Training :Workouts
Ab-solutely Necessary Runners need strong abs almost as much as strong legs. We'll show you how to carve out a six-pack. By Ed Eyestone
Washboard abs, like sub-36-minute 10-Ks, are tough to come by and require lots of hard work and great genes. But who cares about ripped abs? Well, you should, because strong abdominal muscles can help make you a better runner. And since the abdominal muscles support the rest of the torso, runners with strong abs have better posture, a more stable gait, and fewer low-back problems. Added bonus: Our abs also help us move our legs and shift our hips, so we derive more power for these actions when our abs are well-developed. Of course, doing a million situps is about as much fun as having your teeth bleached. And it's not much more effective, either. Instead, runners need an ab workout that targets the upper and lower abdominal muscles, along with the internal and external oblique muscles on either side of the abdomen. Lucky for us, some of the best collegiate track teams have come up with such a workout. I like to call it "circuit abs" because it's a combination of abdominal exercises that rotate every 30 seconds. By rotating the exercises you ensure all ab muscles get strong. And the variation in the exercises allows one group of abdominal muscles to recover while another group is worked. Circuit-ab workouts can be done every day after you run. Here's how:
Set your watch to beep every 30 seconds, and begin the first ab exercise. Do as many repetitions of the selected exercise as you can until the watch beeps. At the beep, switch to the next exercise, which should work a different part of your stomach. If you become fatigued before 30 seconds is up, simply rest until the next exercise begins. Start with just 6 minutes total. Longer than that and you might have trouble getting out of bed the next day. Gradually work up to 12 minutes total.
There are many abdominal exercises besides the basic crunch. Here are just a few, along with the abdominal muscles they target. You can also invent your own. Ins and outs: (upper and lower abs) Lie on your back, hands at your sides or under your buttocks. Move through the following four positions: (1) legs extended and 6 inches off the ground; (2) legs bent and pulled toward the chest; (3) legs extended up to the ceiling; (4) legs bent and pulled toward the chest again. Crossover crunches: (obliques) Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. With your hands behind your head, raise your shoulders off the ground and twist toward your left knee. Lower to the starting position and repeat, this time twisting to your right knee. Straight-leg flutter kick: (lower abs) Lie on your back with your hands under your buttocks and both feet 6 inches off the ground. Keeping your legs straight, kick your feet in a flutter-kick motion. Dying cockroach (sorry PETA): (upper and lower abs) Lie flat on your back with your legs straight, heels just off the ground, and arms extended above your head. (Be careful not to arch your lower back.) Lift your legs while simultaneously raising your chest and reaching for your toes (your body makes a "V"shape). Return to starting position.
End your circuit-abs workout with the following stabilization exercise. With this one, try to hold the position for 60 seconds, but don't be surprised if you're shaky after 30. The stabilizer: (entire abdominal area) Think pushup position here, except your body weight should be resting on your forearms instead of your hands. Push your body to the "up"position, tighten your stomach, and keep your shoulders, back, buttocks, and heels in a straight line. Now hold. Ed Eyestone, a two-time Olympic marathoner and men's cross-country coach at Brigham Young University, has a master's degree in exercise physiology.
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