Nick Willis made his way to Beijing on the strength of a consistent and smart training plan. Mileage, tempo runs, and track workouts got him into the best shape of his life for the Olympics. Yet when he won bronze by the slimmest of margins, it might be the many non-running components to his preparations that made the difference.
In recent years, Willis' "5 percenters" -- the 5 percent of his training beyond his running -- have become increasingly integral to his overall approach, helping him stay healthy, build strength, and improve his speed. Among those non-running pieces to his preparation were nutrition, massage, strength training, mobility exercises, and dynamic stretching. He began focusing on strength, stretching, and mobility exercises in the summer of 2007, with the guidance of Boston University Assistant Coach Gabe Sanders, Willis' roommate for three years at the University of Michigan.
"This was a holistic approach and no component can be viewed as more important than the others," Sanders says. "The [most] important [aspect] was designing a program which would allow Nick to develop more speed, and to do that he needed to become more functional in his approach to workout preparation, more mobile in his hips, and more absolutely strong physically."
With this in mind, Sanders developed a three-pronged approach featuring integrating "dynamic, functional stretching and movement" into his warm-up routine; hurdle mobility drills; and strength training.
Over the course of his first year doing this work, Willis modified and tailored the routine to its current form. Below he details a simple 7-to 10-minute dynamic stretching routine for runners to incorporate into their training, as well as adding the specifics of his complete stretching routine.
The key for all of these is to do the stretches in an easy dynamic motion, which -- as Willis writes on his website -- "means that I am never holding my stretch, but rather taking the muscle through its range of motion."
How important are those extras? Given the fractions of a second that can separate medalists from the also-rans, they're very important. However, you need not be an Olympian to reap the benefits of improved athleticism.
The '5 Percent' Solution
Willis performs steps 1-5 before and after every workout, and then adds steps 6-10 for a longer post-run routine that he does one to three times per week.
1. KNEE-TO-CHEST
Lying on your back, plant one foot on the floor with your leg bent at a 90-degree angle. Bring the opposite knee up to your chest. Repeat 20 times, bringing the knee up from various angles. Repeat with the opposite leg. (20 for each leg) GOAL: "To increase range of motion in upper hamstring, glute, upper adductor and groin, while strengthening hip flexors and lower abs."
2. HANDS-BEHIND-KNEES LEG EXTENSIONS
Lying on your back, plant one foot on the floor with your leg bent at a 90-degree angle. Start with your opposite leg bent at a 90-degree angle, with both hands grasped behind the knee, then straighten leg vertically. Do two sets of 10 extensions for each leg. By changing the angle of your foot, you will stretch different parts of your hamstring. (2x10 for each leg) GOAL: "To increase range of motion in hamstring while strengthening quadriceps and hip flexors."
3. Beyond the Track
Lying on your back, plant one foot on the floor with your leg bent at a 90-degree angle. Start with your opposite leg extended straight on the floor. While keeping your leg straight, raise it towards vertical, grasping behind the knee with both hands as it rises. GOAL: "To increase range of motion in hamstring while strengthening quadriceps and hip flexors."
4. WALKING QUAD STRETCH
Bring your right leg behind you in the familiar static quad stretch position. Hold for a couple of seconds, then take a stride and repeat with the left leg. (20 for each leg) GOAL: "To increase range of motion in quadriceps and hip flexors while strengthening hamstrings."
5. WALKING LUNGE TWIST
Do a 50-percent lunge, then rotate your torso 90 degrees toward the front leg. (2x5 for each leg) GOAL: "To Increase range of motion in hip flexors while strengthening hamstrings, adductors and glutes."
6. A SKIPS
While skipping forward, bring your lead leg up into a high-knee position. Repeat with the opposite leg. (2 sets of 10 alternating legs) GOAL: "To develop coordination and strength in hip flexors and glutes, and to improve running posture."
7. B SKIPS
Similar to the A Skip, however once the leg is raised, extend it straight out in front of your body. Repeat with the opposite leg. (2 sets of 10 alternating legs) GOAL: "To develop coordination and strength in hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings, and to improve running posture."
8. LEG SWINGS
Stand facing a wall and swing each leg 10-20 times side to side, then 10-20 times back and forth. GOAL: "To increase range of motion in adductors, groin, and hamstrings in a dynamic motion."
9. HURDLE STEP-OVERS
Set up six hurdles, one after the other, so the base feet are touching the next hurdle. Standing tall with your back straight, bring your lead leg's knee straight up and step over hurdle. Allow your trail leg to clear the hurdle on your side (very similar to regular hurdling technique). Continue for all six hurdles using same lead leg, then repeat using the opposite leg to lead. (2 sets on each leading leg) GOAL: "To increase range of motion in groin and upper hamstring, and strengthen hip flexors."
10. STRIDES
120-150m accelerations. (2-4, one to two times per week) GOAL: "To maintain coordination and race speed year-round, which will help prevent injuries when transitioning into more intense training or racing cycles."
