Introduction
Just the words "strength training" often results in groans from runners. I get it! The "runner's high" can be addictive and weightlifting naysayers are known for deterring runners due to the (unsubstantiated) fear of "getting bulky."
In actuality, strength training is wildly beneficial for both recreational and competitive runners for laying the foundation, and should be prioritized in your training routine! In this blog, we will discuss how strength training can help runners prevent common overuse injuries and (as a bonus) improve running performance.
Running is Tough Stuff
Running is a physically demanding sport. It's unfortunately common for runners to experience nagging pain or discomfort if their joints and soft tissues are not properly prepared for the demand. In fact, approximately 50% of runners experience an injury that keeps them from their sport for a period of time, and of that percentage, 70-80% of those injuries are due to overuse (Kakouris et al., 2021). Overuse injuries are the most common injuries among runners, and they occur when there is damage to tissue(s), bone, or nerve(s) that is the result of repetitive demand over a period of time.
To visualize this demand, when running a mile the average person takes anywhere from 1,400-1,600 steps. You can think of these steps like they're repetitions. Can you imagine doing 1,400 - 1,600 reps of an exercise?
On top of that, muscle tissue needs to be strong enough to absorb approximately 2-2.5x your bodyweight with each step. Approximately 1,400-1,600 "repetitions" plus the additional force is a lot of demand on the soft tissues and joints of the lower extremity; namely the feet, ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. Add in multiple miles over multiple training days and you can see how overuse injuries can be a common ailment among runners.
Thankfully, strength training can help prevent overuse injuries by strengthening muscle tissue, ligaments, tendons, and bone tissue so they can withstand the repetitive force and demand required of running.
What Type of Strength Training Should I Do?
There are 2 types of strength training repeatedly shown most beneficial for runners:
Absolute
Explosive (plyometric)
Absolute strength training (also referred to as maximal strength training) involves using high loads with few repetitions. The goal of absolute strength training is increasing neuromuscular efficiency and muscle strength rather than increasing muscle size (hypertrophy), which is what makes it such an effective form of strength training for runners. A more effective and strong running machine = more effective and strong running.
Explosive strength training, also known as plyometric training, involves training the muscle tissue to exert the maximum amount of force in the shortest amount of time. In other words, quick, powerful, and explosive movements like jumping and bounding. Explosive strength training can improve your speed by decreasing the ground contact time of your foot while running, and maximizing your ability to produce/absorb force - all of which make you a more powerful, faster runner.
Doing just one of these has proven to be extremely beneficial for runners, but doing both concurrently with running is what's really the secret sauce!
Running Economy
Running economy (RE) is a key measure to determine how much oxygen is used during certain distances of running at sub-maximal speed.
As an analogy, you can think of RE like the miles per gallon your car gets. At certain speeds, my Toyota 4Runner only gets 16 mpg, but at other speeds it can get up to 20 mpg because it's utilizing the gasoline more efficiently. You are the same way - you can utilize oxygen more efficiently at certain speeds to keep your pace up for longer durations, which is important for long distance runners. In other words, improving RE can help you improve and maintain your race pace for longer.
Now you're probably wondering, "But Abbey, how does strength training help my lungs (basically) use oxygen better?"
Well don't forget that during exercise your lungs are constantly supplying oxygen to your muscle tissue to keep the locomotive going. That's why as intensity of exercise increases, the more your respiration rate (breathing) increases. And while running, your muscles act like springs - lengthening, shortening, and producing force against the ground (if you want to nerd out with me, this is called the stretch-shortening cycle!)
The more you strength train, the stronger your muscle tissue becomes and the better your body is able to control itself in space. Both of those combined produces a more efficient machine allowing your body to expend less energy just to to keep the motor running (Suc et al., 2022).
Components of a Good Strength Training Program for Runners
There are 2 phases of the run gait cycle where strength training has the most benefit: braking and propulsion (Figure 1). Remember that during braking, you're eccentrically loading your muscle tissue to slow you down and prep for propulsion. During propulsion, you're loading the muscle tissue and quickly pushing off the ground to propel yourself forward.
Therefore a good strength training program for runners will focus on 4 things:
Eccentric portion of lifts
Explosive plyometrics
Compound movements
Unilateral (single side) exercises
Exercises of Focus
First before starting any lifting session, you have to warm-up. I'm not talking about doing a couple of leg swings then going for it (I see you runners). Rather, I want 3-5 minutes of getting your heart rate up on a cardio machine or doing an easy walk/jog, followed by 5-10 reps/side of drills that will "activate" and warm muscles most important for running. Examples of drills to include are:
Banded Lateral Walks
Banded Monster Walks
Active Spider
Bird-Dog
Frankenstein or Hamstring Scoops
Knee Pull
Toe Walk
Heel Walk
Quad Pull
Notice that all of those movements are targeting areas important for running like the ankles, knees, hips, lower back and the muscle tissues that cross them.
