RUNNERWAY
MOVE MENT GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS GENERAL ACTIVE RECOVERY Banded Lateral Monster Walks Banded Straight Leg Lateral Walks Clam Shells Couch Stretch Donkey Kicks Forward Fold Hip Bridge Hip Circles Hip Flexor Stretch Pigeon Stretch Single-Leg Balance on Pillow Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift Standing Banded Glute Kickbacks Supermans
3 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 8
FOAM ROLL Calf Foot Glutes Hamstrings Quads
9 9 9 10 10
ACHILLES TENDONOPATHY, CALF, & SHIN SPLINTS Eccentric Calf Raises (Straight & Bent Knee) Half-Kneeling Ankle Mobility on Wall Heel Walk & Toe Walks (Forward & Backward) Standing Calf Stretch on Wall Towel Scrunches
DISCLAIMER: EVOLVE TRACK CLUB (’ETC’) is not a doctor or registered dietitian. The contents of this document should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. Use of the information in this program is strictly at your own risk. ETC will not assume any liability for any direct or indirect losses or damages that may result including, but not limited to, economic loss, injury, illness, or death.
1 MOVEMENT GUIDE
MOVEMENT GUIDE This is your step-by-step guide for the exercises that you will perform during your injury prevention program. We encourage you to refer to this guide before you jump into the workouts, as the instruction and queues for each exercise enhance safety and performance. The movements are listed in alphabetical order and will include visuals, step-by-step instructions on how to perform each movement, and a list of key muscles that the exercise targets.
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BANDED LATERAL MONSTER WALKS 1. Step both legs through the band and place it right above your knees. 2. In a quarter squat position, take small steps to the right and drive your knees outward with each step. Feel the burn comprehensively throughout your glutes. 3. Once done, reset and continue to your next set of monster walks. NOTE: Do not let your knees collapse inward during this exercise, focus on driving your knees outward into the band with each step forward.
BANDED STRAIGHT LEG LATERAL WALKS 1. Step both legs through the band and place it right above your knees. 2. Keep your legs straight and maintain an upright posture. 3. Step to your right, pushing with your left foot while stepping laterally with your right foot. 4. Bring your left foot back to the starting position with control and continue for the duration of your set. 5. Reset and repeat the movement in the opposite direction. NOTE: Be sure to maintain an upright posture and feel the contraction on the sides of your hips.
CLAM SHELLS 1. Lie on your side with your feet and hips stacked, knees bent 90 degrees, and your head resting on your arm. 2. Draw your knees in toward your body to align your feet with your butt. Position your top hand on your hip to ensure it doesn’t tilt backward. 3. Keeping your feet together and your core engaged, raise your top knee as far as you can without rotating your hip or lifting your bottom knee off the floor. 4. Hold for 1 second at the top, then slowly lower your knee back to the starting position and repeat.
3 MOVEMENT GUIDE
GENERAL ACTIVE RECOVERY With and without bands.
COUCH STRETCH 1. Bend your knee and place your shin along the back cushion of a couch (or a chair, or wall) with your toes pointed upward. 2. Keep your thigh in line with your body. 3. Place your other foot in front, aligning your knee above your ankle. 4. Elongate your spine and engage your core and glutes. You should feel a stretch run through your quadriceps muscles.
COUCH
NOTE: Keep your hips square for the duration of the stretch.
DONKEY KICKS (BENT & STRAIGHT LEG)
BENT LEG
STRAIGHT LEG
1. Get on all fours, with your hands stacked directly under shoulders, and knees under hips. 2. Make sure your back is flat, and tuck your chin slightly so the back of your neck is facing the ceiling. 3. FOR BENT LEG: Without rounding your spine, engage your lower abdominals. Keeping the 90-degree bend in your right knee, slowly lift your leg straight back and up toward the ceiling. 4. FOR STRAIGHT LEG: Without rounding your spine, engage your lower abdominals. Slowly lift and straighten your leg back. 5. Squeeze your glute at the top for 1 second and return to the starting position. NOTE: Your max height is right before your back starts to arch, or your hips begin to rotate.
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FORWARD FOLD WITH /CROSSED LEGS (DYNAMIC) 1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. 2. Cross your left foot over your right, aligning your feet as much as possible, inhale and extend your arms overhead. 3. Keeping your knees slightly bent, exhale as you hinge forward from your hips, and lengthen your spine to come into a forward bend. 4. Reach your hands toward the floor, and elongate the back of your neck.
SIDE VIEW
NOTE: You should feel this stretch in your hamstring and the side of your back leg.
FRONT
HIP BRIDGE
1. Lie face-up on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. For better stability, keep your arms at your side with your palms down. 2. Drive through the heels of your feet and through your shins to lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips, and shoulders form a straight line. 3. Squeeze your glutes hard and keep your abs engaged so you won’t overextend your lower back. 4. Slowly return to your starting position and repeat.
HIP CIRCLES (FORWARD & BACKWARD) BWD FWD
FWD BWD
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1. Get on all fours, with your hands stacked directly under shoulders, and knees under hips. 2. Keeping your knees bent to about 90 degrees, lift one knee up off the ground and drive your foot back before you circle and bring your knee up toward the ceiling, forward toward your elbow, and then back down and around. 3. To circle the knee around, make big circles with your hip. Make circles both going clockwise and then counterclockwise (forward and then backward). 4. Focus on circling from the hip to make your circles bigger. NOTE: Do not straighten your leg out as you circle and keep your arms straight as you circle and try not to lean away.
