Dr. Rebecca Gaudry
145 Ossington Ave M6J2Z6 Toronto, ON, Canada

Desk work This exercise is one of my favourite for those of us who sit all day at a desk... but also applies to you if you dont have a desk while working at home. And runners, who cant use a little more mobility? Spinal rotations... - 3 sets of 5 reps in each direction - stack your hips on top of each other and do NOT let them rotate (this keeps the rotation through your back instead) - put a pillow under your head for max comfort - follow your hand with your head and eyes - reach for the ground behind you It is perfectly normal if your hand doesnt touch the ground behind you. If you keep practicing, youll get there. One side may be easier than the other - thats also normal! Let me know what you think

Monsters These are one of the first glute activation exercises I learned, and I love them I still do them to this day, as you can do them wherever and theyre fun! Monster Walks... - 3 sets of 10 steps in each direction (make sure you go both ways) - these can be done with or without a band - try and keep your shoulders and your hips level the whole time - dont let the band snap your feet together One of the most important things when working with an exercise band is that you control the band, it does not control you. Dont let the band snap you around!! Let me know what you think!

Fire I like to do these combined with the donkeys kicks. Theyre both great to get the glutes firing. Fire hydrants ... - 3 sets of 10 reps on each side - as per usual, try and keep your hips level - its not about how high you can get your leg - focus on squeezing your glutes Fire hydrants are an entry level exercise that are great to work on before you start with more complex single leg stability (from standing). Let me know what you think

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Kick These are probably one of the better known glute exercises, but I so often see them being done incorrectly! Lets troubleshoot. Donkey Kicks... - 3 sets of 10 reps on each side - there should be minimal movement through your spine, so keep your core tight - its not about how high you can get your leg, often the higher you kick the more your spine gets involved - squeeze your glutes!! This is a great one to help get your biggest glute muscle firing. These kicks can also be done with a band. Let me know what you think

Slides Even though all the playgrounds are closed that doesnt mean you cant get in some slides. These are great for improving that single leg stability. Slides... - 3 sets of 10 reps on each legs - this is easier to do on hardwood, then you can just use a towel for glide - as always, hips should stay level - dont let your standing knee move inwards Slides are fun, and they help with balance and stability. Be creative and pick different directions! Let me know what you think

Splits Seeing as there is absolutely no chance that Ill ever be able to do the splits , I choose to spend my time doing split squats instead... basically the same, right? Elevated split squats... - 3 sets of 10 reps on each side - your front foot should be far enough out that your knee doesnt go way past your toes - keep those hips level - your torso should stay relatively upright - keep your front knee moving straight over your toes and NOT collapsing inwards Do you have dumbbells or weights at home? This can be done with weights and its a really great leg & glute strengthening exercise. It also has the added challenge of loading one leg at a time! Let me know what you think

Hiking Living and working downtown Toronto can make getting out to go on a hike a little more challenging... so these are the only hikes I see most days. Hip hikes... - 3 sets of 10 reps on each side - place one foot on an elevated surface (doesnt have to be that high, a yoga block or textbooks stacked will do) - this isnt about balance so hold onto something - everything should be happening at the hips NOT the knees - get your hip as low as possible and as high as possible Hip hikes are not single leg squats. I repeat, not a squat! This most common mistake I see is bending and straightening the knee to help move the foot lower or high. Your knee should have a small bent but stay still. Let me know what you think!

Clockwork Im baaaaccckkk. I havent really been looking at clocks lately... or calendars for that matter (what day is it?) These will have to do. Clocks... - 2 sets of 10 reps - can be done with or without a band - the further away to tap, the more challenging it is - keep your hips level and still - little bend in the standing knee - trying to keep your standing foot from collapsing inwards When doing single leg exercises where my hips should be level, I always put my hands on my hip bones! I find it keeps me balanced and helps me notice if my hips accidentally drop. This is more of a modified clock, or a clock with only three numbers (but you can of course add more for more taps!) Let me know what you think

Elevate Lets spice up that glute bridge a little bit. Try placing your feet on a chair/couch/stool to work your leg muscles a little bit differently. Elevated glute bridge... - 3 sets of 10 - start with your low back flat on the ground (a bit of a core contraction) - focus on squeezing glutes up at the top - keep your feet and the stool close to your bum - your knees should be hip width apart the whole time - move slowly When youve been doing glute bridges for a long time (or any exercise for that matter), it can definitely start to get a bit dull. Look for variations that might help make it more interesting!! Let me know what you think

Airplanes This is the only airplane Ill see for the next little while. This is another great no equipment exercise. It helps with single leg stability from the ground Airplanes... - 3 sets of 10 reps on each side - get your knee up nice and high - hinge at the hips - move smoothly - keep your foot flexed - the top of your head to your foot that lifts should be in a straight line On your standing leg, what happens at your foot affects your ankle, knee, and hip, so dont ignore it! Try and keep it nice and stable. Let me know how it goes!

