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THE PROPRIOCEPTIVE ABILITY IN TRAIL RUNNING

The proprioceptive ability plays a fundamental role in trail running as the supports are unstable and your body balance changes continuously due to the variations in the type of terrain and slope. The more you train your proprioception, the more you will strengthen your joints and improve your reaction speed.

What are the 3 main benefits of proprioception training?

  1. Injury prevention. The proprioceptive exercises will help you avoid injuries, prevent relapses and speed up the rehabilitation process in the most common cases, such as, for example, ankle sprain
  2. Performance improvement. The proprioception training will improve your “reflexes” and you will have the ability to be more agile and coordinated.
  3. Strengthening of the joints. You will more easily avoid falls and will be able to correct the position of your posture so as not to lose your balance in unexpected situations

Here are some specific exercises that will help you improve your balance and strengthen the lower limbs.

  • Single leg half squat while keeping your back and neck straight. Complete 3 to 5 sets of five reps on each leg.
  • Balancing on one leg: balancing in a position similar to the half squat on a Bosu. Complete 3 to 5 sets of 30 to 60 seconds on each leg.
  • One-legged jump: forward, backward, left and right. Complete 1 to 3 sets of 10 jumps on each leg.

Practice training proprioception even when running in nature, jumping from one stone to another, balancing on a log.

Switch to more complex exercises only after completing a period of 3-4 months in which you have trained with the Bosu and / or the proprioceptive tablet to avoid injuries.

Do you want to get some advice? Would you like to speak to a TRM Coach?

Email us: info@trailrunningmovement.com

body balance, proprioceptive exercises, proprioceptive sensitivity, trail running, train the proprioception ability


Cristina Tasselli

Digital Strategic Marketing Director - certified Innovation Manager - in multinational companies, she is still today the only Italian female athlete to have ran 900 km and 55,000m D+ in the mountains in a single stage race (Transpyrenea 2016, 3rd women overall). She counts numerous Podiums and international Victories on races over 100k. She holds a SNaQ CONI certification as a Trail Running Coach, Athletic Trainer and in Nutrition and Sports Supplementation. Since 2014 she is President and sports executive of innovative technology startups and companies, including Trail Running Movement and Digital Sport 360. She trains elite trail running athletes and she teaches in trail running coach certification courses. She is an author of sports articles on training, nutrition and supplementation in trail running and running, both in Italian and in English and Spanish. She manages relationships and collaborations with Federations and Race Organizers.