Cross Training for Runners

Cross training is a very important component for runners in staying injury free. A runners body can often form imbalances or compensations which may lead to injury. By working on your imbalances when cross training will help your body to rid your body of the imbalances resulting in diminished chance of injury.

Cross Training by focusing on your Functional Capacity using Applied Biomechanics

A runner's functional capacity is a combination of strength, flexibility, and balance. The Functional Capacity of your body influences your biomechanics in a way that we are able to change by working on strength, balance, and flexibility. Performing this specific type of cross training will help to prevent unwanted injuries.

The biomechanical assessment will help to determine a runner's imbalances or restrictions. Just the same as your structure having an influence on your biomechanics so does your functional capacity. The difference is that we are able to work on our functional capacity to lessen our imbalances and create improved symmetry.

Functional Capacity Testing:
Below is a demonstration of a functional capacity test. The test results may reveal a functional imbalance between both legs. The test will then become the exercises in order to create improved functional symmetry.

Practical Use: Stand on one leg and as you reach the opposite foot straight back lightly touch the back toes to the ground and reach the opposite arm across the front knee toward/ or to the ground. Perform 10 repetitions on each leg. If the exercise is more demanding on the one leg then perform an extra set on the "weaker" of the two legs.

Functional Capacity using Applied Biomechanics

• Train your body in the running environment
  Ground, gravity, momentum and all 3 directions
• Applied biomechanics exercises should be unique to your own imbalances
• Work on the body as a whole (integrated system)
• Optimal strength can be gained by first lengthening a muscle
• Once a muscle is stretched to a new length it needs to be re-educated at that new length.

Notice that when striding out both the quadriceps and Hip flexors are stretched synchronically as the opposite leg works against ground reaction, gravitational, and Momentum forces.		hip flexor &quad stretch with Upper body rotation and opposite leg mini-squat

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