Those gazellelike creatures who effortlessly zip through the park have a secret: strength training. Here’s why these five fast firmers work.
- Sculpted Upper Body: Yes, a buff back and arms are hot. Combined with a lower-body routine, they can also help you quicken your pace by 4 percent, research shows.
- Hard Core: Tight abs improve posture. Why you care: An upright stance will help you easily pick up speed. Runners who did ab work for six weeks ran more efficiently, shaving 42 seconds off 5K times, a Barry University study reports.
- Strong Hamstrings: What makes running really tough? Getting hurt. Shore up the muscles in the backs of your legs and you may prevent injury, studies suggest.
- Toned Thighs: When distance runners added squats to their strength workouts, they could run 21 percent longer and were 5 percent faster, Norwegian researchers found.
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