Ultra Legs, A Strength Routine For Ultrarunners

Welcome to Ultra Legs! This strength routine has been developed over a few years for athletes we coach ranging from pros to beginners, combining elements of other programs into a quick set of exercises that can help the body excel at any distance, including ultramarathons. The main focus is on hamstring/glute strength and resilience! Your butt is going to be so ready for adventures.
A few disclaimers:
-always work with a professional strength coach if possible. I am a running coach who tries to support athletes with strength work. Before you make comments, remember I AM BUT A SIMPLE COUNTRY RUNNING COACH
-the form is not the best at times, especially on the single-leg deadlifts! My body is a wonderland, but this wonderland has a lot of trash lying around.
-always listen to your body, your doctor, your pastor, your shaman, the voices inside your head, etc.
How to use Ultra Legs:
-do this routine 2-3 x per week, making sure you have an easy day of training afterward
-you can add the Mountain Legs routine ( • Three-Minute Mountain ... ) on 2 other days
-this routine differs from Speed Legs ( • 8-Minute Speed Legs ) in that it has a heavier emphasis on hamstring and glute strength
-as you get stronger, you can increase the weight using a heavy kettlebell or add another set of the exercises. But remember, the goal is to be good at running, not to get better and better at strength work until you’re split squatting a Honda Civic.
-the goal is a routine that is as short as possible while being as effective as possible. If you’re going to add other exercises, consider squats and deadlifts, which may be especially beneficial for aging athletes and those with low bone density. Lift that Honda Civic to the moon!
-when you start the routine, expect to get sore for a week or two. Dial back your running training intensity in that time, since your blood may be a toxic waste dump of creatine kinase.
-After you complete the routine, ideally finish it off with a scoop of protein and some foam rolling, particularly on your hamstrings and glutes
Typical week for athletes we coach:
Monday: rest or easy cross train
Tuesday: easy run and hill strides
Wednesday: running workout plus ULTRA LEGS
Thursday: easy run plus MOUNTAIN LEGS
Friday: very easy run and strides
Saturday: long run plus MOUNTAIN LEGS
Sunday: easy run and hill strides plus ULTRA LEGS
We love you all! HUZZAH!
Links to buy Nordic Hamstring Curl device: www.amazon.com/Hamstring-Dura...
Intro: (0:00)
What You Need To Get Started: (0:51)
Band Work, 20 x Side-to-Side, 20 x Forward-and-Back: (2:01)
Single-Leg Step Ups, 30-50 with optional weight: (2:52)
Split Squats, 10 per leg with optional weight: (3:55)
Nordic Hamstring Curls, 10 supporting your weight with arms: (5:29)
Glute Bridges, 10 with both legs, 10 x single leg all with optional weight: (8:00)
Clams, 10 x each leg: (9:00)
Single-Leg Dead Lifts, 10 x each leg with optional weight: (9:33)
Single-Leg Calf Raises, 30-50 x each leg with optional weight: (11:22)
YOU ARE AMAZING: (12:11)

[@huntermaynard8837]

If only our education system was this entertaining, we’d have a much smarter society! ❤

[@MelanieSakowski]

9:40 permission granted to use support in my single leg RDL’s: thank you!!

[@sterlingsimmons8309]

Been waiting for this. Thanks for the workout and the laughs. You guys are the best! Loved the baby Leo cameo too.

[@user-kq7pf1mx2t]

BOOM! Good stuff. So good. As always. Thank you, David.

[@tiffanybrantley23]

single-leg dead is my absolute favorite training movement for both trail running and cycling! Loved this video-will be adding it to my workout routine options!

[@TomWalsh1]

If you have trouble with balance in the SL deadlift, I recommend taking off the cushiony running shoes and trying it barefoot. Really helps you hip hinge through the heel and keep your balance without tipping forward and in. But just a minor thing! Really like the routine.

[@johntickle2]

This is just a great training video, simple delivery, clear instructions on how to do the exercise and more importantly the expectation of doing what is safe and reasonable for athletes of different ability levels. Entertaining too. Thank you for inspiring my strength routine. Howdy Leo!

[@smithscarborough]

This is super helpful, and entertaining! Thank you!

[@angietitus127]

This video was hilarious and super informative. Nice work David Roche

[@crystalsinghmarketing9827]

Great video! Thanks for posting

[@Jiyoungemma]

OMG i cracked up too many times watching this - 🤣🤣so FuN SO GUUUUUD TOO

[@robertsims29]

Great stuff as always! Thanks to the Roches.

[@greynemo89]

This is awesome! I love your content. Couple tips: for anything door related-make sure to not be on the side with hinges or put a heavy weight in front of door. As a strength coach-for those RDLs-keep that weight closer to your leg, less rounding in the back (keep an engaged core).

[@matthewvanleeuwen9086]

Thanks for the hilarious and informative video!

[@zandymangold4821]

Thanks for sharing!

[@chrisowen4152]

Bonus points for the mid-video captions👍

[@obsidiantain]

Was waiting for the treadmill cameo since you teased it on the pod! :) There's no way my door will handle my 85kg, but I reckon those are do-able at the neighbourhood's outdoor gym!

