strength training for runners

Strength training is an essential part of a well-rounded running routine. Often, runners tend to focus solely on accumulating miles, but including strength training can greatly enhance running performance and overall health.

Strength training should be balanced with running sessions and adequate recovery time for optimal results. The specific type and volume of strength training will depend on the runner's individual goals, current fitness level, and available time. As always, it's recommended to consult with a fitness professional to create a personalized training plan.

Strength training is important for runners for several reasons that extend beyond general physical fitness. It provides benefits that directly impact running performance, injury prevention, and overall health.

Given these benefits, it's clear that strength training is a crucial component of any runner's training program. It complements the act of running and contributes to a more balanced, versatile athletic profile.

Key Strength Training Exercises for Runners

Squats

Squats are a powerful, compound exercise that should be a part of any runner's strength training routine. They primarily target the lower body, including the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, but also engage the core and lower back. This makes squats an excellent exercise for improving overall strength and stability, both of which are crucial for running.

How to Perform a Basic Squat:

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Your toes should be pointing forward or slightly outwards.

  2. Extend your arms out in front of you for balance, or place them on your hips.

  3. Push your hips back and bend your knees as if you're going to sit on a chair behind you. Keep your chest up and your back straight.

  4. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as low as your flexibility allows. Your knees should not go beyond your toes.

  5. Push through your heels to return to the standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top.

  6. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Squats for Runners:

Squats are particularly beneficial for runners for a few key reasons:

  • Muscle Strengthening: Squats strengthen the major muscles used in running, improving your power and speed.
  • Injury Prevention: By strengthening your lower body and core, squats can help prevent common running injuries.
  • Improved Balance and Coordination: The squat is a multi-joint movement that requires and improves balance and coordination, which can translate to better running form and efficiency.

Variations:

Once you're comfortable with the basic squat, you can try variations to challenge yourself and target different muscles:

  • Goblet Squats: Holding a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest while squatting adds an upper body and core element to the exercise.
  • Jump Squats: Adding a jump to your squats can help improve your power and explosiveness, which is particularly beneficial for sprinters or hill running.
  • Pistol Squats: This is a one-legged squat that significantly challenges your balance and strengthens each leg independently, helping to address imbalances.

As always, proper form is key to getting the most out of squats and preventing injury. Consider seeking advice from a trainer if you're new to squats or adding new variations to your routine.

Lunges

Lunges are a fundamental lower-body exercise that are particularly beneficial for runners. They target many of the same muscles as squats - including the quads, glutes, and hamstrings - but they also work each leg individually, which can help correct imbalances and improve stability.

How to Perform a Basic Lunge:

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
  2. Take a step forward with your right foot. The length of the step should be long enough that your knee will be directly above your ankle when you lower into the lunge.
  3. Bend both knees and lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your left knee is hovering just above the floor. Your right knee should be directly over your right ankle, and your torso should remain upright.
  4. Push through your right heel to return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat on the other side for one full repetition.

Lunges for Runners:

Lunges have specific benefits for runners:

  • Strengthen Running Muscles: Lunges strengthen the major muscle groups used in running, which can improve speed and efficiency.
  • Improve Balance and Stability: Because lunges work each leg individually, they can improve balance and stability, which can translate to better running form.
  • Injury Prevention: Lunges can help prevent running injuries by correcting muscle imbalances and strengthening the muscles around the knees and hips.

Variations:

To add variety to your routine or to challenge yourself, consider trying different lunge variations:

  • Reverse Lunges: Instead of stepping forward, step back. This variation can be easier on the knees while still providing a great lower-body workout.
  • Walking Lunges: Instead of lunging in place, walk forward with each lunge. This variation can help with forward propulsion in running.
  • Lateral Lunges: Step to the side instead of forward. This works the muscles on the sides of your hips and thighs, which can help with stability during lateral movements in running.
  • Jumping Lunges: Add a jump to switch your front and back foot in each lunge. This can improve power and explosiveness, which is particularly beneficial for sprinting or hill running.

As with all exercises, proper form is crucial when performing lunges. It can be beneficial to consult with a fitness professional to ensure correct technique, especially when starting out or trying new variations.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts are one of the most comprehensive strength training exercises, working several muscle groups simultaneously. They primarily target the posterior chain – the muscles on the backside of your body – which includes the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. These muscles are crucial for runners, making deadlifts a very beneficial exercise.

How to Perform a Basic Deadlift:

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with the barbell (or dumbbells/kettlebells) on the floor in front of you, over your mid-foot.

  2. Bend at your hips and knees to lower and grasp the bar. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart.

  3. Keep your back straight and lift your chest. This should naturally cause you to straighten your back without having to think about it. Your shoulders should be slightly in front of the bar.

  4. Push through your heels and lift the weight upward by extending your hips and knees. Keep the bar close to your body throughout the lift.

  5. Stand tall at the top, but avoid leaning backward. The rep is complete when your hips and knees are fully extended.

  6. Lower the bar by pushing your hips back first, then bend your knees once the bar reaches knee height. Let the bar return to the floor to complete one repetition.

Deadlifts for Runners:

Deadlifts offer several benefits for runners:

  • Strengthening the Posterior Chain: Deadlifts strengthen the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back – muscles that are critical for running speed and form.

  • Improving Balance and Stability: Deadlifts require and improve balance and stability, which can translate to better running form and efficiency.

  • Injury Prevention: By strengthening the posterior chain and core, deadlifts can help prevent common running injuries, including those related to weak glutes or hamstrings, such as runner's knee, hamstring strains, and lower-back pain.

Variations:

There are several variations of the deadlift that can be used to add variety to your strength training:

  • Romanian Deadlifts: Similar to the conventional deadlift, but you keep your legs almost completely straight, which emphasizes the hamstrings and glutes.

