The Benefits Of Strength Training For Runners

How Does Strength Training Help Running?

Strength training is really beneficial for runners in several ways. It can help runners of all abilities to run and perform better, and it can also reduce your risk of picking up a running-related injury. It can improve running efficiency and economy, which brings significant benefits in performance by using less energy to run the same distance, allowing you to run faster.

One of the main benefits of strength training for runners is that by reducing your risk of injury you are able to train more consistently. And research shows that runners who are able to complete their training program consistently, eg over 80% of the time, have far greater success with their running. So by minimising running injuries and therefore allowing you to train consistently, running performance is greatly improved by strength training.

Which Are The Main Muscles That Runners Should Strengthen?

The main muscles used in running are the;

– quadriceps

– hamstrings

– gluteals

– calf

– abdominals (these muscles have a role in stabilising your low back, pelvis and hips while running)

We need to remember that running is a whole-body activity. So, while we want to give some special attention to the above list of specific muscles, we also want to include compound exercises like variations of squats and lunges to improve our co-ordination of muscles in functional movements. Just getting muscles strong in isolation doesn’t translate into optimal gains when using them for running and other whole-body tasks. We also need to work on how we co-ordinate the various muscles to produce functional movements such as running.

Teaming up normal strength training with plyometric training is also very beneficial. Plyometric exercises include variations of jumping and hopping. They train your body to become better at fast movements, which help you minimise your ground contact time when running. Getting off the ground quicker increases your running efficiency and economy, meaning you use less energy when you run. This allows you to run faster for longer.

How Does Strength Training Help Runners?

By including strength training in their routine runners can;

1. reduce their risk of injuries

2. build their endurance and strength which, when combined with technique correction, can help with maintaining improved running form. This improves performance as well as protects the bones and joints under impact¹

3. boosts power to enhance running speed

4. by strengthening muscles you can increase your ability to generate force to create more explosive and powerful running strides, which will increase running speed.²

5. Promotes running efficiency and economy, improving energy utilisation when running

6. strength training burns body fat and builds lean muscle. This can help optimise your body composition for better performance³

Strength Training Can Help Improve Running Technique

Strength training by itself has not been shown to improve running technique. However, strength training in combination with running gait coaching can significantly improve your running form.

For example, if you are having recurrent hip pain with running, and a running gait assessment shows you have excessive pelvis movement (eg lateral pelvic movement toward your stance leg and excessive pelvic drop on your swing leg side), then just strengthening up your glutes is unlikely to correct this problem. Just because a muscle becomes stronger, it doesn’t mean your brain suddenly changes the way it has habitually used it (see comment above re training muscles in isolation versus training how we co-ordinate them into functional movements).

Similarly, if we try to use technique coaching drills to improve your pelvic stability but your glutes just aren’t strong enough to do what we’re asking them to do, then once again we are not likely to be effective. It’s like we’re asking your body to do something that it just doesn’t have the strength to do.

But if we combine these two strategies, i.e. we strengthen your glutes AND we use drills to recruit them better during your running gait, then we are likely to get great results. We give your glutes all of the strength they need, then train your brain to recruit them correctly, and the result is a stable pelvis during running that leads to no hip pain and better running performance.

Great Sydney Running Trails To Put Your Strength Gains To the Test

1. Iron Cove (Bay Run): 7km. The Bay Run is a 7km circuit around Iron Cove that goes along Inner West Area. ⁵

2. Bondi to Coogee Walk: Just under 7km. The Bondi to Coogee walk is a just under 7km ocean front path through beautiful parks, beaches and lookouts.⁶

3. Homebush Bay Corso: 24.3Km. Homebush Bay Corso is a scenic track that runs along Parramatta River passing reserves and parks.⁷

References

1. https://stretchcoach.com/articles/strength-training/#:~:text=Strength%20training%20is%20a%20very,when%20moving%20or%20under%20impact.

2. https://fast-training.com/general-fitness/how-to-train-to-increase-power-strength-and-speed

3. https://www.stylist.co.uk/fitness-health/strength-training-benefits-metabolism-boost/501817#:~:text=Whatever%20your%20goals%20are%2C%20it’s,after%20a%20strength%20training%20session.

4. https://sydneyuncovered.com/the-bay-run-iron-cove/

5. https://www.sydney.com/things-to-do/nature-and-parks/walks/bondi-to-coogee-coastal-walk

6. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/australia/new-south-wales/homebush-bay-and-parramatta-river-loop