From the August 2004 issue of Runner's World
Here is the REAL secret to marathon success: Devote some of your precious training time to lower-body strength training. All the pavement pounding isn't building the muscles in balance, says New York City musculoskeletal therapist Jim Wharton, and you're asking for trouble when you overtax weaker muscles. I strength trained once a week--and then a hamstring imbalance sidelined me for three full weeks. Only then did I do three days a week of lower-body work, which helped me get to the starting line. The Whartons prescribed these six exercises, which anyone can do with a basic set of ankle weights. Do two sets of 15 repetitions on each leg for each exercise. (For the Whartons' full program, go to runnersworld.com/wpm.)
Knee Extensors: Sit on a chair with a rolled-up towel under the knee of the exercising leg. Angle the toes in slightly and extend the leg straight out. Lock the knee and hold for a three-count; this exercises the medial head of the vastus medialus, the knee's shock absorber. Slowly lower the leg.
Hip Flexors: Lie on the floor, with the exercising leg straight out, and the nonexercising leg bent with your foot on the floor. Lift the exercising leg from the hip, ending at a 90-degree angle with the heel pointing toward the ceiling. Slowly lower. Repeat with foot angled to the outside, then to the inside.
Hamstring Curl: Lie facedown on a flat surface and, bending at the knee, bring the exercising foot up toward your buttocks; slowly lower the leg. Turn the foot toward the outside and repeat; then turn the foot toward the inside and repeat.
Hip Extensors: Lie facedown over a table or bed, pelvis at the edge, feet on the floor. Relax your nonexercising leg to a 90-degree angle at the knee; it should stabilize you but not support you. Keep the exercising leg straight and turn it in at the hip. Lift the leg up to the point where it is parallel with your back. Slowly lower.
Hip Abductors: Lie on your side on the floor, the exercising leg on top. Bend the nonexercising leg 90 degrees at the hip and knee. Rotate the foot of the exercising leg down (inward) to isolate the outside hip muscle. Keep the leg straight (it will feel like it's behind you) and raise it as high as possible. Slowly lower.
Hip Adductors: Lie on your side on the floor, the exercising leg on bottom. Place your upper (nonexercising) leg on a chair or table at a height of about 20 inches off the floor. (Your leg should be at about a 45-degree angle to the floor.) Slowly bring your exercising leg up to meet the other leg. Slowly lower.
