In case just running, or just performing lunges aren’t enough for you, we’re here with a challenge. Put those two elements together and you get running lunges. What the heck are those, you may ask?
Read on to find out what they are and what they can do for your performance and leg muscles and overall lower body strength!
Sometimes the best thing distance runners can do for their training plan is to step away from all of the fancy equipment at the gym. It’s easy to feel like you have to do it ALL and then never actually start anything.
Instead, get back to the basics of one (maybe two!) movements to challenge your strength. Keep it simple and efficient and it’ll be a whole lot easier to include some strength work in your running and encourage proper form using your own bodyweight.
Now, if you’re wondering why you need to include strength training at all, then check out Coach Nate’s thorough 3-part series all about why runners should strength train. If you’re not ready to watch just yet, then let us summarize briefly for you here:
Certainly, that list isn’t exclusive, but it helps us keep in mind that running doesn’t just require aerobic stamina. We need muscular strength right along with a robust set of lungs!
Just to show you how easy it can be to integrate some strength work into your run training, we’ve set up a running lunge challenge for you!
It’s quite simple (but not necessarily easy!)
You’re going to perform 5 minutes of lunging, alternating legs on each rep. Performing these lunges consecutively (without break) requires your hamstrings, glutes, calves, and quads to fire and STAY FIRED from start to finish.
You won’t be moving forward since you’re stepping out, then back in, so you don’t need but a tiny bit of space to get this work done.
Alternate for 5 minutes.
For every break you take (a break counts as anything over 2 seconds) during the 5 minutes, you will perform 3 push ups! So, instead of calmly standing there to rest and catch your breath, your “rest” will be active while you perform those 3 push ups.
We told you it would be a challenge 🙂
After the push ups are done, it’s right back to a standing position and doing your lunges until your 5 minutes are up.
If you can get through this, you can learn how to hold onto your stamina, no matter what mile you’re on!
Use this challenge as a benchmark for your progress! Good luck.
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If you’re looking for more training, check out our 2-week (free!) Quick Start Guide. Whether you’re coming back from an injury, prepping for a race, or are just working on your fitness, we’ll walk you through 2 weeks of workouts. Your running, strength training, and mobility will all get some fresh new moves to show you how to improve your running.