HIP FLEXOR STRETCH 1. In a half-kneeling position, with your front foot flat on the floor. 2. Keeping your glutes and core engaged, slowly push your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the upper thigh of your back leg and hip. 3. Hold for the prescribed time, then slowly return to your starting position, switch sides, and repeat. NOTE: If you feel discomfort in the front of your knee (on the ground), place a towel under your knee.
PIGEON STRETCH 1. Bend your right knee and bring that leg forward as if you were going to step into a lunge, but instead, bring your right knee to the floor on the outside of your right hand. 2. Release your left knee to your mat. Your left leg should be flat on the floor. Take a look backward and make sure that your left foot is pointing straight back. 3. Square your hips towards the front of your mat. 4. If you feel stable, bring your torso down into a forward bend over your right leg. NOTE: Keep hips square and weight balanced equally on both sides as best you can. Only go as deep as is comfortable. If you can, allow your forehead to lower toward the floor. The right shin may angle back towards the left hip or be more parallel to the front of your mat, depending on your range of motion.
SINGLE-LEG BALANCE ON PILLOW 1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your weight equally distributed on both legs. Place your hands on your hips. With your right knee on a pillow, lift your left leg off the floor and bend it back slightly at your knee. 2. Hold the position for the designated amount of time. 3. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
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SINGLE-LEG ROMANIAN DEADLIFT 1. Standing tall and tight, drive your right foot into the floor by pressing through your toes and heel. 2. Slightly bend your right knee, extend your right arm to the side for better balance, through this movement, and keep your shoulders square. 3. With control, hinge at your hips, pushing your glutes backward toward the wall behind you. 4. As you’re hinging your hips, lower your torso forward and down, but do not move your torso past parallel to the floor. 5. Allow your left leg to raise as far as is comfortable and maintain a neutral spine. 6. Keep the hips and shoulders facing directly in front of you throughout the whole movement. 7. Press your right foot into the floor as you extend your hips to return to standing. NOTE: You should feel this in your hamstring, glutes, and calves on the leg that is pressed into the floor.
STANDING BANDED GLUTE KICKBACKS 1. Place a low to medium resistance band around your ankles. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and have tension on the band. 2. Place your hands on your hips. Balance on your left leg, and move your right foot so your toes are resting on the ground just behind your body. There should be tension in the band. 3. Tighten your core, and kick your right leg back with control to feel a squeeze in your glutes. Keep your knee straight, tightly squeezing your glute. Return your right foot to starting position, keeping tension in the band, and repeat. NOTE: If you are having trouble balancing, try placing your hands on a table, chair, or wall in front of you.
7 MOVEMENT GUIDE
SUPERMANS 1. Lie on the floor with your belly facing down, with your legs straight and your arms extended in front of you. 2. Keeping your head in a neutral position, slowly lift your arms and legs around 6 inches off the ground or until you feel your lower back and glute muscles squeezing at the top. 3. Aim to lift your belly button slightly off the floor to contract your abs. Hold for 1 second and slowly return to the starting position and repeat. NOTE: A helpful cue is to pretend like you are flying at the top of the movement. If your hips are hurting on the floor, try this movement on a softer surface.
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FOAM ROLL
Foam rolling is excellent for myofascial release, which can break up muscle scar tissue and aid in the short and long term recovery process.
CALF & FOOT 1. CALF: Sit on the floor and place your roller ball underneath your calf muscle. Keep your glutes on the ground with your hands behind you. 2. Move your calf up and down the roller ball slowly. 3. When you feel a tender spot, stop and flex your ankle forward and backward to work deep into that muscle. 4. Press your leg down into the foam roller for a deeper massage. 1. FOOT: Place the arch of your foot onto the top of your roller ball and press firmly into the ball with control. 2. While maintaining pressure, roll your foot forward and backward on the ball to massage the bottom of your foot. 3. Do this for the prescribed amount of time and repeat on the other side.
GLUTES 1. Cross your right ankle onto your left knee, stretching out your right glute muscles. 2. Place the roller ball underneath your right glute, use your arms to control the amount of weight you’re putting into the ball (it should feel just slightly sore to press down, but not painful). 3. Move your glute around the roller ball in multiple directions (clockwise, counterclockwise, forward, and backward) for the prescribed amount of time. 4. When done, switch sides and repeat. NOTE: Ease into this rolling session. You can control the amount of pressure you place into the ball using your arm and legs. This should only feel mildly uncomfortable, NOT painful.
9 MOVEMENT GUIDE
HAMSTRINGS 1. Place a roller ball underneath your hamstring and gently push your body back and forth, from glute to just above your knee. NOTE: This should feel just slightly sore to press down, but not painful.
QUADS 1. Start in a forearm plank position with the roller ball underneath your quads. 2. Controlling your weight with your core and upper body, slowly roll down the roller until it reaches just above your knees. 3. Roll in the opposite direction until you reach your hip flexors. NOTE: This should feel just slightly sore to press down, but not painful.
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