Running is a great way to stay fit and healthy, but it’s important to remember that it’s also a high-impact activity. This means that it can put a lot of stress on your joints and muscles, which can lead to injuries.
Strength training can help to reduce your risk of injury and improve your running performance. Strong muscles can help to absorb the impact of running and support your joints. They can also help you to generate more power, which can lead to faster speeds and longer distances.
Strength training for runners focused on building muscular endurance and power. The goal is to develop strength in running-specific muscles, such as the quadriceps, hip flexors, hamstrings and glutes.
If you’re a runner, it’s a good idea to incorporate strength training into your routine at least two or three times per week.
Here are the essential concepts of strength training for runners:
Start with the Right Warm-Up: Warming up properly before starting any run or workout is essential. A warm-up should involve bodyweight exercises working on perfecting your form and mechanics. Hip stretches, bodyweight squats, lunges, push-ups, core work and back work such as chin-ups are all ideal warm-up exercises.
Incorporate compound movements: Compound movements are exercises that use multiple muscle groups at once. These exercises include squats, deadlifts, and lunges. Compound movements help the body to build full-body strength and increase muscle strength.
Here are some exercises which will help you to build strength
Reverse lunges: Step backward with one leg and lower your body down until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Push through your front heel to return to the starting position and then repeat on the other side. Continue alternating legs until you reach the end of your designated walking distance.
Cossack Squat: Stand with your feet wide apart, your toes pointing outward.Shift your weight to your right leg and bend your right knee, lowering your hips down until your thigh is parallel to the ground.Keep your left leg extended and your left heel on the ground.Keep your back straight and your core engaged.Pause for a second at the bottom of the squat, then push through your right heel to return to the starting position.Repeat on the other side.
Squat: To do a squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward. Engage your core and lower your hips down as if you were sitting in a chair. Keep your back straight and your knees aligned with your toes. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or lower if you can maintain good form. Pause at the bottom of the squat, then drive through your heels to stand back up.
Bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Engage your core and glutes, and raise your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.
Curtsy Lunges: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.Step your right foot back and across your body, crossing it behind your left foot.Lower your body down until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, making sure that your front knee is directly over your ankle and your back knee is hovering just above the ground.Keep your core engaged and your back straight.Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.Repeat on the other side.
Notes
If you’re new to strength training, start with light weights and gradually increase the weight as you get stronger.
Be sure to focus on proper form to avoid injury.
If you have any pain, stop the exercise immediately.
You can also add other exercises to your routine, such as deadlifts, shoulder presses, and tricep extensions. However, the exercises listed above are a good starting point for most runners.
Strength training can help you to become a better runner and reduce your risk of injury. So be sure to add it to your routine today!