Name: Playbook - Aaron Crouch - Week 1 Day 1
Uploaded: 2023-05-01T04:03:27.646Z
Duration: 40 min
Description: Week 1 Day 1

The emphasis is foundation. Thorough ankle/foot preparation, lower extremity stability, and basic strength patterns that assist running form.

Series of mobility and stability drills to maximize foot health.

Keep the foot flat and stationary as you rock the knee over the toes, inside the foot, outside the foot, and in a semicircle. The tendency will be to raise the heel or shift the foot while the lower leg moves…don’t let it.

Ankle Rocking

Keeping the rear heel flat and knee straight, focus on rocking the hips forward to get a stretch along the backside of the leg. Changing leg position will bias different aspects of the calf.

3-Way Calf Stretch

Position your big toe in a bent position and heels to the sky. Gradually work to sitting on your heels and holding the position. Great toe extension is pivotal for healthy walking and function of the ankle.

Big Toe Extension

Tops of the feet flat to the floor and your ankle bones almost touching together. Gradually work to sitting on your heels and holding that position. Full toe point is necessary to remove any pinching that occurs in the front of the ankle.

Sit on Your Heels

Heels flat, feet together, and knees together, lower yourself down with emphasis on getting the knees over the toes. You may get stuck initially, but with repetition it opens up nicely.

Feet Together Assisted Squat

Hold onto some stable object or surface. Keep the heel flat and reach forward with the other foot as you squat down. The goal is knee over your toes, not necessarily full pistol squat depth.

Assisted Pistol

Keep the knee straight and hips forward. Holding onto some stable surface will help. Place pressure through the base of your big toe as you heel raise.

Straight Leg Heel Raise

Maintain the same knee angle through the motion. This biases your soleus more than your big calf muscle.

Bent Knee Heel Raise

Maintain full height of the heel raise with each step. Stay in place or move forward.

Toe Walks

Keep the balls of the feet as high off the ground as possible. The tendency is to have the hips shift back while walking, try to stand up talk through the walk.

Heel Walks

Roll to the outside of your feet and March in place or walk.

Outside Foot Walks

Raise up the outsides of the feet while marching or walking.

Inside Foot Walks

Ankle/Foot Flow

Running is a single leg event where you leave the ground and land repeatedly. Sound landing mechanics wards off overuse injuries and flare ups.

Go up on the toes and then free fall to a partial squat position and stick the landing. There is no leaving the ground, just focus on ability to quickly fall to partial squat position and assess form. Knees aligned over the toes and equal weight distribution in both legs.

2 ft. Snapbacks

Most of your weight is in your front leg. The back leg is just for mild support and balance. Upon landing position, you want to have a forward shin angle.

Split Stance Snap Back (R)

Split Stance Snap Back (L)

Start in two feet and as you free fall down to one side, simultaneously pick up the other leg. Pause for a moment to own the landing position.

2 —> 1 Snapbacks (R)

2 —> 1 Snapbacks (L)

Landing Mechanics

Holding positions allows for development of local muscle endurance and connective tissue resilience.

Keep the back knee 2 inches from the ground. Shoulders stacked over hips and hips over back knee. Tendency is to lean forward, don’t!

Lunge Hold (R)

Lunge Hold (L)

Keep the body in a line through your shoulders, hips, knee and ankle. Inner thigh schools be in fire.

Copenhagen Plank (R)

Copenhagen Plank (L)

Lower Body Stability Flow 1

The glute and hamstring complex tend to get underutilized during distance running (unless you’re really fast). This circuit is designed to improve your feel for glute activation.

After reaching butt to your heels, spread the floor with your knees as you rise. This will allow you to feel your hips through the rising motion.

Full Kneel Hip Hinge

Keep the front leg opened up out to the side. As you reach your hips to your heels, that upside knee must stay vertical, don’t let it collapse in.

Half Kneel Hip Hinge (R)

Half Kneel Hip Hinge (L)

Imagine squeezing newspapers between your arm and side. Lower the KB to knee height, and spread the floor with your feet as you rise to engage the glutes.

Kettlebell RDL

Use a dumbbell or kettlebells. The rear leg is just to hold balance, most weight is in the front leg. Lower the weight to knee height and then push the hips forward to stand.

Week 1 Day 1

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