  • Single-Leg Deadlifts: This variation is performed standing on one leg, which adds an element of balance and helps address any imbalances between your legs.

  • Sumo Deadlifts: The feet are wider apart with the toes pointed out, which targets the glutes and inner thighs more than the conventional deadlift.

As always, form is crucial in performing deadlifts correctly and safely. If you're new to deadlifts, it may be beneficial to consult with a fitness professional to ensure your form is correct and to determine the appropriate weight to start with.

Planks

Planks are a simple but highly effective exercise that strengthens the core, which includes the muscles around your stomach, back, and pelvis. A strong core is crucial for runners, as it improves stability, balance, and overall running form.

How to Perform a Basic Plank:

  1. Start in a high push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart.
  2. Engage your core, keep your back flat, and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
  3. Maintain this position, keeping your gaze slightly in front of you. Ensure that your hips do not sag down or pike up. The aim is to form a straight line with your body.
  4. Hold this position for a set amount of time, starting with 20-30 seconds and gradually increasing as your strength improves.

Planks for Runners:

Planks offer several benefits specific to runners:

  • Core Strengthening: A strong core helps maintain proper running form, even when fatigue sets in during longer runs. This can improve running efficiency and speed.

  • Improved Balance and Stability: Planks work all the muscles you use to stay upright, which helps with balance and stability while running.

  • Injury Prevention: A strong core can take some of the stress off the lower limbs and help prevent common running injuries, such as lower back pain.

Variations:

Once you're comfortable with the basic plank, you can try variations to challenge yourself and target different muscles:

  • Side Planks: These engage the obliques (side abdominal muscles) more than the standard plank. Start on your side with your feet stacked and one forearm directly beneath your shoulder, then lift your hips off the floor and hold.

  • Plank with Leg Lift: While in the plank position, lift one leg a few inches off the ground, hold for a few seconds, then switch to the other leg. This adds a glute-strengthening element to the exercise.

  • Forearm Plank: Instead of holding your body up with your hands, rest your forearms on the ground. This is a little more challenging and engages the core even more.

Proper form is crucial when performing planks to get the most out of the exercise and prevent injury. If you're new to planks or adding new variations to your routine, consider seeking advice from a trainer.

Hill Sprints

Hill sprints are an incredibly effective workout for runners, providing a mix of strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. They involve sprinting at maximum effort up a hill, then recovering as you walk or jog back down. Hill sprints target many of the muscles used in running, including the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves, while also improving cardiovascular fitness and running economy.

How to Perform Hill Sprints:

  1. Find a hill with a moderate incline. The hill should be steep enough to provide a challenge, but not so steep that it alters your running form.

  2. Warm up with at least 10-15 minutes of easy running.

  3. Sprint up the hill at maximum effort for a set amount of time or distance (usually 20-30 seconds or around 100-200 meters, depending on your fitness level).

  4. Walk or jog back down the hill. This is your recovery period.

  5. Repeat for a set number of repetitions, typically starting with 3-5 sprints and gradually working up to 8-12.

Hill Sprints for Runners:

Hill sprints offer several benefits specific to runners:

  • Strength Training: The incline of a hill adds resistance to your sprint, essentially providing a form of strength training that targets the same muscles used in running.

  • Improved Running Economy: Hill sprints can help improve your running economy, which is the amount of energy you use to run at a certain pace. The better your running economy, the faster and further you can run with the same amount of energy.

  • Injury Prevention: Hill sprints can help improve muscle strength and balance, reducing the risk of injury.

  • Speed and Power: The explosive nature of hill sprints can help improve your speed and power, which can be beneficial for sprinting and running up hills during a race.

As with all high-intensity workouts, it's important to start with what you can handle and gradually increase the intensity and volume over time. Be sure to warm up properly before starting your sprints, and pay attention to your form to prevent injuries. If you're new to hill sprints, you might want to start with a gentle incline and work your way up to steeper hills as your fitness improves.

Step-ups

Step-ups are a simple and effective lower body exercise that are particularly beneficial for runners. They simulate the motion of running and climbing, strengthening the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, while also challenging your balance and stability.

How to Perform a Basic Step-up:

  1. Stand in front of a step, bench, or box that's about knee height.

  2. Place your right foot fully on the step.

  3. Push through your right heel to lift your body onto the step, bringing your left foot to meet your right. Try to avoid pushing off with your left foot, and instead focus on using the muscles in your right leg to lift your body.

  4. Carefully step back down to the starting position, leading with your right foot.

  5. Repeat for the desired number of reps, then switch to lead with your left foot.

Step-ups for Runners:

Step-ups offer several benefits specific to runners:

  • Strengthen Running Muscles: Step-ups strengthen the major muscle groups used in running, which can improve speed and efficiency.

  • Improve Balance and Stability: Because step-ups require balance and stability, they can improve running form and efficiency, especially when running on uneven surfaces or hills.

  • Injury Prevention: Step-ups can help prevent running injuries by strengthening the muscles around the knees and hips, and improving balance and stability.

Variations:

To add variety to your routine or to challenge yourself, consider trying different step-up variations:

  • Weighted Step-ups: Holding dumbbells in your hands or wearing a weighted vest can increase the intensity of the exercise.

  • Lateral Step-ups: Instead of stepping straight onto the box, you step up from the side. This works the muscles on the sides of your hips and thighs, which can help with stability during lateral movements in running.

  • Step-up with Knee Drive: After stepping up onto the box, raise the opposite knee towards your chest before stepping down. This adds a balance challenge and mimics the motion of running.

As with all exercises, it's important to maintain good form when performing step-ups. Keep your chest up, your back straight, and your core engaged throughout the exercise.