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If you’re reading this, it means you’ve got just enough time to squeeze in a 10-minute full-body workout. And that’s plenty of time to work on improving your strength for better running performance—as long as you have the right mix of moves.
Noam Tamir, C.S.C.S., CEO and owner of TS Fitness in New York City who designed this workout tells Runner’s World that each exercise listed below will challenge your strength, stability, endurance, and mobility all at the same time. And the workout includes moves that you can do at anytime, anywhere, making it perfect for squeezing in between meetings or errands or whatever else fills your schedule.
While that might sound like a lot of work to get done in just 10 minutes, it’s possible with complex exercises that work many muscles at once, so they’re effective at getting a big job done in a small amount of time. The push-up variation, lunge variation, and crab reach, for example, are all full-body exercises that will help you improve mobility and strength. While the bear plank and deadlift variations will also require you to move your entire body and fire up your core, while you work through a stability challenge.
How to use this list: Perform the exercises in the order listed below for the time described. Do 2 total rounds, and rest 20 seconds between each exercise. (Eliminate rest between single-sided exercises.)
You don’t need any equipment for this workout, but an exercise mat is optional. Tamir demonstrates each exercise in the video above so you can learn proper form.
1. Crab Reach
Why it works: To improve your running performance, you need to build strong glutes and hamstrings. Tamir says this exercise is perfect for doing just that because the bridging movement focuses on strengthening the muscles in the back of your legs. It also offers shoulder mobility work.
How to do it: Start seated, knees bent and feet planted, hands behind you on floor, fingers pointing away from you. Bring right hand to right shoulder. This is your starting position. Squeeze glutes to lift hips up. As you rise up, reach right hand overhead to toward left shoulder, twisting slightly at the torso. Pause, squeezing core and glutes to stay solid (avoid arching back), then return to starting position. Repeat for 20 seconds. Then switch sides and repeat for another 20 seconds.
2. Push-up to Superman to T Raise
Why it works: The push-up movement strengthens muscles in your upper body, Tamir says, while the superman strengthens the entire back of the body, and the T position improves mobility of the thoracic spine.
How to do it: Start in a plank position, shoulders over wrists, forming a straight line from head to heels. Maintaining that straight line, bend elbows and slowly lower entire body to floor. Extend arms, and lift arms, chest, and legs off floor for superman. Place feet and hands back down, under shoulders, and press back up to plank. Next, rotate to left, lifting left arm to a T position, pivoting on feet. Rotate back to plank, hand back down to floor. Repeat, this time rotating to the right. Continue alternating for 30 seconds.
3. Single-Leg Deadlift With Rotation
Why it works: This exercise will help strengthen your lower posterior chain while you focus on maintaining your balance, Tamir says.
How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms by sides. Shift weight to right leg, and with a soft bend in right knee, hinge at the hips by sending butt back, lifting left leg behind you. Keep back flat, shoulders down, and core engaged as torso reaches toward floor and slightly rotates to the right, left hand reaching toward right foot. Drive right foot into ground to stand back up, squeezing glutes. Repeat for 30 seconds. Then switch sides and repeat for another 30 seconds.
4. Bear Crawl Hold With Shoulder Tap
Why it works: Not only will this move fire up your core, but it will also challenge you to resist rotating your torso as you tap your shoulders. This move helps runners build a stable core while creating strength endurance for the quads, which is important for runs, Tamir says.
How to do it: Start on hands and knees, shoulders over shoulders and knees under hips. Keeping back flat, use core to lift knees off the ground a few inches. This is your starting position. Lift right hand to tap left shoulder, then return to starting position. Then lift left hand to tap right shoulder. Return to starting position. Continue alternating for 30 seconds.
5. Lateral Lunge
Why it works: Practicing this exercise will help you improve your glute strength. Tamir says runners should improve the mobility in the hips and adductors to help minimize injuries.
How to do it: Stand with feet together, arms by sides. Take a big step out with right foot, sending hips back and bending knee, with knee and toes pointing forward. Keep left leg straight. Drive through right foot to stand back up, stepping foot back to left. Repeat for 30 seconds. Then switch sides and repeat for another 30 seconds.
Monique LeBrun joined the editorial staff in October 2021 as the associate health and fitness editor. She has a master’s degree in journalism and has previously worked for ABC news and Scholastic. She is an avid runner who loves spending time outside.
