It is no secret that running performance can be achieved by combining jogging with auxiliary exercises, including strength training. So, in this article, we will help you understand how strength workouts can help you succeed as a runner.
Benefits of Strength Exercises for Runners
Given the popularity of strength training among runners, it’s no surprise that its effects have attracted the attention of researchers. We have compiled their most impressive findings for you.
Prevent Injuries
Science lists strengthening muscles, tendons, and bones as the main benefits of strength endurance exercise. Specifically, they improve abductor muscle strength, which reduces the risk of common knee injuries.
In addition, strength workouts for runners can prevent Achilles tendon damage by strengthening the ankle. Finally, squats and lunges are among the best exercises for runners to prevent overuse injuries.
Improve Running Economy
The importance of strength training for distance runners lies in improving the running economy, that is, oxygen and energy consumption during the race. Research shows that doing strength training for endurance athletes allows them to use 3-4% less oxygen while maintaining the same pace.
Besides, they spend energy not on stabilizing key muscle groups but on fueling the body for greater mileage. With this running economy, they ran further. So you can do these exercises to help running performance over long distances.
Increase Endurance Running Time
In one experiment, 4K runners ran to exhaustion 13.7% longer due to strength training. Another experiment recorded a 30% increase in leg strength and a 13% increase in running time. Finally, thanks to half-squats three times a week, time to exhaustion increased by an impressive 21.3% among well-trained runners at maximum aerobic speed.
These figures comprehensively answer the question, “is strength important for endurance runners?”
Promote Weight Loss
Strength or weight training for runners is especially effective if you want to drop a few pounds. One study showed that participants who practiced regular strength training for 18 months lost more fat mass than those who did only aerobic activity and those who simply dieted without exercise.
What is also interesting is that the metabolism remains active much longer after strength training. It means that your body continues to burn calories even at rest. Thus, running and lifting weights can be more effective for keeping fit than just running.
Running Strength Training Tips
After all the advantages, we can conclude that strength exercises definitely have a place in your marathon training plan or any other running training program. The main thing is to integrate it into your routine wisely.
If you are wondering, “how often should runners do strength training?” based on these studies, such exercises should be performed 2-3 times a week.
The above research on strength running exercises has also led to the following general recommendations:
- Consistency is known to be the key to success, which is why it took study participants 8 to 12 weeks of regular strength training to see the benefits in their running.
- In no study did participants exhaust themselves with strength training. So the average time for such workouts can be 20-60 minutes, depending on individual goals. This is enough to boost performance but avoid fatigue.
- The same goes for training intensity. The researchers generally offered participants low to moderate loads, approximately 40-70% of one-rep max.
- While many strength training exercises can benefit you as a runner, weight lifting, jumping, hopping, and skipping are the most commonly considered performance enhancements in research.
- Athletes are encouraged to strength train after their run (at least three hours later or the next day). Also, take a 24-hour break between your strength training session and your next high-intensity run. In both cases, you won’t let the extra exercise interfere with your core activity.
Strength training can diversify and improve your running routine. However, remember the choice of exercises, sets, repetitions, and weight is individual. Therefore, before proceeding, consult a qualified health professional or coach.
