Feel like you’re putting in the miles but not seeing the progress you want? Maybe you keep getting injuries that stop you from hitting your goals or you can’t seem to break your plateau. Maybe you’ve been trying to lose “the last 5 lbs” for months with running, but it’s just not budging. What else might help?
Running comes with so many benefits, both physical and mental (like those times when you’re in the zone, wind in your face, and feeling like you could take over the world). But what if there’s a way to make your time spent running and overall health even better?
In this article, you’ll learn how strength training can seriously up your running game and make you feel unstoppable. Learn the exercises that target running-specific muscles (and how to make them fun). Everything from building lower body strength and improving your running form to boosting your stamina and reducing injuries.
If you hate lifting weights or just don’t know what would work best, this article is for you. With the right strength training routine that feels fun (and just as stress-relieving as running), who knows? Soon enough, that half marathon might turn into a full one.
Strength training isn’t just for gym bros. It has a total body impact, even boosting your mental health to stabilize and energize your mood. Runners can think of strength training more like optimizing your speedy sports car versus buying a mountain Jeep. Here’s how building strength can make you run like a pro:
When all the parts of your body are strong, everything can work together more smoothly. Just think of how your form starts to fall apart in the last few miles of a long run — that’s likely from muscle fatigue.
Strength training builds up key running muscles, like your glutes, quads, and core, so you can naturally have better form. Each stride can become more powerful and efficient, allowing you to run with less effort.
If you want to run faster and longer (along with gaining many other health benefits), strength training is for you. With muscle power comes more speed and endurance. For example, a 2016 meta-analysis found that just 2-3 sessions per week improved how efficiently a runner uses oxygen (all within 8-12 weeks). That helps you run faster.
Knee pain, shin splints, or IT band syndrome are some of the most common complaints, and they’re usually a runner’s worst nightmare. Your knees, for example, are shock absorbers — but without enough muscle and joint strength, they take more of a beating each step you take.
Think of your leg muscles like natural springs or cushions that surround your joints, especially your knees and ankles. When you run, every step creates an impact that travels up your left. The stronger the muscle, the more responsive the spring.
Stronger muscles help distribute the impact force over a larger area (like your quads and hamstrings), rather than directly into your knees. Your joints get more stable while your cartilage (the smooth tissue covering the ends of your bones) is more protected. Overall, you get more fluid joints, better stability for a balanced stride, and improved shock absorption, keeping your knees better able to handle the impact of each and every run.
You’ve probably heard all sorts of comments about strength training, so let’s tackle the biggest myths that need busting:
It’s easy to get so hyper-focused on improving your running game that everything else gets sidelined. The truth, however, is that running is a repetitive exercise that only works certain muscles. That means other parts of your body can fall out of balance and become weaker.
Plus, working the same muscles out too often can lead to more wear and tear, especially if other muscles aren’t strong enough to help out. With total body strength training, you can improve not just your overall health, but your running economy, too. You’ll be able to run more efficiently, feeling more energized over longer and harder runs. Plus, building muscle can help you live a longer, healthier life.
Somehow this idea that weightlifting equals massive muscles spread like wildfire. It might be because whenever we think of the gym we imagine bodybuilders pumping weights the size of a fridge. Only, that’s just one stereotype of someone who might dedicate 1.5-3 hours lifting 5-7 days a week. The average recommendations for building and maintaining muscle mass for total body health are just 2 days per week, where you can still get total body health and running benefits.
Women especially might worry about bulking up, but they need it just as much as men. Read this article on why women need to start strength training (like balancing hormones, regulating appetites, and improving bone density).
The truth is that anyone can hurt themselves with any type of activity, including running or weights. The best way to avoid any injury risk is by taking the time to research proper form and gradually increase the difficulty as you adapt.
If you’re hesitant and not sure where or how to begin, you can hire a personal trainer to watch your form and coach you. Plus, they can tailor a plan that suits your needs (and make it interesting). You can also check out this beginner’s guide on how to get started with strength training. Not only will you learn specific exercises to start with, but you’ll also understand how to set better goals and push through your mental blocks of getting started (or staying consistent).
Almost anything we do that isn’t tailored to our interests (or is overly tedious) is boring. If you’ve tried strength training and hated it, chances are high that you just haven’t found the right style for you.
Now more than ever we have countless ways to strength train, like with resistance bands, kettlebell circuits, HIIT workouts, or personalized dumbbell routines to do from home. If you really can’t find a way though, studies show that hiring a personal trainer can change everything. They can actually change your entire attitude and perception around working out (because they can make it fun for you).
