There’s another core you should be paying (maybe even more) attention to...
). The overarching theme that connects it all is learning to run in a way that brings us joy.
And in order to love running, it has to feel good—while not leaving us injured. A strong foot core can be key to staying injury-free, argue MacDougall and Orton. “We often have been maybe over-directed toward our abdominal core, but from a running standpoint, any athletic standpoint, hey, our foot core is more important,” MacDougall tells Well+Good.
The key is to do them regularly, for just a few minutes a day. MacDougall recommends using them as a warm-up before heading out the door, and also admits he and his wife slip them in whenever they’re waiting for the coffee to brew or in line at a store. “Once you get it into your system,” he says, “it becomes this kind of really rewarding little habit and challenge that you want to indulge in all the time.
Note: This is a stabilizing exercise for the stance leg, not a range-of-motion exercise for the moving leg.Balance barefoot on your right forefoot using a wall or chair or partner to help you stabilize.Now, lift your left knee in front of you as high as you can, and then go back to the start position. Keep your movements slow and controlled.15–25 reps, then repeat with the opposite leg. by Christopher McDougall and Eric Orton. Published December 6, 2022 by Alfred A.