How Explosive Strength Can Improve Endurance Performance

If you get to the point at which the quality of the move is decreasing and fatigue is causing you to slow considerably, it's time to back off. At that point, you'll only be training your body to execute the exercises slowly, which defeats the purpose of this type of training.

If you want a way to increase your leg turnover and speed, below are some of Stack's favorite explosive body weight exercises for runners:

Jump Squats

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your back straight, and your hands behind your head. Lower your backside toward the floor until your legs reach 90 degrees or slightly more, engage your core, and power upwards as you jump. Land on your heels and repeat immediately.

Broad Jump

Stand with your feet slightly apart. Flex at the knees, lower your body, and swing your arms in unison to execute a two-footed forward jump. The objective is to jump as far as possible, landing on both feet without falling backward.

Skips for Height

With 10 to 20 meters of space in front of you, skip as high as possible, raising your knee and driving your leg upward. At the same time, drive your opposite arm to increase upward momentum. As you land on the opposite leg, alternate sides and repeat.

Skips for Distance

This move emphasizes forward motion, rather than upward. Skip forward, covering as much distance as possible, immediately alternating legs as you land and pushing off with the opposite foot.

Speed Squats

This move is just like doing a regular squat, but involves quick, successive reps. With your feet shoulder-width apart, lower your backside toward the floor until you're at 90 degrees or slightly deeper. Quickly fire back up and then squat back down. As you do this, swing your arms in front of your body with each squat to aid power and balance.

Speed Calf Raises

Standing with your feet slightly apart, raise your body up onto your toes, engaging your calf muscles. Lower your heels back down and quickly repeat. As your calf muscles get stronger, you can graduate to standing on a stair and lowering to 45 degrees for more of a challenge.

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About the Author

Mackenzie Lobby Havey

Mackenzie Lobby Havey is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer and photographer with a Master's in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota. She has run 10 marathons and is a USATF certified coach. When she's not writing, she's out swimming, biking, and running the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes. Check out her website at mackenzielobby.com.
Mackenzie Lobby Havey is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer and photographer with a Master's in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota. She has run 10 marathons and is a USATF certified coach. When she's not writing, she's out swimming, biking, and running the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes. Check out her website at mackenzielobby.com.

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