Best Cross-Training moves for trail runners

Best Cross-Training moves for trail runners

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It’s fall in south Texas!!!

One thing this means for those who love the outdoors is more trail running. The weather is perfect! Running off-road provides a whole new set of challenges and things to think about. Trail running is much more challenging than road running because of the uneven surfaces you are running on. Rolled ankles and face plants on the rocks are not something you want to walk away with after you trail run…. Trail runners should definitely incorporate some core work and balance training to help keep them upright when running on rough terrain.

Pilates is a great way to strengthen the core; moves that involve the abs, hip flexors, spinal muscles and all the tiny stabilizer muscles that surround these areas should be targeted. A plank is a great example that incorporates all of these muscles, but even better is doing a whole Pilates class! A good comprehensive class will work the entire body and work all the areas trail runners need to strengthen, while also giving you some help with flexibility on the areas that get tight on runners' bodies (hamstrings, hip flexors, quads...). If you happen to be coming to classes at inBalance you will get the added bonus of balance training because all of our classes include this!

Balance training is any exercise that requires you to use stabilization and balance; so think of single leg deadlifts, single leg squats, pushing a weight overhead while standing one leg...all of these exercises require more stabilizing muscles to work (which will be needed during a trail run!). Another great challenge for trail runners is to do these exercises on a Bosu or on a trampoline; standing on an unstable surface really amps up the stabilizing challenge, getting into the lateral stabilizers you need to help prevent rolling an ankle out there on the trails.

Your takeaway here? Try out some pilates classes before hitting the trails!


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