You’ve probably never walked into the gym and said, “I can’t wait to show off my balance at the beach,” but balance will help you at those clutch moments, namely avoiding injury in every day life and as you rack up the miles training for race-day.

News flash: Running is a series of single-leg balances.

Bad balance? This can lead to bad running form and, potentially, injury. So how should you train for that one-legged activity? Isolate one leg at a time. Read more about single-leg balance and how it impacts your running on Competitor.

To pump up your balance during your cross-training or if you seek a no-quipment workout, do this series 2-3 times, whatever your schedule allows.

There is a Tabata interval in this series meant to help you burn some calories. Tabatas are :20 of all-out work followed by :10 of rest, repeated eight times total. Use a Tabata timer (like this) to help you keep track of those rounds.

Warrior 3 to knee lift:

Lunge jumps:

Side plank with a leg lift:

Sumo squat with alternating leg lifts:

Plank with toe lifts:

(Disclaimer: This workout is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor is it a replacement for seeking medical treatment or professional nutrition advice. Do not start any nutrition or physical activity program without first consulting your physician.)