In honor of today's LA Marathon.....

HERE ARE SOME SPORT SPECIFIC EXERCISES FOR RUNNERS, JOGGERS AND WALKERS:

The purpose of these exercises is to get the leg and torso muscles moving through the 3 planes of movement.  We want to attack all aspects of the hamstring, glutes and quadriceps to create the power you need to increase your performance, agility, stride and speed.  We want to create bio-mechanical changes in your body to make these changes happen AND help REDUCE THE CHANCE OF INJURY WHEN YOU ARE ACTIVELY EXERCISING!!
**These exercises will not fix an injury!!  Do not perform them if you have an existing injury or if you feel pain while doing them**  Lunges, specifically, can be tricky.  Try to remember to keep the knee from overextending on a lunge.  Don't let the knee come in front of the foot and preferably keep the knee in alignment right over the ankle when executing your lunges.


1-SINGLE LEG SQUATS: http://www.viddler.com/explore/bman74/videos/1/  This looks simple, but it is very effective.  It should feel like you are running.  You should feel it in your glutes and hamstrings.  HE DEMONSTRATES THE EXERCISES AT THE END OF THIS CLIP, BUT GIVES SOME GOOD POINTERS AND INFO IN THE 1ST HALF. 
2-LUNGES!!  FRONT, SIDE, REVERSE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMvfyrRvtKk
3-REVERSE CROSSOVER LUNGE, LEG LIFT WITH BICEP CURL http://www.5min.com/Video/Reverse-Cross-over-Lunge-with-Side-Leg-Lift-and-Bicep-Curl-Exercise-475056582
4-GLUTE ACTIVATION:  Runners, walkers and joggers all need to work on building up the glutes.  Here are exercises shown in progression to work on the glutes:
     a-CLAM and LATERAL LEG RAISE:  (also helps with the Iliotibial band and injury prevention ..  see      Wikipedia for Iliotibial band syndrome) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RojVbqAuWw
     b- DONKEY KICKS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n6h9137Ljg
     c- HIP BRIDGE:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/fitness/fitness-basics/target-your-glutes-with-a-hip-bridge/article1720163/   You can add a weight to your hips and lift with the added weight on.  You can also do this exercise with feet apart, with your feet together, with feet apart and knees together.  This is good to strengthen the glutes.  **Remember, get those hips up high!! : )
      ..... you can also do a HIP BRIDGE WITH STABILITY BALL if you have one. It targets glutes and hamstrings.. Here is a video explanation:  http://www.ehow.com/video_4958541_balance-ball-exercise-hamstrings-glutes.html
5- AGILITY EXERCISE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TnoxPMYEb8

REMEMBER TO CONTINUE WITH YOUR CORE EXERCISES.  A STRONG CORE TRANSLATES RIGHT INTO POWER AND STRENGTH.  LOOK FOR MY EARLIER ABDOMINAL EXERCISE POSTS.  HAVE FUN..... STAY STRONG!!