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Strength Training for Runners

Strength Training for Runners

As a runner, you may believe you do not need to perform strength training, but that is far from the truth. You could see a huge benefit by performing a quality strength training program for runners.

Strength training has tremendous benefits for runners.

  • Improve VO2 Max
  • Improve Power
  • Prevent Injuries
  • Improve Running Posture
  • Build Bone Density
  • Improve Metabolism
  • Improve Overall Health

Let’s talk about each of these benefits a bit more below.

Improve VO2 Max

Strength training can improve VO2 max, which can help you run faster for longer. A higher VO2 max coupled with stronger muscles can also help your training runs feel easier.

Improve Power

Strength training activates your type II fast twitch muscle fibers, the muscle fibers that help you lift heavy, jump high and sprint fast.

Activating and strengthening your type II muscle fibers builds power that can help you deep in a race or running workout.

Additionally, increasing your power and strength reserve helps your training runs feel easier and less taxing on your muscles.

Prevent Injuries

Running puts a lot of stress on your body. However, strength training shores up your joints, tendons and ligaments. During weight training workouts, you stress your muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments past their current threshold–we call this progressive overload. With weight training, your joints, tendons and ligaments all grow stronger so they can better withstand the forces you put on your body during running workouts.

Targeted strength training also helps you strengthen key stabilizers to prevent knee, hip and lower back injuries.

Improve Running Posture

Targeted strength work and core endurance training also helps you maintain good running form and economy deep in a workout or race. Instead of hunching over, you now have the endurance to use running form that helps you run faster and conserve energy.

Improve Bone Density

While running improves bone density, strength training puts more targeted stress on the muscles and bones. Your body responds by laying down new bone tissue and remodeling existing bone.

By strengthening your bones, strength training may help prevent stress fractures or osteoporosis in later years.

Improve Metabolism

Strength training can help improve your metabolism so that you can eat more without gaining weight.

Additionally, strength training can help you improve nutrient partitioning so that you can improve your body composition without suffering on low calorie meal plans.

Improve Overall Health

Strength training can actually benefit your overall health. From your endocrine health to your metabolic health to your blood sugar control, strength training can benefit every aspect of your health.

High intensity strength training may even provide health benefits that you do not gain from running or cardio work alone.

What type of strength training is best for runners?

This may surprise you, but as a runner you need to perform a traditional, back to basics strength training program. You need to focus on gaining strength and muscle endurance.

You should include simple weight lifting exercises as well as core exercises and plyometrics exercises. Finally, you should work on stability exercises and lateral exercises to prevent injuries.

Many runners make a huge mistake in their strength training and focus primarily on circuit training with light weights and short rest periods. Sadly, this type of training does not provide enough progressive overload to help you improve your running.

How many times a week should a runner do strength training?

Runners should focus on strength training once or twice per week. While you should not try to lift weights everyday while running, lifting weights once or twice per week can help you gain strength, power and reduce injuries.
Remember that you need to perform strength training consistently if you want to make gains in your running performance.

When should runners lift weights?

You can put your lifting sessions on days you do not run, or on easy running days.

If you choose to put both sessions in one day, I would recommend doing your weight training workout first when you are fresh and then do your run later.

Keep in mind, however, that you should still have at least one to two full rest days each week for maximum recovery.

How do runners train strength?

Try two to three sets of eight to twelve reps for most of your major weight training exercises. You can work with heavier weights and lower reps for exercises like the squat and deadlift.

Try four to six exercises per workout with movements that train each major muscle group. You can use basic resistance equipment like dumbbells, barbell training, kettlebells and resistance bands.
You can also include core exercises like planks, farmer walks and one arm walks.

Additionally, you can include plyometric exercises to improve power. Try two foot hops, one foot hops, broad jumps and hops over hurdles to improve power and resilience to fatigue.

Make sure you use loads that challenge you and learn proper form and technique, preferably by a qualified personal trainer.

You might fear that strength training with challenging loads could add too much muscle bulk that will weigh you down. However, it’s nearly impossible to add too much muscle when running several days per week. Instead, strength training will help you improve muscle strength and running performance without weighing you down.

Best Exercises for Runners

This list will help you structure your program with the most effective exercises for your running career. This list includes both bilateral exercises for strength and power and unilateral exercises to help reduce your risk of injury. Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive.

Of course, you must use proper form and challenging loads to make an impact. If you need help, work with a qualified trainer to learn proper form and technique.

  • Weighted Squats
  • Lunges
  • Step ups
  • Romanian Deadlifts
  • Clamshells
  • Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
  • Push ups
  • Pull ups
  • Rows
  • Face Pulls
  • Farmer Walks
  • Planks
  • Side Planks
  • Calf Raises
  • Dead Bugs

Runners Need to Embrace the Iron

Strength training can really help your running career and improve your resilience to pesky running injuries. If you need help with a customized strength training plan for running, reach out under personal training.
If this article helped you, please feel free to leave a comment below!