Miranda and Rachel demonstrate each of the following 12 exercises with light weights for illustrative purposes.
The Palloff Press is great for working the core in a way that helps race walking translate core work into functional movement. It also helps train the body for better posture which is critical to the rest of our strength training exercises
Body Position
- Stand far enough away from the machine or pole so there is some tension in the cable or band.
- Stand with your feet a shoulder width apart, your knees lightly bent, your posture straight up and down, and your pelvis in the neutral position.
Steps
- Grab a handle attached to a cable or an elastic band attached to a pole and hold it in line with your sternum (Figure 20-1).
- Press the cable straight out fully extending your arms; As you do, your core should engage (Figure 20-2).
- Hold for two seconds and then return your hands to the sternum (Figure 20-1).
- Complete your reps and sets from one side and then turn around and face in the opposite direction and repeat.
Take Care!
- Do not let the cable pull your body and rotate it towards the machine.
- Resist the temptation to rotate your body from side to side.
- Notice how Miranda keeps her body within the green lines (Figure 20-3).
- Also pay attention to your pelvis.
- It must remain in the neutral position (Figure 20-4).
- Do not tilt your pelvis forward (Figure 20-5) or backward (Figure 20-6).
Barbell Deadlift is one of the best exercises you can do to work your complete posterior chain, aka the muscles along the back of your body. These are the muscles that are largely responsible for forward movement and hip extension.
Body Position
- Place your feet a hip to shoulder width apart and toes pointed slightly outward between 5 to 10 degrees.
- Hold the bar comfortably with your hands more than a shoulder width apart (Figures 20-8 & 20-10)
- The back should be straight at all times.
Steps
- Unlock the knees and push the butt backward using your hips as a hinge, the chest falls over the knees as a result with your shoulders in line with the bar.
- As you go down, bend the knees and they will push out a little, but continue to push the butt backwards (Figure 20-7 & 20-9).
- Bending from the hips, not the waist, is critical here.
- It assures the movement is correct and will reduce your chance of injury.
Take Care!
- Be careful not to lean back when you reach the top of your lift.
- Pay attention to squeezing the glutes and continuing to keep your back straight as you lift.
- Control the speed as you lower and touch your weights to the floor.
- Although at first you should do this with no weight, as you get more advanced, you can add dumbbells and then progress to a barbell with weights to make the exercise more difficult.
The Barbell Back Squat is similar to the deadlift in that it’s a complete body exercise that focuses on the legs acting on the ankles, knees, and hips. With all joints involved it is a key to top performance and injury prevention for a race walker.
This and the Barbell Deadlift are the two exercises that build the most strength and power for a race walker.
Body Position
While your foot position can vary due to personal style, start with your feet at shoulder width apart and pointing forward or a little bit out.
Steps
- Place your hands on the bar at about twice the width of your shoulders.
- Lift the bar behind your head, while keeping your wrists straight, rest the bar on your shoulders, not your spine (Figure 20-12 & 20-14).
- Bend from the hips, not the waist, as it assures the movement is correct and will reduce your chance of injury; The back should be straight at all times.
- Lower the body and bar until your upper legs are parallel with the floor (Figures 20-11 & 20-13).
- Sit back, like you are sitting in a chair and then return to the upright position.
Take Care!
- Do not lower your torso below your knees.
- Make sure that your heels are always on the ground and the body’s weight is over them.
- Keep your wrists straight throughout.
- Although at first you should do this with no weight, as you get more advanced, you can add dumbbells and then progress to a barbell with weights to make the exercise more difficult.
Much like the Barbell Back Squat, the Bulgarian Split Squat works the hip, knee and ankle joints, however, being a single leg exercise, it brings in joint stability similar to the needs of a race walker at heel strike.
Body Position
Stand with your front foot on the ground, with the knee directly above the ankle and your back foot on a bench or chair (Figures 20-16 & 20-18).
Steps
- Lower your body by bending the front knee to a 90 degree angle (Figures 20-15 & 20-17).
- Keep your upper body upright with a neutral pelvis throughout the entire movement.
Take Care!
Beginners should do this with no weight, but as you get more advanced, you can add dumbbells or a medicine ball to make the exercise more difficult.
The Single Leg Deadlift is like the Barbell Deadlift in that this exercise emphasizes the posterior chain. However, being a single leg exercise, it brings in joint stability similar to the needs of a race walker at heel strike. This is a more advanced version of the deadlift accomplished with a single supporting leg that develops the hamstrings.
Body Position
Stand with your weight on a slightly bent leg (Figures 20-20 & 20-22).
>Steps
- Bend forward at the hips, not the waist, keeping your back straight throughout the exercise.
- As you lean forward your free leg raises and is kept mostly straight.
- Continue leaning forward until the body and free leg are close to parallel with the ground (Figures 20-19 & 20-21). Pause for a second in this position and return to the standing position.
Take Care!
- You may want a chair, bench or stationary pole available in front of you for balance.
- Beginners should do this with no weight. As you get more advanced, you can add dumbbells.
