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.

by Carrie Lane, Director of Sport Performance 

Remember those crab walk races you had when you were kids?  Our Crab Position Hip Lift exercise is bringing that back-- but without the awkward racing you had to do.  As we get older, we often neglect the backside, but these muscles are crucial for movement, posture, and muscular balance.   This exercise is another good one to add to your general strength (bodyweight) circuits.
Focus on lifting and lowering the hips and chest at the same rate.  Activate your glutes and muscles around your shoulders to achieve this hip/chest lift, while keeping the low back muscles relaxed.  Here we show the more challenging, single leg version.  Click below the video to see a simpler modification. 

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'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.