Mobility I have a confession... I am not a very naturally mobile person. It is something Ive been working on for a while, and something I will have to continue working at for there to be noticeable improvement. In my experience, most runners could also use a little bit more mobility. ... Mid back rotation - 3 sets of 10 to each side - your pelvis should not move, if its easier, sit back on your heels to limit movement - your arm/shoulder should not be the only thing moving - keep your head and neck aligned with the rest of your spine This is also a great exercise for all of those out there with less than ideal work from home set ups! Let me know what you think

Taps This exercise is pretty basic but can definitely burn (in a good way). Its a great way to help warm up and get some of your hip muscles moving. Side lying leg lifts... - 3 sets of 10 on each side - try and get your leg up nice and high - tap in front and behind of your leg thats on the ground - have a small bend in the leg thats on the ground - you can do this with a band at your ankles, lower leg, or knees - move slowly Let me know how it goes

Curls In this case not a bicep curl, but a hamstring curl! Your hamstrings (the back of your thighs) are a super important muscle in running. Many runners have much more strength in their quad/front of their legs vs. the hamstrings. This exercise is a great way to help build up some more strength in the back of your legs! Hamstring curls ... - 3 sets of 10 reps - start with your heels on the ball - try and keep your hips up the whole time (they should progressively get higher as the ball gets closer) - squeeze your glutes and your core - the ball should move in a straight line, any side-to-side movement means youre pulling harder with one leg - move slowly This exercise unfortunately needs a stability ball, which not everyone has... next week, Ill show another bridge variation focusing more on the hamstrings that doesnt need a ball! Let me know how this goes

Legs Lets fire up those hamstrings. Another simple exercise with no equipment to help build some strength in your legs! Single leg glute bridges ... - keep your foot close to your bum - try and get your hips nice and high - move slowly - squeeze your glutes at the top - try and keep your thighs in line - 3 sets of 10 on each side If youre doing this before a run, dont do as many, try 1 or 2 sets instead! This is also a great way to tell if you have one side thats slightly less strong. For me, its a lot tougher to get my hips up on one side. Let me know how it goes

Back to basics Lets start with a truth. I have no idea why this exercise is called a bird dog... but it is! Its one of the basic core exercises people are often given. However, its not exactly easy. Bird dog ... - start in a table top position with your knees under your hips and your wrists under your shoulders - keep your ankles flexed, think about push your legs out behind you NOT lifting them as high as they can go - your pelvis and shoulders should stay level Dont let them drop (or raise) to whichever side youre lifting - look to the ground a couple feet ahead, dont look backwards - keep core and glutes engaged - everything should extend in a straight line Given some proper thought and concentration this exercise is more difficult than it appears. If you find your hips or shoulders tilt, put a book on them and it will slide off if theres too much movement! Let me know how it goes

Big toe Your big toe is SO important When running, it helps to propel you forward and use a proper stride. It should be powerful. Most peoples tendency when they stand on their tiptoes is to let their feet fall to the outside and load their outside toes. You want to train your body to put weight through the big toe mound.... Lacrosse ball calf raises - 3 sets of 10 reps - if you dont have a lacrosse ball, a tennis ball or small can will work - place the ball behind your ankles bones and hold it tightly - move slowly - make sure you are loading your big toe (mound) and NOT your pinkie toe - for an added challenge, do this on stairs and let your heels go lower - hold onto something, this isnt about balance This exercise is a great way to spice up a regular calf raise and helps to ensure that you are using proper mechanics and the proper lower leg musculature! Let me know how it goes!

Core Everyone needs a nice strong core. And sure, 6 pack abs would be nice but thats not what Im referring to. Your core is deeper, it supports your low back. This is one of my favourite core exercises!... Dead Bugs - start with your knees at 90, your hips at 90 and your arms straight up to the sky - alternate left arm & right leg, and right arm & left leg - keep your low back pushed flat across the ground, dont let it arch - the closer you get your leg to the ground, without touching, the harder it gets - 3 sets of 5 on each side A common complaint with this exercise is that people feel their hip click/snap when they lower their leg. Try rotating your foot inwards or outwards as you lower... does that help? Let me know how it goes!

Dynamic Before you head out for a run, its important to get your muscles and body moving. Its great to do a stationary (still) exercise, but those arent as real life - when youre running, youre moving. More dynamic exercises can also slowly help increase your heart rate to have your heart ready to go Skater hops ... - jump from side-to-side - make sure you are steady/balanced before you take off again - you can make the jump as little or big and as fast or slow as you want (as long as you stay balanced) - try to prevent both your knee and foot from collapsing inwards (your knees should not touch the whole time!) - attempt to keep your hips level the entire time, but especially while landing - look up, at least slightly Running has a lot of the same focus points as skater hops. Your cadence and stride length can change but the fundamentals (steady hips, no collapsing knees, etc) remain the same! Let me know what you think!

