How to Incorporate Strength Training into Your Running Routine
How to Incorporate Strength Training into Your Running Routine

Runners run (obviously) but hitting the weights is a different story. Part of the reason being it takes up time and when youre spending hours logging miles, extra time is precious. The other part is figuring out HOW to incorporate strength training can be a bit confusing.

How often? What types of workouts? Before or after you run?

Good questions. But first, lets talk about why strength training is important.  

Running occurs in a one-dimensional plane which puts you at risk for injury. If youre strength training the proper way, you will include exercises in all planes of motion which help to address muscle imbalances that might exist.

You dont need a ton of extra time to strength train. Just a plan and a system. My personal favorite is the DVRT (Dynamic Variable Resistance Training) System which uses the Ultimate Sandbag to get you there and is designed to implement variable resistance tools to achieve specific outcomes. Yes, specific outcomes, which leads to me my first tip

Be goal oriented.
If you really want to make strength training work for you and your running goals, there are specific exercises you should be doing. In fact, you should be training MOVEMENT not muscles, which is exactly what the DVRT System does by teaching you how to connect your entire body to work together so you can build the power you need to propel yourself off the ground, run faster and strengthen muscle imbalances to avoid those pesky injuries.

Since improving movement should be your goal, you can say goodbye to bicep curls and instead

Save time with compound exercises.
Say what? Compound exercises are those requiring multiple joint movements AKA, are more functional than targeted muscle lifts.  Plus, theyre a total time saver, which aside from being WAY more effective is also one of the biggest benefits. Examples of compound exercises include: Sprinter Stance Squats, Rotational Overhead Presses, and Step-ups.

Make it unilateral.
Another important aspect of your training should focus on unilateral exercises or training one side at a time. Unlike bilateral training (think the squat), unilateral training (think the pistol squat) focuses on training the muscles to work together. It also helps to reduce muscle imbalances, improve muscle recruitment and forces you to active your core.

The key to incorporating unilateral training is progression. Trying to immediately bust out a pistol squat would not only lead to failure and frustration but could also lead to injury. Take it literally one step back at a time. 

Include the core.
Incorporating unilateral training means youll already be working your core, but youll also want to be doing specific core workouts as well. To make the most of your time, focus on exercises that work the glutes and hipsboth of which are important for injury prevention.

Recovery is part of the program.
The biggest mistake runners make is that they dont know how to rest. Seriously, keep your easy days easy, allow 48 hours between strength workouts and use the recovery time and rest days to build muscle. Just like you need sleep, your muscles need rest to rebuild and become better and stronger.

Scheduling is key.
If possible, always schedule running before strength training, especially when including lower body exercises. Otherwise, your muscles will be too fatigued to run at max effort and your running performance will suffer. 

Try to incorporate strength workouts 2 days a week, keeping your strength days focused on strength training and your running days focused on running. 

 
 
Seen a lot of slim chicks posting their

workouts on here so I thought I'd join 

the fun
Warning : I will bully every one of you

into daily stretches, plyo drills, crazy 

intervals, lifting heavy weights and 

epic long runs
104 °F.....  As my Grandma says, 

"Marathon training ain't for p*ssies."



Crazy old lady is right.

New Featured eBibs

I won't quit.  But I will cuss the whole time.
When  non-runner friends ask if you are free this weekend... "Sorry, I have to do my long run.. then I'm going to  lay around all weekend recovering  from my long run."
According to my pace time and "real" runners... I am a jogger.
You know you're a runner when...  you don't stretch. But you know  you should.
Not every run can make you happy. Running is not pizza.
You know you're a runner... when the phrase, "it's all downhill from here"  is actually a good thing.
I'm so thankful I had a childhood  before technology took over.
For someone who runs all the time,  I still have the ability to make it look like it's the first time I've ever tried.
You know you're a runner when...  you can run six miles nonstop and  still feel out of shape.
The next person to say "Oh, you're only running the Half", is going to get  punched in the throat.
I'm always weirdly proud when my pee  is clear. Like, hell yea, I'm so damn hydrated!
I think it's weird how somedays I feel skinny and somedays I feel like  a busted can of biscuits.
Of course I talk to myself. Sometimes I need expert advice.
I'd rather be the slowest runner  in a race anytime, than a spectator  for a lifetime!
You could sleep in on Sunday. Or, you could drag your ass over 13.1 miles  just for a cheap medal, t-shirt, and  a glass of wine. Welcome to the insanity!
Result Pages: <<   ... 171  172  173  174  175 ...   >>