Strength Training: A Non-negotiable for Runners

Keep running.

Better. Faster. Farther.

If there’s one thing I have learned from working with runners, it’s that runners are going to run. No matter what, whether injured or not, runners want to keep running. So how can you continue to run, while minimizing injury risk, improving performance, and continuing to feel great run after run? Keep reading to find out.

First, let’s talk about the impact (quite literally) of running on the body. Running is a high-impact, repetitive activity. If you think about it, it’s like jumping back and forth between your feet over and over again for long periods of time. That impact adds up. In fact, while running, the impact from the ground on your body is at least 1.5-2x your body weight. Your muscles must have a lot of strength to be able to withstand that additional force with each step.

One of the most common things I see with runners is weakness in the hips and quadriceps muscles. Weakness in these muscles can impact a runner’s mechanics and ability to navigate changes in terrain. If that weakness persists as running volume continues to progress, that runner may be at greater risk for developing a running-related injury of the knee, hip, foot or ankle, or lower leg. 

Research shows that strength training will improve running performance compared to running training alone. In addition, increased eccentric strength (that’s your muscles ability to decelerate or control movement against gravity) is associated with improved running economy (efficiency of running). Explosive and heavy weight training have a similar positive effect on running economy.

So I’ll ask again. How can you continue to run, while minimizing injury risk, improving performance, and continuing to feel great run after run? I have one answer for you: strength training.

Want to hear the good news? It doesn’t take much to see improvements in your strength and running economy. A low volume of resistance training (2-3x/week) for 6-8 weeks is enough to see a difference in running economy. For those that already work out consistently, that means adding in some additional accessory work to your training schedule on off-days.

If you consider yourself a runner, whether that’s once a month or 4 times each week, you should strength train. 

If you have had a previous injury from sport or running and want to minimize future injury risk, you should strength train.

If you are a human that hopes to age well and continue participating in any and all activities, you should strength train. 

If you have current pain that is preventing you from running, please contact me, and we can assess your injury and get you back to running (with the help of strength training).

Want to learn how to get started strength training?

Click here for some of my favorite strength exercises for runners.