Plus, having someone you like who’s a professional on the topic, by your side, helping you feel confident and strong, is priceless. Countless studies show just how important emotional support is for enjoying exercise (or most things). The study suggests that the more social interaction and support someone has while exercising, the more likely they are to stick with it and improve their performance.
By now you’re (hopefully) convinced that strength training is worth it, but now it’s time to put that into action. Here’s what to keep in mind:
Strengthening all the key muscles activated during running (quads, calves, glutes, and hamstrings) will all have a major positive impact. These are some of the best exercises to set yourself up for stronger, faster, and more injury-resistance runs:
1. Squats: Builds strong glutes and quads to power your legs for hills and maintain better form.
2. Glute bridges: Activates your glutes and hamstrings for better hip extension, stride power, and reduced back pain.
3. Lunges: Improves balance and works each leg independently to correct imbalances and strengthen your stabilizer muscles.
4. Deadlifts: Strengthens your core, back, and hamstrings to improve posture, power uphill climbs, and reduce the risk of lower back pain.
5. Hamstring curls: Isolates the hamstrings to improve knee stability, balance quad strength, and reduce hamstring strain.
6. Calf raises: Activates your calf muscles for better push-off power and ankle stability while reducing the risk of Achilles tendonitis.
7. Tibialis raises: Strong Tibilais muscles help prevent shin splints and protect your knees.
8. Abduction & Adduction: Directly target the parts of your glutes you activate while running. Weak glutes are often big contributors to “Runner’s Knee” pain.
9. Core workouts: Planks, bridges, and Russian twists to stabilize your core and improve your running form.
Looking for a simple, personalized way to add strength training to your running routine? A personal trainer can create a plan that fits your schedule, keeps you accountable, and helps you see real results.
Here are some tips on how to start including strength training in your routine:
Remember that you don’t need to go overboard — just a few times a week is enough. For example, a 2018 study compared resistance training 6 times per week versus 3 times, and the high-frequency group didn’t get more significant strength benefits. The results suggested that you can expect an increase in strength and lean body mass with just 3 sessions per week within 6 weeks. However, 2 times a week can also help immensely, and even one is better than none.
The highest-level competitive runners know that strength training makes them better. For example, the world record holder in the marathon, Eliud Kipchoge, regularly strength trains to build power, prevent injury, and maintain his form. Every elite runner, from sprinters to ultra-marathoners, uses exercises like squats, lunges, and core work for peak running performance.
It’s also how you come back from an injury and even mental health struggles. Molly Seidel, an Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon, opened up publicly about how strength training helped her manage ADHD and all the pressures she faced in competitive running. It’s also essential for managing all the injuries she faces with all the impact her body goes under. She does about two lifting sessions a week and daily mobility workouts.
Besides the elite athletes, anyone can benefit. This is what some trainwell clients have said:
“Despite being a regular runner, I wanted to be more lean and muscular. I wanted to look good in a swimsuit again. My trainer, Cody, assigned me three weekly strength training programs using the equipment I had at home. How much you can do with a TRX and a few kettlebells is incredible. Having an accountability partner helped me more than I expected it would. Knowing that someone was checking in was just enough motivation to make time for the workout. And it was great to get advice and some external kudos every once in a while. I'm now leaner and stronger than ever (at 50!).”
- Lisette Sutherland
“I joined trainwell one year ago this week and I have so many great things to say. The long and short of it is that I started off with the plan of working out for about twenty minutes a day during my lunch break. I just needed incentive to move. Since then, I’ve trained for and run a half marathon and now commit to a full work out three times a week. I’m turning 40 in a few months and am probably in the best shape I’ve ever been in. My trainer, Lindsay, is present and motivating. The Facebook group is fun to connect with for sharing out thoughts and asking questions. And the app staff are accessible and friendly people. I love this app and all I’ve gained from it. Truly, in a world swamped with wellness apps, this is a gem.”
- Adamjortiz
Now that we’ve covered just how much strength training can help you (both in running and even for better longevity in life), it’s time to integrate it into your routine. If that feels at all overwhelming (or just not interesting) try a free 14-day trial with trainwell. Unlike generic apps, trainwell connects you with an actual human being who gets to know you (and you get to choose that person based on not only their expertise but their personality, too). They learn what you like (and hate) and how to create a plan you’ll actually enjoy. Plus, they keep you consistent with accountability and encouragement (in your style, whether that’s gentle or more tough-love).
Finally, you can be sure to improve your form thanks to trainwell’s motion tracking. With progress tracking, messaging, and Apple Watch integration, we make sure you’re on track and get the results you’re looking for (and have fun while doing it).
Written by Jennifer Olejarz.
