Home exercises for runners

by | Mar 22, 2021

4 min. read

Sometimes it’s just not feasible or desirable to train outdoors. Brooks Beasts coach Danny Mackey shares a sweat-inducing routine you can do inside.

 

Work(out) from home

Bad weather? Traveling in an area that lacks familiar or safe running paths? Alien invasion? Whatever your reason for taking your training indoors, we’ve got your back. Having a set indoor routine can keep you on track to hit any running goal.

If you’re planning on working out indoors, be sure to make extra room to move. No one likes stubbed toes and bumped knees. Plus, clearing out some space will give you a full range of motion so you can make the most of stretches and exercises. The indoors are typically warmer, too, so opt for lighter gear.

 

The routine

Led by coach Danny Mackey, the Brooks Beasts include Olympic hopefuls in distances from the 800m to the 5,000m. Follow Mackey’s indoor training routine, which he says targets running muscles that can get neglected over time.

 

1. Power pushups, 14 reps

Fast on the way up, slow 3-second count on the way down. Go from the knees if you need to.

 

2. Pogos, 30-40 reps

Think of jumping rope, but without the rope.

 

3. Supine plank with single leg raise, 10 reps each leg

Plank from your elbows or hands.

4. V-Ups, 20 reps

A crunch, but make it a V, with your arms and legs straight out. You can also substitute traditional crunches.

5. Supermans, 14 reps

Lay face down. Lift your arms and legs simultaneously about a foot off the ground while keeping them straight. Lower your arms and legs to the ground in a slow, controlled motion.

 

6. Burpees, 8-12 reps

We bet you already know this classic exercise: Stand. Squat. Plank. Stand. Repeat!

 

7. Jumping jacks, 30–40 reps

Pair these with the burpees to get you breathing hard.

 

8. Knee to elbow strikes,20 reps on each side

In a table plank position on your hands and knees, bring your knee to the opposite elbow, then switch sides.

9. Hindu squats, 12 reps

Begin in normal body weight squat starting position. On the way down, bring your heels off the floor and reach your arms behind you. Fun fact: Hindu squats or bathaks, along with Hindu push ups, have been a staple conditioning exercise used by Hindu wrestlers for centuries.

10. Speed skaters, 20 reps

Start with your feet together and jump to the side, landing on one foot. Switch directions after 10 reps. Channel the low stance of a speed skater — but without the skates.

 

11. Lunge jumps, 6 reps on each leg

Lower yourself into a standard lunge, then jump as high as you can, landing with the other leg out front. Repeat.

 

12. Lateral planks with leg raises, 12 reps

Start in the side plank position. Slowly lift your upper leg, keeping it straight, away from your lower leg, and return.

Tips from Coach Mackey:

  • Keep the rest between exercises short. This will increase heart rate, mimicking some of the effects you get from running. Short rests between exercises will help maintain your aerobic fitness.
  • I like to think of this as a circuit, so do as many sets as you have time for, 2-4 total.
  • If you do this workout consecutively for multiple days, start with a lower number so you are not sore and can repeat or add a set the next day.

Bottom line, the ideal time of day to exercise is when it is best for you. Although more research is needed in this area to draw a conclusion on exactly what time of day is the best to exercise, what we do know is that long-term exercise does in fact improve aerobic capacity, cardiac function, management of BMI, and strength. So, the evidence points to moving your body for overall wellness regardless of what time you do it.

Keep that spring in your step this season and embrace your Run Happy journey with Brooks Running!

Our writer’s advice is intended for informational or general educational purposes only. We always encourage you to speak with your physician or healthcare provider before making any adjustments to your running, nutrition or fitness routines.

You may also like:

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This