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Shin splints. Achilles tendon issues. Weak ankles. Plantar Fasciitis.
If you read any of those and winced, bc you know the pain... try this out. First, make sure you have enough ankle mobility. Then make sure you have enough ankle & calf strength... Can you do 30 uninterrupted calf raises? If you pass both, you'll want to do some, if not all, of these below:
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Want to work your glutes & hammies? Do Deadlifts Want to work your quads? Do Squats Want to work both? Do Lunges/Split Squats
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Have you seen this article?
If you can look past the "hockey butt" in the URL... I agree that glutes are important to work for strength (they are the powerhouse of the hip complex) and agility (the medial does a lot of work to stabilize) So what are some of my favorite glute exercises?
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Speaking of glute exercises... if you can't feel yours when you lift, try doing this first. As we wrap up spring race season and head into summer, I'm reminded of one of my favorite mantras:
Blissfully unsatisfied I read in Brad Stulberg's book on excellence that the "human brain did not evolve to be satisfied, but to strive" (I might be paraphrasing here, that book is still packed away). That goal is to keep trying (no finish line mentality), but also stay grounded and celebrate every win you can. And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! One of the most underrated exercise cues is to feel your feet. Whether you're struggling with balance (really think about big toe, then the heel and pinky) Or want more core and/or power (think about the middle of the food) Unless you're in the air or on your back/stomach... you should be thinking about your feet/foot. Don't major in the minors.
(paraphrasing John Rohn) What does that mean for running?
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! If your knees cave when you do squats, add a band just below or above your knees. Counterintuitive (why try to make the problem worse??), but the extra tension will actually cause your body to automatically push against it. Have you heard about this yet?
TL;DR: A Puma sponsored sprinter is suing the brand claiming their super shoes changed her gait and caused permenant damage. I've been nerding out with some friends and believe there could be more to the case and we just don't know all the details (yet, hopefully). Or maybe it is a straightforward case which will prompt brands to put warning labels on their shoes... similar to McD's putting "May be Hot" on coffee cups. My friend shared this idea on her podcast and I highly recommend checking it out. Until they do, when should you wear super shoes?
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Don't hold your breath during core exercises. You should train your body to be able breath as your core squeezing or holding. Because you kind of need to know breath, run, and not have jelly core all at once, right? But first...
For the rest of the week (til 5/16/26), enjoy 10% off of my 8 week Post-Race Rebuild program Code: TEN "Intensity and drive are double-edged swords" -Brad Stulberg My client just ran Boston. Kind of a big deal. And now it's time to head into the next training block. So what do I recommend? With someone driven enough to tackle Boston, the issue is rarely motivation... but instead, how do you balance all of that intensity so that it increases performance without causing burnout? So how can you still keep the foot on the gas this summer without hitting a brick wall?
Summer can be one of the best times to run & exercise outside. Days are longer, mornings & evenings can have mild weather, and seasonal depression isn't wearing you down. But if you have big spring or fall races, you need to make sure you don't burnout out (have too much drive or intensity) when it might be more advantageous to be in recovery & rebuild mode. Use that drive & intensity to pour into activities that will help you adapt from your spring races and set a foundation for your fall races. And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! I was listening to a podcast that was comparing the benefits of strides vs plyos. The coaches were all about strides (I love them, too). But were more cautious about plyos. Then I heard the study includes 10 SETS of plyos (with 3-6 reps I believe). If your goal is to improve running economy or resilience running downhills, I don't recommend more than 2-3 sets of 3-6 reps. More than that can really beat up the body. Spring is here!
It's a great time for running bc the weather is (usually) mellow, the days are longer, and races are right around the corner (... or already here). I LOVE racing, but finish lines are like the summit of a mountain. As Brad Stulberg describes in his recent book on Excellence, finish lines/peaks/goals give us something to aim for (which is great), but 99.99% of the time... we're on the side of the mountain. Deep in daily work. Enjoy the top, but live for the sides. How can you do that?
Side of the mountain isn't that bad. And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Step Ups are one of my favorite leg, specifically glute, exercises... when done correctly. Make sure to push through the heel of the leg on the step/block/stair. The other foot can touch the ground (mostly for aiming), but don't bounce off of it. I tell clients to tap their heel down, instead of the toe, to avoid this. Last Monday was the 130th running of the Boston Marathon.
The weather was excellent, and there was even a strong wind, how glorious. The setup was so good, 609 women ran under 3:00, and the men's course record was shattered. But for Sharon Lokedi, the day started with a major hiccup. She forgot her watch. A professional runner. Reigning champion. Course record holder. So what happened? She borrowed a watch. Crushed the competition. And set the 2nd fastest time on the course as well (only slower than her time last year). Why is this an important story? As runners, we tend to be a bit Type A. Maybe slightly obsessively... a touch controlling... a smig micro managing... sometimes anticipating and planning for the worst. Which honestly, probably does say us a lot of headaches. Annnnnnnnnnnnnd... when inevitably something does go wrong... Remember Sharon. You don't need to have the perfect morning to have the perfect day. And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Splits Squats and Lunges can be tricky for balance. Make sure your feet are separated, but parallel (like train tracks, just not as wide). Not like you're balancing on a tightrope. Until next time, Meg You probably already know this, but motivation is fleeting.
So how do you keep working towards your goals? Discipline. "Discipline bridges the gap between motivation and action" - Brad Stulberg's from his new book on Excellence How do you become more disciplined?
So yea... a great habit makes discipline pretty straightforward. And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! More is not always better. Faster is not always better. Having great to perfect form is best 99% of the time. Moving with controlled effort, esp so that you can feel the right muscles, is best most of the time. Bouncing in and out of movement (esp relying on your joints to do the work)... is usually bad bad bad. Resting appropriately can allow you to squeeze more juice out of your exercises. Make sure you understand the game plan. If you're like me, you want to squeeze out as much of your potential as possible.
I schedule workouts, set alarms, find workout buddies, clock splits, do my PT, track my protein etc. I have systems. I optimize. So when I read from Brad Stulberg's new book on Excellence (bc duh, isn't reaching your potential all about excellence??)... I was shocked he said Excellence is not optimization. Wait... WHAT?! "Optimization lends itself to predictability and efficiency, working like a machine..." Yes, systems... got it. Love it. "...Excellence requires curiosity and exploration..." Oh crap, something about that feels right. "Excellence is the opposite of mechanical. It is distinctly human, alive, and full of feeling" What does that mean for us as runners?
Just don't tell my calendar that. And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Struggle with foot placement when you do Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats aka Bulgarian Split Squats, try this tip from another Coach Meg. Sit on the box, step, chair, or bench. Stretch out both legs. Leave one leg forward. This will be the front foot. Slowly balance to stand up and put your other leg up. Ta-da! |
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