Dynamic stretches, warm-ups, cool-downs, and strength training are just a few routines we add to our weekly programs. Each has a purpose and specific objective, geared towards making us better athletes and allowing us to perform at our best.
You may have heard the term proprioception before and have even done some drills to improve your skills. But what exactly is proprioception, and why is it important for runners?
Today, we will get into the details of proprioception and why we should add proprioception-specific drills to our training.
What is Proprioception?
According to the Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, “proprioception, or kinesthesia, is the sense that lets us perceive the location, movement, and action of parts of the body. It encompasses a complex of sensations, including perception of joint position and movement, muscle force, and effort.”1https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286580936_Proprioception
It is key to motor control and the awareness of limb positions. It is sometimes referred to as the “sixth sense.”
The proprioceptive system is considered a part of the wider somatosensory system, which includes pressure (touch), pain (nociception), vibration and temperature, and body movement (kinesthesis).2Somatosensory System – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Www.sciencedirect.com. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/somatosensory-system
As runners, we must be able to control our body movement. This is particularly true for trail runners, as the terrain tends to be complicated. We must dominate each step so we can dodge rocks and roots and jump over logs and rivers with ease to ensure we don’t fall or get injured.
Hence, proprioception training can be helpful if we want to glide through the trails as efficiently and quickly as possible with excellent agility, coordination, and balance.
When I speak to my trail runners, I always tell them that they need to plan their steps 2-3 meters ahead of where they are at any given time. At first, it’s not as easy as it sounds, and we may stumble through the technical terrain, with perhaps a fall here and there.
If we train our brain and body parts to work together by increasing our proprioceptive abilities, we can improve our movement through those tricky trails. Just as you walk throughout the day without looking down at your feet, you can improve this same skill in situations such as running.
This is where proprioception work comes into play.
Let’s take a peek at the complete list of benefits working proprioception can produce.
Benefits of Proprioception For Runners
- Improves balance control3Han, J., Anson, J., Waddington, G., Adams, R., & Liu, Y. (2015). The Role of Ankle Proprioception for Balance Control in relation to Sports Performance and Injury. BioMed Research International, 2015, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/842804
- Develops better control over limbs and the body in general, resulting in freer movement while running4Ogard, W. K. (2011). Proprioception in Sports Medicine and Athletic Conditioning. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 33(3), 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1519/ssc.0b013e31821bf3ae
- Helps avoid injuries such as ankle sprains or strains due to falls, poor form, efficiency, or foot placement
- Improves reaction time, agility, and coordination
- Strengthens muscles and joints
- Boosts overall athletic performance by polishing running economy, improving speed and power
So if you want to smash those technical downhills confidently, lower your risk of injury, and improve the neuromuscular between your brain and your lower limbs and the rest of your body, add some proprioception work to your training program.
You can either tack on proprioception work to your warm-up drills or strength training sessions.
12 Proprioception Exercises For Runners
Some of these proprioception exercises are bodyweight only and can be done anywhere. Others will need equipment such as a Bozu ball, balance board, or another object to cause instability in your stance.
#1: Single Leg Balance: Eyes Open and Eyes Closed
This is probably the most straightforward proprioception exercise for runners we will look at today.
- Stand on one leg, always keeping your knee slightly bent.
- Hold this body position for 30 seconds, staying as stable as possible.
- Switch legs.
As you improve, work your way up to three sets of 60 seconds.
When you can do this exercise without losing your balance for 60 seconds, jump back to the 30-second interval and do it with your eyes closed.
You won’t believe me until you try it, but it is much more difficult if you cannot see and sense the space around you.
#2: Single Leg Balance With Ball
For this balance exercise, you need someone to throw a ball at you, or you could do it yourself by throwing it against a wall.
- Stand on one leg, always keeping your knee slightly bent.
- Hold this position.
- When holding the position, have someone throw a ball at you that you need to catch without losing your balance.
- Switch legs and repeat on the other side.
#3: Single Leg Balance on a Balance Bubble
Repeat the instructions from the single-leg balance; only step on a balance bubble or another unstable surface. You can also try closing your eyes when this becomes easy or have someone throw a ball at you.
#4: Balance Board Stability Stand
On a balance board (sometimes called a wobble board), simply try to keep your balance by not allowing the sides of the board to touch the ground. You will need to constantly adjust your position, which will work your stability to the max.
#5: Single Leg Hops
- Stand tall on your right leg, with your knee slightly bent.
- Hop up and down on your right leg, trying to always land in the same spot. Try not to look down!
- Continue hopping on one leg for 30 seconds.
- Switch legs.
You can also do three sets of this exercise on each leg.
As for other variations, try hopping from back to front, side to side, or in a cross or star pattern. The idea is to improve your control over where you place your foot with each hop.
