Core Stability
Most moves with a medicine ball require some degree of rotation, making it an ideal tool for strengthening your core. Start with the lightest ball available and work your way up. Perform these moves three times a week.
Rotating Knee Lift
1. Hold ball at chest height, elbows to the sides. Keep your eyes on the ball and twist to the right.
2. As you rotate back to center, lift your left knee to your waist.
3. As left leg returns to standing, rotate torso to right. Do 10 times.
4. Switch sides. Twist to the left and raise right leg. Over time, increase the thrust of the rotation by concentrating on twisting at the waist.
"We do medicine-ball work with a three-kilogram (6.6 pounds) ball. On any given day, my runners do up to 200 throws or rotations. It makes them explosive, which you need on the track." —John Cook
Wood Choppers
1. With feet 24 inches apart, extend ball over right shoulder.
2. Lower into a squat, and swing ball to outside of left knee.
3. Rise and swing ball up over your right shoulder, pivoting on the left toe and rotating slightly. Do 10 on each side.
Off-the-Wall Toss
1. Get a partner or stand about two feet away from a wall. Hold the ball over your head.
2. Throw it at the wall (or your partner).
3. Catch the return at roughly the same height.
4. Vary the toss and catch: Stand perpendicular to the wall and toss it sideways, twisting to release and catch; stand in place and have your partner toss to you from various angles or do chest passes. Do 10 reps.
Big Circles
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding ball over your head.
2. Keeping your arms straight and eyes on the ball, gently swing the ball clockwise in a big circle.
3. Squat as ball reaches six o'clock.
4. Rise again as you bring the ball back above your head. Do 10 circles in each direction.For these moves and more—including drills to develop proper sprinting form—go to runnersworld.com/fullyfit.
15 MINUTES
- Minimize injury risk by doing a warmup within a quarter-hour of your run, says Phillip Bishop, professor of kinesiology at the University of Alabama.8 to 10 weeks
- Add strength training to your weekly regimen, and you'll improve running efficiency in two-plus months, says Jason Bonacci, Ph.D., of the Australian Institute of Sport.
47 SECONDS
- The average time novice runners shaved off their 5K following six weeks of core training, according to Kimi Sato, Ph.D., C.S.C.S, of Arizona State University.
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