Last week on the Running Coaches’ Corner I told you about hypermobility. I was blown away by the number of people that came to me and said they have hypermobility issues as well. I know I said hypermobility affects up to 25% of the population but typing it and then seeing it via comments and emails are two very different things!
One of the key questions I’ve been asked several times since last week is “if I’m hypermobile, what do I do about it?” I’ve been doing some field research, if you will, and have compiled a list of exercises that work for me. Before I get into them I must tell you I emphasize for me because every runner is different and every hypermobile runner/patient is different.
Strength Exercises for the Hypermobile Runner
Listen to Your Body
The exercises you can/should perform also may vary from day to day in terms of what feels good versus what may be stretching your limbs too much or in a wonky way. I mentioned last week that there have been many times I have been doing strength work only to feel a strange twinge in my knee, at which point I stopped the exercise in question. Since hypermobile runners/patients have a reduced sense proprioception (remember, that’s the body’s ability to sense joint movement and position in relation to the rest of the body) it is imperative that you are completely tuned into your body and listen to the cues it gives you.
Take Your Time
Something else to note is to go slowly. This is a mistake I have made time and again. When I first started working out, I ran 3 miles and then plowed through strength work at lightning speed, a la HIIT. And in all honesty, at that time in my life it was fine and I experienced no problems. But since my recent flare of hypermobility and arthritis, I have found myself tweaking a knee or hip (usually a knee) more often than not if I’m moving too quickly through my circuit.
All right, kids. Enough of my warnings. Just remember to listen to your body and go slowly…
Balance Poses and Exercises
Balance is key to keeping hypermobile runners safe. Working on balance will strengthen literally your entire body which is critical in keeping those ligaments and limbs where they belong. A few ideas for you to work on balance training:
- Tree Pose
- Dancer’s Pose
- Barefoot Balance Training on the Bosu (I haven’t done this one myself but after seeing Angela’s post on Instagram the other day about barefoot balance training, I thought I’d add it to the list.)
Resistance Band Work
My post on iliotibial band rehab has great resistance band exercises. These are generally safe for hypermobile runners and they do a heckuva job strengthening those hips and glutes. Strengthening the glutes and hips are important for runners of all types, but can often be to blame for a swath of running-related injuries particularly in hypermobile runners. My favorite resistance band exercises for hypermobility include:
- Lateral Shuffle
- Clam Shells
- Lateral Leg Lifts
Lunges, Squats, and Other Stuff
Lunges and squats are great for building that critical strength in the hips and glutes, but keep in mind some of them may not be ideal for hypermobility. Here are some that are pretty good:
- Backward Lunges
- Forward Lunges
- Mini Squats (without a medicine ball)
- Hip Hikes (Raises)
- Bridge with Hip Flexion
And some you may want to skip:
- Pistol Squats
- Side Lunges
(for examples of all the band and squat/lunge exercises, please click here.)
I don’t expect my hypermobility issues will magically fix themselves overnight. In fact, I’m bracing myself for a slew of injuries throughout this next training cycle. Hopefully I can keep some at bay by working on my balance and strength, but as a hypermobile runner I’ve made peace with the fact that I’m just more susceptible to injury than others. I do hope some of these tips and tricks help you along the way. Hopefully we’ll all end up strong runners together!
Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and link with Susie, Lora, Debbie and yours truly for the Running Coaches’ Corner linkup!
Oh — and about those dynamic warm-ups before a run… I can neither confirm nor deny if I do dynamic warm-ups. There may have been a time or two that I overextended an overly flexible joint during a dynamic warm-up.
xo
TALK TO ME!
Are you a hypermobile runner? If so, what’s a lunge variation that works for you?
What’s your go-to exercise with the resistance band?
Loading InLinkz ...Also linking up with Nicole, Annmarie, Jen, and Michelle today for Wild Workout Wednesday!
28 Comments
Great tips! Over the years I’ve learned a lot what I need to do for my body. Being hypermobile increases my likelihood to get injured but doing the basics that every runner should be doing for core, glute and hip strength is a great starting point in preventing that. My physical therapist wanted me to do everything barefoot so I don’t rely on stability of my shoes. It helps a ton!
Which is brilliant. I used to do everything barefoot but then started wearing shoes bc I was worried about stubbing a toe or dropping something. Lately I’ve been back to barefoot.
Again, so many people that I am sending this to!
Great, thank you! I hope they find it helpful. 🙂
I love balance exercises, but really struggle with lunges sometimes. I can hold a tree or dancer pose forever (well, almost), but I’m a wobbling mess doing lunges. Definitely a work-in-progress!
Slooooooooow down! I get in trouble with wobbly lunges when I’m going too quickly.
I am not hypermobile but I think these are great tips for everyone. Thanks for sharing and for the link up
For sure. Everyone needs more core and strength work, right? 🙂
I like to use the resistance band as a warm up set for arm exercises. It works quite well. I would like to use them for clam shells, but my bands always come untied. I’ll have to keep working in this 🙂
I had the untying problem happen to me a lot, too. And then I went to this no name, nondescript band and poof! Works like a charm.
I don’t normally use resistance for arms but maybe I should try!
That’s great you are helping so many people with the same condition!
Thank you! I hope I’m being helpful.
I’m glad you’re finding the strength exercises that work best for you and your hypermobility! I think a lot of these exercises are good for anyone to add to their routine!
Indeed, they are! So far so good on the hypermobility front, but like with any strength training there’s always room for improvement. (aka I need to stop slacking) 😉
I’m not hypermobile but we can all benefit from the exercises you posted here. My coach has been do balancing exercises on the bosu–that is so tough!
Bosu work is SO tough but it’s amazing, too. I need to get better at it for sure.
I’m definitely not hypermobile, but I love a lot of these moves!
They’re great for anyone for sure, not just hypermobile runners. But they’re good (for me at least) in that they don’t make me feel like I’m overextending anything. 🙂
I have actually always had really good balance- probably from years of dancing (which also likely contributed to my hypermobility). Sometimes when I do side lunges I hear some pops, which is probably not a good thing, so I tend to avoid them. Depending on how Im feeling each day regular lunges are usually fine. Great info!
Ack! Pops are no good. I can’t hear mine, but I sure can feel them. I can mostly do side lunges. It’s the backward lunges that tend to get me which is why I have to do them really slow.
This is really a great topic! I’m probably slightly hypermobile and these exercises would really benefit my stability. Thanks for sharing!
I hope they help you. They won’t hurt — I mean they could if not done correctly, but even if you aren’t hypermobile there’s still a lot of benefit!
I’m not hypermobile (is there a term for the opposite?) but I love these types of exercises. Funny enough, I use clamshells and lunges to improve my hip mobility!
That is funny. They’re definitely good for both, but yeah, I use them for strengthening! 🙂
I’m whatever the opposite of hypermobile is, but I still do a lot of these exercises!
Haha. And you should! Because they’re so important for everyone!
For me, exercises with a bosu ball have been my savior. One of the advantages of being hypermobile (according to my therapist) is that while the joints are too flexible, they also react and respond quickly to strength training. Every time I am given a new set of moves to work on the bosu ball, it takes me just about three days to master them and go up to the next level. Also, walking around barefoot has helped me a lot, for that, I decided to get some yoga socks, they are great!
I love the BOSU ball, too! It’s so versatile and I agree, easy to master and make adjustments as needed.