Strength training is essential for runners - but it can also be difficult to fit in long strength training sessions into your training plan. For most runners, quality matters more than quantity. You will benefit from even one or two 15-30 minute sessions per week if you are focusing on the quality of your strength workout. It’s vital to remember that more is not always better. More reps and more exercises are not necessarily more effective. Going faster throughout your reps is certainly ...
Strength Training
Why to Strength Train during Marathon Training
The idea of adding strength training into marathon training can sound daunting. You are running more miles than normal, with longer long runs and harder workouts. The sheer volume of running alone is tiring. However, it’s worth taking the time and energy to strength train during marathon training, even at the expense of a few miles. I’ve talked plenty before about the benefits of strength training for runners - and those benefits are even more applicable for the physical demands of the ...
Modified Strength Workout for Injured Runners
Activity restrictions accompany many running injuries. For some injuries such as stress fractures, any sort of impact or weight-bearing might be restricted. Injuries and activity restriction are frustrating, but they do not have to put you on virtual bed rest. Instead, if your condition permits, you can try this modified strength workout for injured runners. Back in October, a stress fracture on my third metatarsal broke through. I could not run, bike, swim, or do lower body strength ...
Strength Training for Runners: Lifting for Performance
Social media permits us recreational runners to glimpse into the training of elite. If you scroll through the Instagram feeds of the leading elites in America, you’ll see Jordan Hasay deadlifting and Molly Huddle performing pull-ups and box jumps. Shalane Flanagan has revealed in multiple interviews that she goes to the gym three times per week. Elite runners incorporate strength training for speed and performance into their plans. What elite runners practice is backed by science; ...
Equipment Based Workouts for Runners {Run It}
This month's theme for the Run It Series is equipment based workouts for runners. I've already shared kettlebell and resistance band workouts here, so I want to give some attention to my other favorite piece of workout equipment: the stability ball. The stability ball is a versatile and invaluable tool for any runner. Core strength, hip stability, and glute strength are essential for preventing injury and running faster, and the stability ball will train those specific ...