If you haven’t been following the saga of my battle with runners knee, here is a brief recap.

Last month, I decided to see whether I could run a decent 5k on only 30 minutes of running per day.  My plan was to use high intensity interval training, including the 10-20-30 workout, to maximize my fitness gains.

However, I made a huge mistake of jumping right into full 10-20-30 workouts without getting my body used to speed workouts.  I was fine for the first few workouts sessions, but I soon developed a bad case of runners knee – in my case, pain in the inner knee next to the patella.

Like so many runners, I stupidly ignored the pain and pressed on with my training.  Of course, that only made things worse and I was forced to take some days off and look for ways to treat the injury.

My Initial Runners Knee Treatment Plan

My first idea on how to treat my runners knee pain was to do some strength training to build up my inner quad muscle – also known as the “VMO” muscle. Many running web sites refer to a weak VMO muscle as a key cause of knee pain.

After two weeks, I can report that the VMO strengthening exercises are helping to an extent, but the improvement is very gradual. I also tried to mix in some squatting exercises to strengthen the entire quad muscle, however, I’m just not seeing rapid improvement.

“Frustrated” does not even begin to describe my emotions.

I think many injured runners have given up in my current stage.  There is a common pattern: A runner gets excited adding mileage or additional speed work to his or her training program. The runner then does far too much intensity too soon and develops knee pain from overuse.

The runner may try to few things to treat the injury (i.e. ice, strength training, etc.), but when those things do not provide immediate relief, the runner gives up running for a while.  All prior fitness is lost.

Well, I’m breaking that pattern. I’m not giving up!

My New Runners Knee Treatment Plan – RunnersConnect Strength Training

I have decided to stop watching random knee exercise videos on YouTube and aimlessly searching the web for treatment advice.  Instead, I am making a commitment to use the RunnersConnect.net Strength Training Program.

I have heard a lot of great things about the RunnersConnect Program and actually competed in races against the creator of the program, Coach Jeff Gaudette, when I was a college runner (yes, he beat me every time we raced).  He is a great guy who knows his stuff.

The RunnersConnect Strength Training Program is a comprehensive program for the entire body designed to treat and prevent running injuries. It includes information on speed and form drills, plyometrics, core work, lower leg strengthening and so much more.

To attack my runners knee pain, I’m going to focus on the hip strength routine known as Bia (named after the Ancient Greek Goddess of Force). Based on information I have learned from Coach Jeff and other sources, I really think that my weak hips are the primary cause of my knee pain.

The Bia routine includes 10 different exercises all designed to improve hip mobility and strength.  The workouts only take about 5-10 minutes to complete, but they are intense.

I completed the Bia hip exercises for the first time today and my lack of hip mobility is really eye-opening.  The Bia routine comes with a video in which Jeff and another runner demonstrate the exercises, but my mobility does not come close to matching the mobility of those guys.

Obviously, I have a long way to go.

Follow me on my journey to treat and cure runners knee and get back to my 30 Minute Runner experiment. If you also are battling knee pain, get the RunnersConnect Strength Training Program and do the workouts with me. I’d love to have company and bounce ideas off others.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about whether the Program is right for you.

* Please note that I do earn a small commission if you purchase RunnersConnect Program through the link above. I really appreciate your support of The Runner’s Resource – it helps keep the site going!

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Additionally, many runners who do go to the gym allow their competitive side to get the best of them and lift more weight than they should, which can lead to injury. The good news is that there is a now much better way for runners to gain the specific kind of muscle strength that will prevent injuries and improve performance – this method is called Functional Strength Training.

What is Functional Strength Training?

Functional Strength Training is a new and innovative idea that focuses on viewing the human body’s muscles as one unit and strengthening them cohesively. This makes sense because the human body uses many different muscles together when running – quads, hamstrings, hips, etc. To better target running muscles, many of the exercises are done from a standing position and emphasize rotational and diagonal motions – opposite shoulder to opposite hip.

The goal of functional training is to develop the core and stability muscles much better than traditional “heavy lifting” techniques. Not only does it make runners stronger, but it makes them much more efficient.

How Does Functional Strength Training Differ from Other Weight Training?

The key concept of functional strength training is that muscles are best strengthened for use in the world by working them together cohesively. For example, in order to lift a leg during a run, the body relies on coordinated movements between numerous muscles, including the hips, back, quadriceps and hamstring muscles.

Conversely, many traditional weight and machine based training isolates individual muscle groups.  For example, leg extension machines do a good job of strengthening the quadriceps or hamstrings (depending on how you use the machine), but it is not going to do a lot for back or hip muscles.

It is of course important to note that tradition weight or machine training does have positives.  One of the most important benefits is the ability to isolate and strengthen a specific muscle that may have become weak and underused.  Muscle imbalances are a huge problem for many runners so isolated strength training of a specific muscle group can really cut down on the risk of injury.

Sample Functional Strength Training Exercises

Good exercises for runners can be as simple as controlled lunges and squats.  YouTube also has a lot of good sample exercises to try.  One of the best functional strength training videos that I have seen is the one below. In the video, the trainer provides an example of 10 of the best exercises for runners.

If you want to try any of these examples, please note that the trainer goes really fast and has an impressive range of movement.  Therefore, it may be smart to make these movements more slowly and only try one or two exercises to start out.  Additionally, please immediately stop any movement if you feel any pain.  The purpose of functional strength training is to cut down on injuries, not cause them or make them worse.

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