#6: Bosu Ball Squats
- Place the Bosu Ball on the floor, flat side facing up.
- Step onto the ball with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
- Tighten your core, keep your chest up, and look ahead.
- Bend at the knees and hips as you sit back until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Using your glutes, push yourself back up into your initial standing position.
- Start by repeating for 3 sets of 8 reps, and work your way up to 10-12 reps.
You’ll be wobbly for sure, but that’s the fun of it!
#7: Single Leg Deadlift
- Stand tall, core engaged with your weight on your left leg. Leave a slight bend in the left knee.
- Hinge at the waist bringing your torso parallel to the floor, right arm reaching down to tap the floor. Simultaneously, drive your right leg back behind you, making a straight line with your body from head to toe.
- In one powerful movement, return to your starting position.
- Start by repeating for 3 sets of 8 repetitions, and work your way up to 10-12 reps.
- Switch sides.
Note: You can add weight to each hand, such as dumbbells or kettlebells. However, this will increase the strength training aspect of the exercise, where it may be even more challenging to retain your balance without using weight.
#8: Side Switch Jumps
For this proprioception exercise for runners, you will need a box, step, or bench to jump onto.
- Arrange the box to your right side.
- Stand with the box to your right, but look straight ahead.
- Jump off with both feet, turn to your right, and land on the box with both feet.
- Extend your knees when firmly planted on the box.
- Step down one foot at a time and return to your starting position.
- Start by repeating for 3 sets of 8 reps, and work your way up to 10-12 reps.
- Switch sides.
Note: To increase the difficulty, you can launch with two feet but land on only one.
#9 Single Leg Box Jumps
- Arrange the box in front of you and face it.
- Stand with your feet at hip-width apart.
- Jump off with both feet, but land on the box with only one foot.
- Extend your knee when firmly planted on the box, leaving the other leg in the air.
- Step down one foot at a time and return to your starting position.
- Start by repeating for 3 sets of 8 reps, and work your way up to 10-12 reps.
- Switch sides.
Ladder Drills
The following proprioception drills for runners are excellent for improving body awareness and coordination. You will need an exercise ladder, or you could draw the boxes on the ground with some chalk.
#10: 2-In Front Ladder Drill
For this ladder drill, step your right foot into the first box and then your left, so both feet are in the same box. Continue to lead with the right foot until you reach the end of the ladder. Let your arms move naturally with you.
For your next round, lead with your left foot.
Continue practicing until you can perform the drill flawlessly at high speed.
#11: 2-In Side Ladder Drill
This is very similar to the last one, only that you step to the side instead of forward. Start the drill with the ladder to your right side. Step your right foot into the first box and then your left, so both feet are in the same box.
Continue to lead with the right foot until you reach the end of the ladder.
For your next round, face the other way and lead with your left foot.
#12: Forward Ickey Shuffle Ladder Drill
Start on the left side of the ladder, facing forward. Step with your right foot into the first box, then your left. Then, step outside the box with your right foot, lifting your left foot in the air.
Then, step into the second box with your left foot, followed by your right, and your left foot again out to the side of the second box. Lift your right foot.
Repeat until you reach the end of the ladder.
Conclusions
There you have it! 12 proprioception exercises for runners to improve your balance and coordination and make you an all-around better athlete.
Check out our strength training for runners guides if you haven’t already added strength training to your weekly exercise program.
FAQs
What is a Proprioception Disorder?
Proprioception disorders may manifest as poor balance, uncoordinated movement and motor skills, clumsiness, poor postural control, and difficulty recognizing an individual’s own strength.5Proprioception (body awareness and body position) | Children Young People and Families Online Resource. (2023). Children Young People and Families Online Resource. https://cypf.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/health-and-development/sensory-processing/proprioception-body-awareness-and-body-position/
How Does The Proprioceptive Sense Work?
Proprioceptors send constant sensory information to the brain. When you move, this sensory feedback ensures your limbs move to the right place.
Proprioceptors are a type of mechanoreceptor (movement receptor) mostly located in your muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons. For example, in muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs.
They provide a constant flow of information through proprioceptive feedback, and this proprioceptive information travels via neurons in the central nervous system.
The positioning of the body deforms the receptors slightly, and this is what provides the sensory input and information on limb movement and positioning. Essentially, the body’s movement, muscle contraction, and positioning push and pull the nerve endings in a certain way, changing their shape. This creates the proprioceptive input, which is sent via the spinal cord to the cerebellum in the brain.
The proprioceptive system works closely with the vestibular system. The vestibular system provides a sense of balance and positioning of the head, as well as the direction of body movement and whether or not the body is moving. It works through sensory receptors in the inner ears.
