This short video works on strengthening the ankle and hips, which will help you avoid future knee or ankle injuries.

I have run a few 50k trail races, and the most common problems I see are ankle or knee injuries. Trail runners work the hips a bit more than people who run on roads. As they encounter twists, turns, or obstacles such as roots or rocks, trail runners have to react with lateral movement. But if the majority of your training is done on roads and clear paths, you have less opportunity to strengthen and stabilize the hips and ankles.

“Inadequate hip muscle stabilization is a top cause of injury in runners.“

Dr. Ferber, Director of University of Calgary’s Running Injury Clinic.

In the video, we begin by using the core to help stabilize and balance the body while working on ankle mobility. As you follow along with the video, challenge yourself to continue to lift your heels higher and lean into the balls of your feet. Lifting the heels fires up the tiny muscles surrounding your ankle, which will be a big help if you ever turn your ankle while running.

The movements in this video can be done before or after a run, and should be repeated several times a week.

You’ll also enjoy:

• 3 Quick and Simple Exercises to Prevent Back Pain
• Release Your Hip Flexors: Groin Stretch 101
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Reference:

1. “All in the hips“, Runners World, September, 2009.

The post Strengthen Your Ankles and Hips to Avoid Running Injuries appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

I am a yoga teacher and I have back pain. It is hard for me to admit it, but the truth is people from all sorts of athletic backgrounds can suffer from back pain. My particular injury came from falling down the stairs, but back pain can come seemingly out of nowhere. It can also stem from overuse or bad form.

Some sufferers of back pain can handle twists. Some people feel back pain during extension (leaning backwards), while others feel it during flexion (forward folding). Others feel it no matter which way they bend.

“All the experts seem to agree on one thing: the best prevention for back pain is to keep your back strong and flexible.”

But all the experts seem to agree on one thing: the best prevention for back pain is to keep your back strong and flexible. I know this for certain too, and in this short video I give you three exercises that I have been doing nearly every day to help me gain back strength and mitigate the pain at the same time.

Three Exercises to Keep Your Back Strong

You will need: A yoga block

• Pelvic Tilt/Back Traction: Requires a block between the thighs. Use inner thigh and glute strength helps support the back. This ensures that the surrounding muscles of the back are also strong so that the back doesn’t carry the full load. In addition, working the pelvic tilt slowly helps to lengthen the back body, giving some relief to the tightened muscles.
• Back extension: Strengthens the legs and back. It also increases flexibility in the back body.
• Cobra: Slowly works on strengthening the low back and opening up the thoracic spine (upper back). Make sure to keep a neutral gaze so that you don’t strain the cervical vertebrae.

If you do the exercises in this video consistently and regularly for a few months, you will start to feel the relief and strength coming back.

More on back strength:

• Get to the Source of Your Back Pain By Stretching Your Hamstrings
• 5 Steps to Safely Train Around Back Pain
• The Best Back Workouts

The post 3 Quick and Simple Exercises to Prevent Back Pain appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

As you lunge with the knee hovering towards the ground, it opens up the hip flexors. It is great for progression work, too, because you can see how close you can get your knee to the ground and continue to work the knee closer and closer the more times you work through this video.

When you get to the part where you cross the knee over the ankle and squat down, you work to open the outer hips and glutes. This builds the muscles in your ankle and increases the proprioception in that planted foot. Working on the proprioception and balance on one leg is great for trail runners or those who have weak ankles. It’s also effective training when working toward any one-legged movements, like a pistol squat.

I offered up the arm balance in this sequence because I know that it is a challenging pose. I know that not everyone will be able to do it. Hips in yoga hold our fears and anxieties. So as we open them up, sometimes we are more open to take on our fears, headfirst. I do know that over time this particular arm balance pose will slowly seem more and more possible. I think it is imperative to practice things we cannot do because it is humbling, and also if we could do everything, why bother showing up?

I am on a constant journey to increase my physical fitness but also grow mentally and spiritually. I hope that you will allow the challenge of the arm balance to strengthen not only your core and shoulders, but also your ability to push forward even when falling seems like an inevitable conclusion.

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