SEAWHEEZE STRENGTH TRAINING PLAN we tailored this plan specifically for your half marathon training. It s intended to strengthen your entire body, with special emphasis on building a strong core and stable hips while promoting a full range of motion in your joints. 1. Start with the warm up 2. Do the required number of sets* for each exercise 3. Repeat minus the warm up two more times *A set is composed of the required number of reps (short for repetitions) of an exercise. For example, one set of toe touches is made up of 10 reps.
WA L K I N G L E G G R A B S Expanding your legs range of motion helps you build strength in a long, lean body. 1. Inhale as you bring your knee to your chest. 2. Exhale as you pull that knee in tight. 3. Release your knee, grab your foot and pull it into your butt. Stay nice and tall. 1 SET OF 10 REPS TOE TOUCHES Hardworking hamstrings contract with every stride open them up with this exercise. 1. Stand tall with your arms at your side. Bring your feet together. 2. Inhale and squeeze your quads. 3. Exhale as your roll down, vertebrae by vertebrae, to touch your toes. 4. When you reach the bottom, inhale and then slowly roll back up, releasing your breath as you go. 1 SET OF 10 REPS P I K E A R C H T W I S T Increased mobility gives you freedom to run far and fast this exercise opens the front of the hips and helps them rotate freely. 1. Crouch into a deep squat. If possible, your hips should be below your knees. Spread your feet to a distance that feels good. 2. Take a big inhale. Place your elbows inside your knees and lengthen your spine. 3. Twist to your right, reaching to the sky with your right hand. Repeat the twist and reach on the other side. 4. Walk hands out into a plank and then flow through Downward Dog and Upward Dog. 5. Walk your hands back and return to your squat. 1 SET OF 5 REPS
D E A D B U G A strong run is built on stable hips and a strong deep core. 1. Lie on your back. Push your mid back into the ground. Inhale as you raise your arms to the sky and activate the muscles in your armpits. 2. Exhale as you bring your feet off the ground and your knees over your hips. This is the dead bug position. 3. Without moving anything else, inhale and raise your right arm above your head while your left leg lowers and extends, almost touching the floor. 4. Exhale and return to the dead bug position. Do all the reps for this side, then switch and do the reps on the other side. BUTT BUILDERS Activating the glutes helps give you running firepower while taking the strain off your hamstrings. 1. Lie on your back and inhale. As you exhale, pull your right knee to your chest as you plant your left foot about a foot away from your butt. 2. Inhale and push your left heel into the ground. Flex your stomach, exhale and raise your hips to the sky. 3. Lower your hips. Do all the reps for this side, then switch and do the reps on the other side. P L A N K R E A C H E S Like the Dead Bug, this exercise helps to activate your deep core and increase stability in your hips for longer muscles and a stronger run. 1. Start in a high plank with your hand underneath your shoulders, your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart and your hips level and parallel to the ground. 2. On an exhale breath, reach forward with your left hand. Alternate left and right hands until you have completed all the reps for the set.
SWIMMERS This exercise helps strengthen your back body so it works with your core to maintain your posture on long runs. 1. Lay on your stomach with fully extended arms and legs 2. Inhale and engage your quad, core and back muscles. Lift your limbs off the ground your head and neck stay down. 3. On an exhale, reach your right hand and your left foot towards the sky. Hold for an inhale and an exhale and then switch sides. WALK OUT PUSH UP This sequence works to open up your hamstrings, build core stability and build a strong upper body on stable hips. 1. Stand with straight legs. On an exhale, fold forward and walk hands out into a high plank position. 2. With core engaged and hands at a 45-degree angle from the body, do a push-up with your whole torso moving as a unit. Inhale on the push-up and exhale as you lower. Keep your glute muscles engaged and your shoulders away from your ears. 3. Return to standing. 3 SETS OF 10 REPS C R O S S O V E R L U N G E Toning and strengthening the side of the butt helps to promote hip stability (not to mention a rounder butt). 1. Stand tall with your hands on your hips. You can also hold free weights or a kettleball for extra resistance. 2. Inhale and step your right foot back and plant it behind your left leg, keeping your left knee over the top of the heel. 3. Tap your right foot on the ground, exhale and step back to standing. 4. Repeat all reps on one side before switching sides.
STEP BACK LUNGE KNEE DRIVE This sequence prepares you for the running movement pattern by training you to drive your knee, keep your eyes and chest up and your core flexed with your heart rate up all while stretching your hip flexor. 1. Stand tall no leaning forward or back. Place your hands on your hips. 2. Step straight back with the right leg and bring the back knee to the ground. The front knee shouldn t move. 3. On an exhale, push off the left leg and bring the right knee off the ground towards the chest. 4. Repeat all reps on one side before switching sides.