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Pre-Run Core and Upper-Body Workout

 upper-body workout

When I’m in a good workout groove, two-a-days are my best friend. I like getting in a good morning workout, but the group runs I enjoy so much with my friends take place in the evenings. So! Sometimes, that means strength in the morning and a run after work.

If I’m doing my own workout (vs. hitting a class), I try to be really smart about what muscles I’m targeting on a day when I know I’m running later, so I’ve developed a number of strength workouts focusing on the core and upper body. I just received — and love — the new TRX PRO Suspension Trainer. It has adjustable foot cradles — perfect for exercises that you do with your bare feet in the cradles or if you’ve got multiple people with different sized feet using the same suspension trainer.  Plus, it has new antimicrobial handles that fight off germs better than the handles of the old suspension trainer. Awesome, right?

Anyway — that means a lot of my workouts include exercises using a suspension trainer (full disclosure — we’re huge fans of TRX and are also affiliates, so if you wanna pick up a suspension trainer to use at home, here’s where to go!), but you can typically sub that out for a similar exercise using either free weights or your own body weight. Here’s one I did this week … and I’m still feeling it!

Core- and Upper-Body Workout

Do each set two times through before moving on to the next one, resting 20 seconds (or as needed) between exercises.

Want to get your heart rate up a little more? Throw 30 jumping jacks at full intensity in between each set!

Set 1 (feet in cradles)

  • 10 Crunches
  • 30-Second Side Plank

Set 2 (feet in cradles)

  • 10 Pikes (can put feet on paper plates and slide)
  • 40 Mountain Climbers

Set 3 

  • 10 Low Row
  • 10 Biceps Curl
  • 10 Chest Press

Set 4

  • 10 Triceps Press
  • 10 High Row
  • 10 Y Fly

Do you love two-a-days as well? What does that normally look like for you? —Kristen

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Comments

1 Comment
  1. Kris says:

    So you do core work before you run? That’s an interesting strategy. I’ve never tried that (of course, I do warm up) but I wold think it would be counter-productive. Then again, mixing things up is a lot of fun!

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