Shakira said it best – the hips don’t lie! In this episode of the RunRX Podcast, Coach Valerie and Coach Caroline discuss running tips focusing on the strength needed in the hips.

Timestamps of big takeaways

Running Tips

[1:05] Coach Valerie read in an article that people who get a running injury sometimes go to a sports doctor, who tells them that their glutes aren’t firing properly. Coach Valerie has heard of this problem ever since she started in the industry.

[1:58] When it comes to running, all muscles are important, and you must also understand what strength is.

All About Strength

[2:55] Coach Valerie enjoys reading articles about strength. She read an article about the importance of hip strength when running. According to the article, your hip muscles' ability to generate force should be improved.

[4:18] Hip strength helps in stabilizing your body. Once you touch down on the ground, your body will be able to balance itself, and you will be able to fall forward and pull your foot from the ground.

[5:04] According to the article Coach Valerie read, maximum hip extension occurs when you toe-off and push back off the ground. It also states that as the running speed increases, so does the force, resulting in greater movement.

Four Forces in Running

[5:51] There are four forces at work in running: gravity, ground reaction force, muscle elasticity, and active muscle contraction. Gravity naturally exists in the environment, and ground reaction force happens when you touch the ground. Everyone has muscle elasticity, whether we use it or not.

Key Strengths on Running

[8:33] Coach Valerie suggests exercises like Glute Bridges, Single Leg Glute Bridges, Step-Ups, and Squats to strengthen your glutes.

[9:15] When the hips are hurting when running, this is most likely because you push or reach. An incorrect movement while running causes extra tension on the hip. To solve it, you must have strength training.

[9:50] Aside from strength training, you must also correct your movement when running. Stretching and strengthening the hips are useless if don’t fix your movement.

[11:08] The same can be said when the calf hurts while running. You must strengthen the glute and the calf, but you must also determine what is causing the problem.

Understanding How You Run

[15:10] Most people think that simply strengthening the glutes can help in running. However, you must first understand why you need the strength in your run. This is for you to develop a relationship with your hip to understand your actions and running.

[16:26] If you train, you’ll understand how your strengths work. You’ll be able to understand what you’re doing in your run.

Final Reminders

[17:47] When it comes to running, all you need is strength training to keep your hips stable and your feet strong enough to support you throughout your run. Understanding how you run will help you decide what's right and wrong when running, and you'll be able to feel and recognize when you've done something incorrectly.

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Links mentioned in episode

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