After warming, next you will focus on lower body, compound barbell lifts that will improve lower body strength. You want to do these first because they require more demand from your body and you want to be as fresh as possible. Examples of compound lifts beneficial for runners include:
Back Squat
Deadlifts
Front Squat
Romanian Deadlift
Hip Thrust
Finally, finish with in unilateral accessory lifts with dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells that will improve single-leg force production and absorption in the hamstrings, quads, and glutes while running like:
Bulgarian Split Squats
Lunges
Split Squats
Curtsy Squats
Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts
Step-Ups
The goal during execution for both compound and unilateral lifts is control of the weight, putting particular emphasis on the eccentric (lowering) portion of the lift. This eccentric portion is when the muscle tissue is stretched, but loaded simultaneously similar to what happens during the "braking" portion of the run gait cycle.
Finally, a good program for runners incorporates plyometrics, which require exerting the maximum amount of force over the shortest period of time. This is important for improving the turnover rate from foot-to-foot during running, also known as "running stride." A good place to start with plyometrics include:
Depth Jumps
Single Leg Pogo Hops
Box Jumps
Single Leg Box Jumps
As you get more comfortable and proficient with these movements, there are progressions and variations of each that can be personalized to the individual's goals. Click here to see a sample 2 day per week training program that you can start incorporating into your routine.
Or if you'd like a more in-depth and individualized program tailored to your goals, click here to get a consult scheduled with a BPG trainer!
FAQs
Will Strength Training Make me "Bulky?"
No, concurrent strength training and running will not increase body mass, which has been repeatedly shown in studies. This is due to the pathways needed to build muscle tissue being compromised by the physiological requirements of running (Docherty & Sporer, 2000). Research has also explored the effects of combined heavy resistance, plyometric training, and running and still found body composition to be unchanged over an 8-week training period (Li et al., 2019).
Will Strength Training Slow me Down?
On the contrary! Strength training (specifically explosive strength training) improves motor unit recruitment which can make your muscle tissue more efficient mechanically (Cormie et al., 2011). Strength training also postpones your time to exhaustion, or the time it takes for you fatigue and feel like you need a break. Additionally, strength training improves your running economy, or how efficiently your body uses the oxygen you breath while running (Storen et al., 2008). When your body is operating more efficiently, then you can run more efficiently - both in pace and duration!
How Do I Fit in Strength Training into my Run Schedule?
A short and simple answer is to fit in strength training in whatever manner you can stay consistent with it! Generally a good rule of thumb is to schedule strength training on easier run days. You can do your strength before or after a run, or split up strength training in the morning and run in the evening (or vice versa!)
How Many Days a Week Should I Strength Train?
The good news is that you don't have to strength train every day to reap the benefits! Just 2 days/week of strength training has been shown to improve running performance.
Citations
Cormie P, McGuigan MR, Newton RU. Developing maximal neuromuscular power: Part 1--biological basis of maximal power production. Sports Med. 2011 Jan 1;41(1):17-38. doi: 10.2165/11537690-000000000-00000. PMID: 21142282.
Docherty D, Sporer B. A proposed model for examining the interference phenomenon between concurrent aerobic and strength training. Sports Med. 2000 Dec;30(6):385-94. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200030060-00001. PMID: 11132121.
Li F, Wang R, Newton RU, Sutton D, Shi Y, Ding H. Effects of complex training versus heavy resistance training on neuromuscular adaptation, running economy and 5-km performance in well-trained distance runners. PeerJ. 2019 Apr 25;7:e6787. doi: 10.7717/peerj.6787. PMID: 31086736; PMCID: PMC6487184.
Støren O, Helgerud J, Støa EM, Hoff J. Maximal strength training improves running economy in distance runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008 Jun;40(6):1087-92. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318168da2f. PMID: 18460997.
Šuc A, Šarko P, Pleša J, Kozinc Ž. Resistance Exercise for Improving Running Economy and Running Biomechanics and Decreasing Running-Related Injury Risk: A Narrative Review. Sports (Basel). 2022 Jun 24;10(7):98. doi: 10.3390/sports10070098. PMID: 35878109; PMCID: PMC9319953.
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