Coaches, this one is for you!  Anyone trying to help their runners gain efficiency in their stride knows there are many approaches you can take to gain better posture, foot-strike position, and cadence.  In the last two years I've spent working distance runners of varying abilities, I have grown fond of making them hold a stick over their heads.  The effect of the stick in putting them in the correct position is outstanding.

Here are three benefits of overhead stick drills for your runners:

​1. Gives instant feedback.  The stick provides instant visual feedback to your runners.  And to YOU the coach!  By exhibiting any signs of rotation or tilt of the stick, you and your runners can easily gauge any over-recruitment of the shoulders and torso with each stride.

In addition to being historic Eastern European colonialists, Cossacks are also a deceptively difficult general strength exercise.  They are a 3-in-1 exercise that can add balance and posture skills to your training plan. 

 3 benefits of the Cossack are: ​

Here is a tricky one!  I love hurdle mobility work, because it is such a functional way to warmup or cooldown. Hurdle walkovers test your coordination, balance, and ability to stabilize in an upright position. You don't actually need hurdles to do these, you can just use "air hurdles". Here is a challenging variation to the traditional front-facing walkovers.

We are sticking with our posterior chain-focused activities, and here is a twist on an old stand-by.  Overhead athletes-- throwers, volleyball players, tennis players-- this one is especially important for you, but any type of athlete should do these to train their postural muscles in their upper back.  Add these to your medicine ball circuits.

We're starting a new series here to highlight some of our favorite training exercises that we are use in our coaching programs.  Anyone who trains with me knows I L-O-V-E the "L-Over."  This general strength exercise hits several facets of the all-important posterior chain.  It strengthens antagonist and stabilizer muscles in the hips, pelvis, and back.