subject: Best Ab Workouts For Runners [print this page] Running is an intense form of exercise that requires the whole body to be toned and strong. If you run you may notice your abs naturally start to slim down and firm up, but there is often need to put more into your abs to get more from your running routine. Because a strong core is so essential for good posture, balance, and agility, runners should work to have a solid abdomen. The best ab workouts for runners combine basic moves that can be easily added into a typical running routine. Abs exercises for runners should also help to strengthen the oblique muscles and back. A few examples of the best ab workouts for runners follow.
Swiss hip extension require you to lay on an exercise ball, your legs bent at a 45 degree angle. By raising one leg at a time in this position you replicate the movement of running but the instability of the exercise ball means the abs are more intensely engaged. The plank and side plank are both useful for toning the abs and back at the same time, adding stability to your core. Intense moves like body curls engage the whole body with the abs doing the heavy lifting. To do a body curl, hold onto a chin up bar; use your abs to raise your knees up to your chest, tilting so your back is parallel with the floor. Double leg hops may seem simple enough, you just jump with both feet to propel you three or four times, but they are key for helping your abs and hips work in concert. This gives you a stronger middle while running. You could tone in between workouts with an electrical toning belt like Flex Belt, which uses EMS technology to stimulate ab muscles. The pulses from the belt work your muscles just like exercise does but you can wear the Flex Belt while you go about your day or even while you are running.
Equipment like a roman chair for back extensions or a chin up bar for home use can cost up to $200. This is also what you can expect to pay for a contour ab belt like the Flex Belt. Because the best ab workouts for runners are those that dont detract from your main goal, running well, they also should not cost a bundle.
By incorporating some simple moves into your routine, and perhaps adding a new piece of equipment too, you can have better abs. Cross training with an abs workout should help you avoid certain injuries and make hill training easier. Hopefully better abs will also lead to better times and more stability as you run.
