
 Repeat for 30 seconds, and then with the other leg. Progressions are to
then add in one or both arms, and to come away from the wall, and then
to make it more dynamic.
 Maintain good posture, and correct hip, knee and foot alignment.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Piston hamstrings

Promote hamstring activation and correct movement patterning. Also helps co-
ordination and prevents loss of technique. Good for rehabilitation of hamstring
injuries and hamstring re-activation after hamstring strain and back injury

 Do single sided initially
 Keep left (stance) leg straight.
 Draw right heel up under buttock, and knee up in front of the pelvis, as

if squashing the calf and hamstrings together. Your leg should make a
triangular shape with the knee and the heel being a similar distance in
front of and behind the pelvis.
 Right thigh and lower leg should be almost horizontal, with the knee
pointing forward in the direction you want to move in.
 Right ankle at 90º
 Initially do this standing on the spot, repeating with the same leg, bringing in running arm movements until
rhythm and movement is mastered.
 To make it more dynamic, this drill can still be done single sided, but alternating the support foot and the
working foot on the floor, while doing the single leg piston hamstring on the working side.
 When able to do this well, this can be progressed to alternate leg piston hamstrings or two piston
hamstrings on right/two on the left.
This will help challenge the nervous system and co-ordination.
 Maintain good posture.
 Running arms

Stick men

Encourage postural control, balance and maintenance of technique. Activates extensor pattern of muscle
firing, encouraging contraction of gluts, hamstrings and calf muscles. Good for co-ordination and trunk
stability.
Initial start position as for high knee drill

 Start position- Stand on left leg, with the right knee at hip height, thigh parallel with the floor. Right knee is bent,
with knee at 90º, ankle at 90º, and the foot pulled up towards the shin.

 DO NOT push off the left foot, but swap legs by driving the right foot down towards the floor
 IMPORTANT – do not push up off the stance leg, but concentrate on driving the top leg downwards, maintaining

a stable leg on ground contact, landing on the midfoot. Feel the buttock contract on the extending leg.
 Maintain good gosture
 Running arms
 Pause for a second before repeating
 When sufficiently stable, it is possible to add a hop and hold on the standing leg.

Rules for drills are the same for all drills. Posture should be good without making your chest rigid. The head
should be tall, with the neck long, as if there is a helium balloon taking some of the weight off it.
Breathe!

Drills should feel relaxed, but with good posture. Arm movements are as vital as the leg movements.
These drills work as they help to improve the speed of firing and co-ordination of your nervous system, which
will improve the efficiency of your running. Do slow drills as well as fast ones, to encourage balance reactions
and the body’s stabilising muscles to strengthen.

© Alison Rose CSPC

Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
W/C
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
TOTAL

© Alison Rose CSPC