[@robertclarkson6064]

Thank you 👍

[@foowoo1]

A good intro to strength work. The jokes are spot on..........Thrusting towards the sky......APEX!😂

[@RichChh]

Woooo!! (and thanks!)

[@user-ck8ls9lv8n]

I've been doing the speed legs workout for the last few weeks and have already noticed a difference. Thank you for making it easy to fit in effective and efficient strength training-- and for the entertaining video!

[@dawnjansenvanrensburg6541]

Agreed. Fantastic!

[@taraonatrail]

The editorial comments you added on the video are 😂

[@orystory]

I have yet to find something for the Bulgarian split squats that isn’t extra painful. I’m going to try my Home Depot bucket next time!

[@torgeirandreassen]

Huzzah! Thnx!

Coach Roche is the best of the best. > from the 3 low:1 high ratio guy

[@bigbattenberg]

Time for a subscription now that you're coaching Allie Ostrander!

[@georgibg]

When I was doing mountain legs, I had very good speed uphill.

[@philipgreen7078]

Wooohooo!!!

[@mariiak5963]

Huzzah 🥳

[@patrickabeli8352]

Released on a Tuesday? Happy Tuesday!

[@sarahole415]

Question! I have trouble with sticking my butt out on the up part of the nordic hamstring curls and feel like I don’t really feel it in my hamstrings. Any tips here? How can I improve on this?

[@CodyHatch24]

Quick question on the band work - is it critical where the band is placed (above or below the knee, specifically)?

[@mikevkshema]

Thank-you David. Great stuff, I'll use right away. Question: what specific exercises do you suggest for downhill trail running? To train for those long mountain descents. I suspect it would be something quad specific but different than training for up hill. Thanks in advance!

[@DavidRocheSWAP]

Incredible question! These exercises are designed for ups and downs. The split squats in particular are wonderful for downhills! If you wanted to add an exercise to this routine, classic squats would also be good for downhills :)

[@travismacy3]

Another good one buddy! Thanks as always.

[@travismacy3]

I think I saw you do 90 mins at FTP on Zwift after shooting this. And it's not surprising that this routine generates 90 min at 60 min FTP ;-)

[@cohn12345]

❤

[@erickoenig8483]

This is a good set of running-specific strength exercises but form demonstration could be improved, especially for the single-leg step-ups and single-leg deadlifts (keep lower back slightly arched / engaged through range of motion). I would also recommend lateral single-leg step-ups (with weight) for those with medial glute as well as hip adductor activation, fatigue, and strength imbalance issues (e.g., kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYXLo4GbfMidfcU).

[@xXAnthony619Xx]

Coach Roche thank you! Keep being awesome! This is pretty all encompassing, what are the chances simple deadlifts would cover a lot of this. I’m kind of like a caveman and like to keep shit ridiculously simple. By the way, I need that get shit done poster!

[@DavidRocheSWAP]

Great question! Deadlifts are wonderful, but are less directly targeting the high hamstring for some athletes, and allow some compensation too. So we generally like single-leg, even if an athlete is also doing both legs!

[@xXAnthony619Xx]

@@DavidRocheSWAP Thank you! Will definitely incorporate some single leg movement!

[@user-nt9wf2ts9o]

Question: do you recommend doing 3 cycles of this routine or just the 1 cycle as the video illustrates.

[@DavidRocheSWAP]

Great question! Just 1 cycle, increasing the weight over a few months until you're using a pretty heavy kettlebell and having zero soreness the next day. After that, can increase to 2 sets! But there's no need to do multiple sets--strength will not be the limiter for any athlete that can do this routine consistently. YOU ROCK!!!

[@monikad5561]

Thanks coach!! That was super sexy! 🤘🏼 You Roches RoCk!

[@daniellezelinski9791]

These are excellent exercises! I watched this using the captions because I have a sleeping toddler next to me, so I might have missed a comment on this. I notice the pace of each exercise is pretty quick. I typically perform my strength work at a slower pace, and maybe at a higher relative load. Does the pace of the exercises matter here? Thanks!

[@DavidRocheSWAP]

Great question! We want every exercise performed relatively quickly, ensuring that biomechanics are most similar to running, while working similar fatigue patterns!

[@daniellezelinski9791]

@@DavidRocheSWAP okay, that makes sense - thanks!

[@0FlyFly]

Thank you, David! How many sets do you recommend and are they best done in a circuit or a split format?

[@DavidRocheSWAP]

fantastic question! Circuit style, moving through the exercises rapidly. One set until they do not challenge an athlete at all, and only after the athlete has increased the weight on the exercises. WOOHOO!

[@maryflaigmore3253]

@@DavidRocheSWAP omg permission to do ONE SET of strength exercises! TY!!

[@BenZCardiff]

Where are the body’s buried David? Where??

[@bigbattenberg]

Dude, the latest video with Allie you are running so great! How old are you anyway?

[@apsbentom]

1

[@JeffRElliott]

!!!

[@TyronWallace-t6u]

Bump

[@ThatGuyThatThumbs]

@lukewbarrett (KZbin) brought me here. I am glad he did great stuff David.