Run With Gina BLOG

Improve Running with Kettlebells!

4/16/2018

I find it interesting when I hear of runners that do not supplement their running with other types of exercises. I suppose it may make sense to them, as running is a full body workout. But as I have mentioned in previous blog posts, most of our bodies have strength deficits/muscle imbalances not just from running, but more so from activities of daily living. Revisiting these blog posts in the runwithgina.com archives; Got Tight Hamstrings, Gym Junkies Beware, Jump Your Way to a Personal Record, and Cross Training Can Improve Run Performance, I have highlighted other ways to supplement your run training, as well as what may hamper your run training.

In the current blog post I want to highlight an awesome supplementary workout to running and why your running can benefit from kettlebells. Kettlebells have been around for centuries, but only more recently have specialized kettlebell gyms popped up, as well as the big box chain gyms having them accessible to gym members. Do you frequent the gym but haven’t seen the kettlebells? They are typically in a corner somewhere with dust accumulating on them. Hopefully after reading this blog post you will understand the benefit of them to supplement your run training and those puppies will be flying off the rack in the gym.

In a 2014 issue of the Strength and Conditioning Journal, researchers did a review of all published evidence-based literature on kettlebells and determined that the muscles targeted in hip-dominant and squat-dominant swings provided muscle activity to muscles that I have seen as frequently weak in the movement screenings of my runners. Here are the highlights of the published information:

Kettlebell swings activate the medial hamstrings more than the lateral hamstring, compared to any other hamstring exercise.Most runners have overactive lateral hamstrings and shut down medial hamstrings.Activating or waking up the medial hamstrings can assist in vertical propulsion through push off.The medial hamstrings originate and attach from the “inside” of the hip and the “inside” of the knee, so they assist in hip and tibial internal rotation and decrease an external rotation of the femur or tibia (turned out foot anyone?).

In a pronounced hip-dominant kettlebell swing, the exercise is performed at a speed like running, but the great thing about it is that it includes a stretch-shortening cycle at the same speed.To break it down, the stretch-shortening cycle is what occurs during the relaxation of the hamstrings and this occurs during the swing phase of the running gait, which is 60% of the running stride. I ask my runners that are training for a downhill race to include jump-squats into their training to prepare for the longer stretch-shortening cycle that occurs in downhill running.Kettlebell research has determined a pronounced hip-dominant kettlebell swing produces similar power outputs to jump squats, but works many other muscles (see blog post photo).More bang for your training buck!

Many runners have shut down glute muscles.Have you ever heard of “sleepy glute syndrome” or “glute amnesia”?The gluteus maximus is essential in activities of daily living and is our primary muscle in hip extension including during running.Kettlebell research has shown that kettlebell swings cause peak gluteal activation at full hip extension.This could be beneficial in “waking” up your glutes for more running power.

I know many runners only run because they only have time to run. Adding other workouts can be a compromise to work/family life balance. But keep in mind, you can get an awesome full-body workout that can compliment your run training in a very time efficient manner. Kettlebells are portable, fairly inexpensive, and a 10-minute routine can do your running wonders.

Fight ON!
Coach Gina

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INSIGHTS

April 27th, 2018

Improve Running with Kettlebells!

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