The Double Dumbbell Step Up is similar to a Bulgarian Split Squat from a pattern standpoint, requiring the ankles, knees, and hips to go through full ranges of motions. However, it brings the challenge of joint stability because it is performed on a single leg. This is crucial to the race walker.
Body Position
The Double Dumbbell Step Up can be performed on a step, chair, bench, or other secure platform at varying heights.
Steps
- Step up onto the platform and raise your body up so that your support leg is fully straightened (Figures 20-24 & 20-26).
- You then lower yourself back down to the ground (Figures 20-23 & 20-25).
- Repeat this with the same leg for as many repetitions as you want to perform for the set and then switch legs.
Take Care!
- Beginners should do this with no weight.
- As you get more advanced, you can add dumbbells.
The Kettlebell Swing is the Hip Hinge or top portion of the Deadlift. However, it is done explosively to develop power.
Body Position
Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder width apart and keep your elbows locked.
Steps
- Grasp the kettle bell with an overhand grip with both hands.
- Start by swinging the kettlebell backward through your legs to gain some momentum like the downward movement of the squat (Figures 20-27 & 20-29).
- Then, drive the kettlebell upward from your hips, as you stand up, raising the weight to a maximum height of the shoulder (Figures 20-28 & 20-39), while forming two straight lines. One through your back and the other through your arms.
- As you lower the bell, let gravity be your friend, and allow it to lower the bell.
Take Care!
- Be careful when finishing not to just stop the motion in mid swing. Allow the kettlebell to lower and carefully place it on the ground.
- This exercise requires you to have mastered the Deadlift as it is central in its execution.
Dumbbell Walking Lunge is a more advanced version of a Split Squat, adding movement that increases the demands on your joint stability.
Body Position
Steps
- Step forward with one leg (Figure 20-31), landing on the heel, not on the forefoot.
- Once you are in this straddling position, while keeping your body upright, bend the front leg at the knee (Figure 20-32).
- Then lower your body at the hips until the back knee almost touches the ground (Figure 20-33).
- It is important that your forward step is far enough that the knee stays over the ankle and does not push over the toes.
- Then begin to stand back up and repeat these actions on the other leg.
Take Care!
- Mastering these movements is critical before trying to add weights to them.
- Some may even wish to start with a standing lunge exercise before moving on to the walking exercise.
The Cable Chop is an advanced version of the Palloff Press with an added rotation that increases the workload of your core to stabilize your neutral position and maintain your proper race walking posture.
Body Position
Stand with your feet slightly more than a shoulder width apart.
Steps
- Grab the handle of the cable at chest height (Figures 20-34 & 20-36).
- Start with the weight on your inside leg and while keeping the back straight rotate outward pulling the cable across your body in a horizontal movement. As you do, pivot on your inside foot and shift the weight to your outside foot. Allow your head to track with your body so you are constantly looking at your hands (Figures 20-35 & 20-37).
- Repeat this on one side for as many repetitions as you want to perform for the set and then switch sides.
Take Care!
- Your torso and arms do the movement, but be careful not to lead your motion by leaning into the direction you are rotating.
- Be careful not to swing all the way back.
The Cable Punch is a core stability exercise that integrates a neutral spine and pelvis while forcing you to stabilize the core as well as the ankles, knees, and hips. This teaches your core to turn on while maintaining a neutral pelvis, which translates well to race walking
Body Position
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
Steps
- Grab the handle of the cable at shoulder height with the hand closer to the machine.
- Start with the leg closer to the machine behind you and your other leg in front of you (Figures 20-38 & 20-40).
- Simultaneously step forward with the rear leg and punch forward with your corresponding arm. At the end of the punch your arms should be fully extended (Figures 20-39 & 20-41).
- Step backwards with the corresponding arm retreating as well (Figures 20-38 & 20-40).
- Repeat this on one side for as many repetitions as you want to perform for the set and then switch sides.
Take Care!
Take care to maintain a straight back and neutral pelvis throughout the exercise.
The Turkish Get Up 1 is a core exercise that does not activate the hip flexors and forces you into thoracic extension which helps correct a common rounded shoulder posture that many endurance athletes suffer from.
Body Position
Lie on the floor and straighten your right leg while keeping your left leg knee bent at a 90 degree angle.
Steps
- Hold your straightened left arm up, keeping your back against the floor (Figure 20-42).
- Reach up for the ceiling, rotating your torso and using your right arm, bent at about 90 degrees, to help support your weight (Figure 20-43).
- Slowly lower your torso and arm, but keep the arm up and straightened (Figure 20-42).
- Repeat this on one side for as many repetitions as you want to perform for the set and then switch sides.
The Turkish Get Up 2 is a variation on the previous Turkish Get Up 1.
Body Position
Lay on the ground with both legs extended, keep the knees slightly bent and hold your arms so they are perpendicular to the ground (Figure 20-44).
Steps
- With both arms extended sit up reaching for the ceiling until your torso is in the vertical position and your arms are directly in line with your torso (Figure 20-45).
- Slowly return to the floor and repeat.