Warming up So many happy faces on the MGT this morning while people continue to exercise and keep their distance. Keep it up! Here is another no equipment way to help get your body & muscles ready for a run! ... Leg swings - make sure you do both legs! - do some side-to-side and some front-to-back (both are demonstrated here) - keep your abs & core contracted to focus the movement on your legs - 5-10 on each leg, in each direction These are one of my favourite pre-run warm ups. You can do them literally everywhere (though I would recommend holding on to something). These are also an amazing way to actually heat up your legs and get blood flowing when its freezing outside! Let me know how it goes!

Teamwork Have an accountability buddy - its hard to skip a run when you have a friend counting on you to get out there with them. #running #marathontraining #runTO #chiropractor #stayhealthy #runnersofthesix #teamtap #fuelsimply #monitorthebeat #runner #community #instarunners #runhappy #unleashedrunning

Fuel simply Endurance Tap is by far my favourite gel. Its simple - maple syrup (how Canadian), salt, and ginger. It gives you a kick when youve depleted your sugar in the middle of a run, while still being gentle on your stomach. It took me time to figure out my race day fuel strategy. In an upcoming half marathon, Ill take three Endurance Tap gels.... Right before start At 8k (with caffeine) At 15k for the final push Whats your fuelling strategy? Do you have one? #running #marathontraining #runTO #chiropractor #stayhealthy #runnersofthesix #teamtap #fuelsimply #monitorthebeat #runner #community #instarun #instarunners #runhappy #unleashedrunning

Listen to your body That tight calf that youve been ignoring, the ache in your hip that hasnt gone away, the sharp pain in your knee - theyre all going to catch up to you. Foam rolling, strength & stability, stretching, and regular treatments all will help to keep you healthy and strong this winter. ... #running #marathontraining #runTO #chiropractor #stayhealthy #runnersofthesix #teamtap #fuelsimply #monitorthebeat #runner #community #instarunners #instarun #runhappy #unleashedrunning See more

Explore your city Throughout Toronto there is a great network of wonderfully paved trails - MGT, Don Valley Trail, Humber River, Rail Path, and more. Some are maintained all winter (looking at you MGT ) to make it slightly easier to get outside when everything is covered in snow!... Which is your favourite? Can anyone recognize what trail this is from?? #running #marathontraining #runTO #chiropractor #stayhealthy #runnersofthesix #teamtap #fuelsimply #monitorthebeat #runner #community #instarunners #runhappy #unleashedrunning See more

What is your why? Why do you run? Why do you wake up early to head outside in the dead of winter? Why do you say no to plans just because you have a long run tomorrow? Eventually, chances are you are going to hit a point in training where youre exhausted, and your body hurts, and youre going to question what youre asking yourself to do. ... Remember your why to get you through those tough times. #running #marathontraining #runTO #chiropractor #stayhealthy #runnersofthesix #teamtap #fuelsimply #monitorthebeat #runner #community #instarunners #runhappy #unleashedrunning #justdoit See more

Lets talk about shoes! Throughout a marathon or half marathon training cycle, you should have at least two pairs of shoes, hopefully three! (Who said running was a cheap sport?!) Switching shoes helps to prevent injury and to prolong the life of each shoe - your shoes need recovery time to bounce back as well. To help prevent injury, its best if your shoes have a different drop height (ex. 6mm vs. 10mm). This helps to strengthen your... ankle tendons by allowing those tendons to move differently with each shoe. The same idea applies to cushioning - have one pair with a little more cushion (great for recovery runs), and one with a little less cushion (great for speed runs). In terms of stability, getting a gait analysis is a great way to see what works for you! Runners often find they need a bit more stability over 42.2km vs. 10km. Additionally, runners who experience frequent injuries may also need a bit more stability in their shoe. Lastly, and MOST importantly, make sure you like the shoes and find them comfortable. Theres not much worse than spending 500kms in a shoe you hate! #running #marathontraining #runTO #chiropractor #stayhealthy #runnersofthesix #monitorthebeat #runner #community #instarunners #runhappy

Going to work everyday is a treat when your team is this fun Happy Holidays!

Matching makes you faster. Thanks @lululemonto for an epic Legacy Relay #thesweatlife

Hard work pays off! First marathon in 3:23:14

Dont take yourself too seriously * * * #chiropractor #ossfest #local #toronto #treatment #ilovemyjob #teamwork