Runners Need This Exercise
Runners always neglect their shins — then face the consequences
Runners love to run (mostly) — they don’t particularly like doing anything else.
This is something that became especially obvious to me when I used to lead a couple of running groups in the evenings. The runners could run for hours but would panic at the thought of a few burpees or squats.
Over the years I’ve helped a number of runners rebuild after knee or ankle injuries, using strength training to help them get back to the thing they love most: running.
Something that seems remarkably true across the board is the almost complete neglect of their anterior tibialis muscle — AKA the shins.
Your hips, knees, and ankles are all equally important parts of the equation when it comes to running and jumping. Power and acceleration mostly come from the hips, as the glutes are the largest muscle group in the legs and responsible for generating the most forward drive. This is where things like squats, deadlifts, and hip thrusts will come into play.
Want to run faster or further? Make sure your glutes are strong.
But don’t ignore the rest of your legs… the knees and ankles are where most of your elasticity lives. As the muscles get smaller, the tendons…
