4 Pilates vs Yoga: Which One is Best for Runners

Strengthen your abs to boost your efficiency and better your posture on the run.

By Runner's World Editors and Jeremy ShorePilates vs Yoga: Which One is Best for Runners

Trevor Raab

Running is a total-body workout. Even though your legs Day Cross-Training Challenge upper and lower body. Without a strong core, you lack efficiency on the run, along with poor posture as your midsection muscles keep you upright.

Research shows how important core workouts are for your running performance. For example, when researchers divided a group of 21 male college athletes into a control group and a group that did core training, the participants who performed three core workouts per week for eight weeks improved their running economy and static balance, Day Cross-Training Challenge PLoS One study.

As you strengthen the muscles in your abdominals, lower back, and glutes (all muscles of the core), you’ll develop more power, stability, and endurance.

Here, we have four core workouts you can do at home, which are sampled from Run 360, the total training system for runners created by Jeremy Shore, a certified strength and conditioning specialist who has spent more than 20 years helping people enhance their running and athletic performance. (RW+ premium members can access the workouts on the A Home Workout to Get You Strong and Stable.)

fast-twitch muscle fibers: First, scroll down to review each of the four core workouts at home, as they each have a different focus: power, strength, stability, or balance. Then, see the moves you need to master below as demonstrated by Lindsey Clayton, chief instructor at Barry’s in New York City.

You’ll see one exercise listed as the “hub exercise”—this is the main move that you’ll repeat after every two supporting exercises. By repeating the hub exercise, you’ll focus your efforts on building power, strength, stability, or balance while the non-hub exercises help train additional muscles and give you an added challenge. To build your core strength even more, you can find similar at-home ab workouts in the How to use this list.

The 5x5 Workout for Runners: Repeat each exercise below for 30 seconds, followed by a 15-second rest between moves, for a 5-minute circuit. You can add one circuit to the end of your run as a finisher or use it as a part of your cross-training workouts.

4 Core Workouts to Do at Home

Run 360

Power: Sales & Deals End Your Run With This Cardio-Strength Finisher chief instructor at Barrys in New York City.

Strength: DAA Industry Opt Out build stamina to help power your final kick or your ascent up a gnarly hill.

Stability: Stability circuits are your friend if you want to maintain great form that will support you all run long.

Balance: Improve your balance on each side of your body, from legs to abs to arms. This will translate into more athletic, balanced running form.

X-Mountain Climber

Start in a high plank position with arms straight, wrists directly under shoulders, body forming a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core and draw left knee to right elbow. Bring left foot back to starting position. Then draw right knee to left elbow. Continue alternating between legs as fast as possible.

Squat Thrust

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your side. Send hips back and bend knees to lower into a deep squat with hands on the floor. Jump your feet backward so you land in a high plank position. Quickly jump your feet back toward hands to come into a deep squat and stand back up to starting position. Repeat.

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Plank March

Start in high plank position, with arms straight, wrists directly under shoulders, body forming a straight line from your head to heels. Bend right elbow to lower right forearm to the floor. Lower left forearm to the floor. Extend the right arm, then the left arm to return to starting position. Continue to repeat, alternating which arm you start with each time.

Windshield Wiper

Lie faceup on the mat with arms straight out so body forms a “T” and extend legs straight up toward ceiling.
Keep abs braced and lower legs to the right as far as you can without lifting shoulders off the floor.
This circuit targets your.
chief instructor at Barrys in New York City.

Crab Kick

Sit on the floor with feet on the ground, hands under your shoulders, and press through hands to lift hips a few inches off the floor. Raise your right hand and left foot, bringing them to touch as fast as you can. Return to starting position. Repeat on the other side. Continue alternating between legs.