The Best Strength Training Exercises for Runners

July 22, 2016

Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

As a runner, you can sometimes overlook the importance of strengthening muscles and joints. Strength training leads to improved race times, good running form and being less prone to injury. In fact, strength training is one of the single most important non-running aspects of training.

However, runners require a completely different strength training program than the standard gym-goer or bodybuilder. As a runner, you need to focus on targeting the key muscles that will keep you balanced. By targeting the muscles you use most during running – mainly the quadriceps, hamstrings and the calves – you can correct any muscle imbalances that may occur.

Here are some of the best strength training exercises that you can work into your training:

Planks

You may know this already, but all variations of planks are some of the best core exercises you can do to target every angle of the core, lower back and shoulders. This makes it one of the most simple but powerful strength exercises.

1. Lie on your stomach
2. Prop up on to your elbow with feet slightly apart, and toes about hip distance apart. Make sure your shoulders are directly above your elbows.
3. Aim to straighten your whole body so that it’s forming a straight line from the top of your head to your heels.
4. Whilst engaging your core and keeping the straight line, hold this plank position for 30 seconds to a minute.
5. As you get stronger, aim to gradually add more time. You can also make it more challenging by adding weights – placing a plate on your back is a good way of doing this.

Here is a great example of how to plank correctly.

Overhead Lunges

This is a great exercise to target the whole body – quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, shoulders and core muscles as well. If you’re pressed for time and looking to get the most out of your workout, then this is also a good one for you as it’s quick yet effective.

1. Hold a pair of dumbbells straight above your shoulders, with arms straight and elbows locked. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and your knees are slightly bent.
2. Whilst keeping the weight directly overhead, step forward with your right leg into a deep lunge position, bending both your knees.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg. Do 12 steps on each side to complete one set.

Follow this guide for the ultimate overhead lunge.

Air Squat

As a runner, the squat should be a staple in your runner’s orientated strength training programme. They are the single most important exercise that you can do to strengthen the whole body, as they target a lot of running specific muscles.

1. Stand with your feet hip distance apart with toes facing forward.
2. With your arms out in front of you at shoulder height, squat down by bending your knees.
3. Lean forward at the waist whilst keeping the back flat and knees tracking behind your toes.
4. Squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground or to the point where you can no longer keep your back flat.
5. Press up through your heels to return to starting position.

Check out this guide on how to do a squat correctly.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya