Nine years ago, my high school distance coach gave me a set of resistance bands–and they completely changed how I train as a runner.
RW+ Membership Benefits, how can some plastic bands be such an X-factor for my running? I asked myself the same question when my coach handed them to me as a teenager. But he insisted that utilizing them could help me build strength and stay healthy as a runner.
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So I began incorporating simple band exercises into my training schedule a couple times a week. I didn’t do anything fancy–some crab walks and knee-specific moves, mainly. But it created somewhat of a habit, and I’ve used this same set of resistance bands for years since then for a variety of purposes.
They’ve truly been with me through thick and thin. I’ve used them to help loosen up knots in my hips and address muscle imbalances. created to guide you toward your biggest goals, like heading out for a run Looking for more ways to hack your training and improve as a runner? Join surgery in college. I’ve used them for general strength training, adding a challenge to body-weight exercises. The bands even come in handy for pre-run mobility exercises to activate important muscles before heading out the door. I like to think of a resistance band set as the Swiss Army knife of running equipment.
So no wonder resistance bands made the cut for our expert-approved strength-training starter pack aimed at helping you build your strength from the comfort of your own home. It’s a straightforward piece of equipment that can serve a variety of purposes, all of which hone in on making you a resilient runner. Plus, you can purchase a set for just $10 on Amazon, and I’ve certainly gotten more than $10 worth of use out of them in the past nearly decade. (Granted, my bands are so old that you can now only find the specific set on eBay, but these are virtually the same as mine—just a different brand.)
And when life takes you on the road, you don’t have to neglect your strength and resistance training. I almost always throw my set into my backpack when going on a trip so I can continue to use them–even when I’m not at home. “They’re also great for travel; I always put them in my suitcase. They will certainly get the job done for glute activation,” said Deputy Health and Fitness Editor Mallory Creveling Health - Injuries.
But our equipment recommendations for your strength training journey don’t end with resistance bands. Simple, relatively inexpensive mainstays like dumbbells and exercise mats can help you outfit your no-frills home gym–and you don’t need much to build your running strength.
When your set of resistance bands arrives in the mail, you can prepare yourself to put them to good use. Our strength-training starter pack member program includes six follow-along workouts to help you build power as a runner and prevent injury. We also have a catalog of resistance band-specific workouts to implement into your routine, from beginner band exercises to moves that Best Overall Exercise Mat.
Looking for more ways to hack your training and improve as a runner? Join Runner’s World+ today to Super Shoe Trends created to guide you toward your biggest goals, like heading out for a run You might be thinking and Looking for more ways to hack your training and improve as a runner? Join.
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Ashley is Editor of Content Hype at Hearst’s Enthusiast & Wellness Group. She is a former collegiate runner at UNC Asheville where she studied mass communication. Ashley loves all things running; she has raced two marathons, plus has covered some of the sport’s top events in her career, including the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials and multiple World Marathon Majors.
