Bulletproof your lower body with this running coach’s six-move bodyweight circuit

We all know that becoming a better runner takes more than just logging endless miles; building strength in your lower body is essential for improving performance and reducing injuries. This six-move circuit from ultra runner and certified running coach, Yana Strese, targets the muscles in your hips, knees and glutes to help enhance your movement patterns and bulletproof your body. The best part? You can do it almost anywhere, no equipment required.

“Building a solid lower body foundation not only improves power and speed, but also aligns your posture, helping to correct muscle imbalances that can lead to pain and postural issues,” Strese writes on her post. It also enhances stability and endurance, allowing you to move more efficiently, so that your body isn’t just more resilient for your runs, but also to tackle everyday activities.

As we mentioned, no equipment is needed for this workout, but if you wanted to incorporate a light pair of dumbbells for an extra challenge, go ahead! What we like is that Strese incorporates a mixture of unilateral and bilateral exercises, as well as frontal plane (side to side) exercises – these often get forgotten about, but are key for stability. Perform each exercise for the reps below and watch the video above for a recap on how to do each exercise. Rest for 90-120 seconds after completing each exercise, then repeat two more times. Here’s the moves:

• Reverse lunge jumps – 10 reps per side
• Squat with heel raise – 12 reps
• Low back and forth lunges – 10 reps per side
• Frog jumps – 12 reps
• Lateral jumps – 10 reps per side
• Curtsy lunge to knee drive – 12 reps per side

Don't forget it's also important to train your upper body, as well as strengthen your core if you're a runner. Here's a 10-minute bodyweight core workout you could add onto the end of the one you've just done, and a bodyweight upper body strength workout that you can complete later in the week.