Earlier in our running series we talked about how running is a single-leg exercise, and a demanding one. Each landing sends close to three times your body weight through your leg, with the Achilles tendon carrying an even higher peak load, measured at over three times body weight during running in laboratory studies (Scientific Reports). That happens one leg at a time, thousands of times over, during a longer run. Strength training and other complementary exercise types are a good idea for injury prevention and improving efficiency.
In this article we’ll cover how to incorporate strength training into your running routine, including how much and what types of exercises you can do to enhance performance and help prevent injuries. If you’d like a hand building this into your own training, our Sports Physiotherapy team can help.
Will strength training help or hinder me with running?
Strength training doesn’t compete with your running, it supports it. Building strength and tendon capacity alongside your running program is associated with a lower rate of running injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis found strength training was linked to meaningfully fewer overuse and acute sports injuries compared with training without any strength work (systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed).
How often should I train besides running?
Most runners would benefit from strength training 2 to 3 times a week, with runs either on the same days or on alternate days. Just make sure any heavy or fatiguing sessions aren’t completed in the few hours before a run. If you have a competition or event coming up, tapering to one session a week in the lead-up will make sure you have enough recovery time.
What type of training should I be focusing on?
Because running is already your endurance-based exercise, you’ll want to focus the rest of your training time on the other areas below.
Since you run one leg after the other, unilateral (one leg) exercises are more beneficial for improving your running than bilateral exercises. That means your regular barbell back squat may not be the best choice.
- Balance and stability. Important for the foot, ankle, knee, hip and core to all work together to create better efficiency and control during all those running steps.
- Heavy strength. Running is pretty much a controlled version of falling, and each step requires absorbing a high amount of force. To train for this we need exercises that feel heavy and challenge you to recruit as many muscle fibres as possible, reaching fatigue in less than 8 reps.
- Plyometrics (explosive/elastic movement). Very helpful for runners, to develop the natural elastic capabilities of your tendons for absorbing and transferring running forces.
Example exercises
There are thousands of choices, but below are some fairly accessible ones in terms of equipment, needing only a bench or small step, with very transferable benefits to running.
Balance and stability
Single leg step down. This exercise incorporates a strength as well as a balance component. Standing on a box or step on one foot, lower the floating heel to the floor and power back up. Difficulty increases the higher the box; it’s best to start at a height a little lower than halfway between the floor and your knee. Focus on a slow, controlled lowering for about 3 seconds. Your hips should stay level, rather than one side dropping. When lowering, the knee should track in the same direction as your toes are pointed, not turned inwards or outwards. Train both sides, 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
Heavy strength
Split squat with rear foot elevated. Rest your rear foot on a bench behind you with toes pointed, with about 90% of your weight on your front leg, then bend the front knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Some people may need to start with the front foot further forward to reach parallel. Focus on keeping your hips level, with the front knee and toe pointing in the same direction. Pause at the bottom for at least 3 seconds on each rep. This can be done with bodyweight only, or by adding dumbbells or a heavy backpack. Since we’re targeting strength with this exercise, it should be heavy enough that 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps is genuinely difficult.
Plyometrics
Most sports that involve running, jumping and change of direction involve plyometric movement, making it one of the more important areas to devote training time to. When starting a running regimen, adding plyometrics is essential for getting your tendons and muscles ready for quick impacts. If you’re already running a high number of kilometres each week, one session a week is usually enough. Always progress slowly and listen to your body.
I’m just starting out
Skipping rope. If you don’t have a skipping rope, hopping on the spot is fine. Start with two feet. Your hops should feel quick and effortless; the aim isn’t to go high, just enough to clear the rope or get a few centimetres off the ground. Stay on the balls of your feet throughout. Your hips, knees and ankles will all be absorbing impact together, but there shouldn’t be a large range of motion at any joint. Reps can range from 20 to 100, for up to 3 to 5 sets, depending on your ability.
Progressing plyometrics needs to be done slowly, and works best under the guidance of someone with a strength and conditioning background, like our physiotherapists at PhysiCo City. Below is a great intermediate plyometric exercise for running and other sports.
Split stance jumps. Start in a lunge position and jump, leaving the ground. While in the air, switch the front leg for the back leg and land in a lunge position again. Absorb the energy of the jump on landing, then immediately jump up again. Your rear knee shouldn’t hit the ground. Continue for 10 to 20 reps. This can be done at medium intensity without going for maximum height, or at greater difficulty by jumping as high as possible.
When to see us
If you’d like an expert opinion on your running training, or a personalised training program, come in today. You can book online with one of our experienced physiotherapists, call us on (02) 9267 3775, or visit us at Level 2, 127 Bathurst Street, Sydney CBD. You can read more about our approach on the Sports Physiotherapy page.
Research figures are general findings from studies across groups of people, not a guarantee of your own result. Progress any new strength or plyometric program gradually, and check with a physiotherapist if you have a current injury or are unsure where to start.
