Any runners incorporating To The Mat floor workouts?

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I was a long time runner from my 20s to my mid 40s until I was beset by Achilles and hip issues. I gave up running for a few years (concentrating on Cathe workouts and strength training) and my injuries healed. Since then, I have committed to doing 1 tough 5k (very hilly and up a canyon) and 1 tough 10k each year, but find my hip bothers me after running hills. I was wondering if I would commit to doing the To The Mat video from the ICE series twice a week, would that strengthen my hip area and enable me to run pain-free.

Anyone out them in my same situation, and any good results?

Thanks,
Carrie

 

[maddiesmum]

Hi Carrie:

I seem to be a lot like you in my response to intense running training, so I have not done too much of it as of late either, even though I have never enjoyed any exercise as much as I have always loved running. Hip pains, pretty much same as you, ITB puling on the hip area, etc, etc. I think, therefore, that the exercises you need are exactly those featured in To the Mat, but also, include as much firewalker moves as you can, frequently, to strengthen the gluteus medius and minimus, and gliding discs sections of Slide and Glide and High reps. All these are the sorts of exercises I was always encouraged to do in physical therapy after knee, hip, ITB injuries and issues. Also consider powerwalking those hills. As a result of the gliding disc work, mat exercises, clam shell moves, firewalker moves and powerwalking as many hills as possible each week, I can visibly see and feel the extra muscle and strength I now have in the hip/gluteus medius area, which I never had as a runner. This additional strength protects the hip, and provides mobility and strength through hip/ITB/knee chain, and stronger glutes are the bedrock of this support system.

Oh, and I forgot: if you have the STS series, in Meso 1, there's an extra/bonus disc of lower body moves (sorry, I forget the disc #): practically that entire disc could have been recommended by my physical therapists for running injuries over the years! Get it and do it weekly!!!

Clare

 

[gratefuldog]

I think it was disc 9. I just did it a few weeks ago.

 

[[email protected]]

Thanks Clare! I appreciate the encouragement. For some reason, the hip exercises are always tough for me, so knowing they might help me return to running may encourage me to stick with them. I don't have STS, but I just finished X Train (so nice to know the difficult Legs workout is good for this), and will redouble my commitment to doing To the Mat. Also, I just got High Reps from a Daily Deal, but havn't tried it yet. I will check out the slide & glide portion.

 

[snowlover]

Just a thought for you--have you considered your problems may not stem from lack of strength? I've had a variety problems over the years like most athletes--a major one being that my left hip rides much higher than my right which leads to all sorts of annoying stuff. Quite often it is generally thought that you need to "get stronger" but the answer may be in something else. Perhaps targeted stretching/yoga or myofascial release to name a few ideas. By the way, I had to give up running but that led me on a whole new journey to discovering how much more there is to being an athlete and then I discovered Cathe (and now I am a Cathlete and a much better cross country skier since I've done Cathe workouts for years). Best wishes.

 

[maddiesmum]

Yes, myofascial release can help. Yoga too. Additional flexibity along with strength, is key. However, strength for running is NOT the same as strength that weight lifters and power lifters require or achieve. Stronger runners are still incredibly lean, not over-muscular in appearance, BUT their muscles have greater endurance and resiliency.

And that Xtrain legs workout is useful for runners, as are Great Glutes and the companion leg workout Lean Legs and Abs, both released together. They feature a different approach to working the lower body than Cathe's traditional squats and lunges with barbell routine and these are again the sort of exercises most useful to protecting runners from injury and building the kind of muscle resiliency we need.

Clare

 

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Thanks all! I am going to try all your suggestions.

 

[Stacy]

I agree with all the recommendations made here especially the increasing flexibility! I would also look into Strong Strides by Lisa Wharton, Pilates for Runners with Laura Tarbell and The Butt Bible lower body workouts (these can be found in full length free on youtube). The Butt Bible workouts are all less than 30 minutes and incorporate floor work and standing work for glutes. Also the free segments on youtube for Ballet Beautiful are deceptively tough but great burns for the inner and outer thigh/high area as well as the glutes.

 

[NY25]

I've been having hip problems lately myself (not a runner) and am going to P.T. The To The Mat workout seems like a video version of much of my PT regimen, so I'm increasing to doing that one twice a week to supplement my PT. I'll have to check out video 9 of STS, as recommended, as well. We'll see how it goes. I really do like the To The Mat workout, as well!

 

[meganmm]

I've been having hip problems lately myself (not a runner) and am going to P.T. The To The Mat workout seems like a video version of much of my PT regimen, so I'm increasing to doing that one twice a week to supplement my PT. I'll have to check out video 9 of STS, as recommended, as well. We'll see how it goes. I really do like the To The Mat workout, as well!

Hi, I've been diagnosed with hip tendonitis as well, although no PT has been offered to me. Which specific exercises on TTM are similar to what you are doing in PT? I am trying to incorporate TTM once a week, but often can only do one section of it. I'd love to know which moves are helping you out.