How do I begin and end my workouts? I use the lunge matrix. It is a multi- directional exercise that I use for my warm-up, for strengthening, for power, and for my cool down. It is a multi-purpose exercise that strengthens your legs and core, opens up your hips, and protects your back. My trainer, Juan Ruiz-Tagle, and I take you through the lunge matrix in the video below. I look forward to your comments after you have tried this starting routine.
One Mile Runner Blog
David, thanks for posting this exercise routine. I just watched the previous entry – strengthening abs w/o injuring back – and am sold. Here’s the shorthand I took for your matrix steps: rf, lf, rb, lb, rs, ls, rdf, ldf, rdb, ldb; sets: arms up, arms down, rotation, up & down. r=right; l=left; f=front; b=back; s=side; d=diagonal. Might be of some help for others. Hope to see you soon, Jas
Hi David,
Amazing. After only one week of the lunge matrix, there has been much improvement. I am no longer sore in those little-used muscles. My range of motion has improved, along with my balance. My right hamstring and achilles are much looser. Along with improved balance, my downhill running has gotten much faster. Strange how these little declines in performance go undetected, until corrected. On to squats and balance reaches…….
thanks for the help,
Mike
Great stuff Mike! Thanks for letting me know how the lunge matrix has improved your workouts and running. Wishing you all best with the squats and balance reaches. Hope to see you at ne of my races this summer! Cheers, David
David,
I couldn’t hear the sound that great on my computer. Could you explain how you encourporate this matrix into your warm up. Do you do after an easy 5 – 15 min run or to you go strait into it without any prior running.
When you first started out with doing this routine, did you just start with just doing the 10 positions with the arms strait up and then progress towards extending the routine with bend & reach, side twist, and up & down? Or did you do all the arm positions from the very start?
Thanks for showing this video.
Craig