Strength Training for Runners
By Ed Murray, Podiatrist in Sydney
As a practitioner that treats runners, it surprises me the number of runners that do zero strength training. They just run. Recent reviews of the literature indicate strong evidence supporting the use of resistance training to improve running efficiency and performance. Further research indicates benefits to injury prevention. So we know it’s good.
So, why are runners so crap at doing resistance training? Easy...cos we’re runners. Outdoor freedom. Gentle breeze in your hair, the sun on your cheeks, fresh air filling your lungs, in your own head, in your own world...the exact opposite of a gym.
Plus there are so many exercises out there for runners that sometimes it can feel overwhelming. So let’s simplify things:
The first bit of advice is to accept that it is chore-like in nature. Most runners don’t like going to gyms or doing resistance training. Accept the problem for what it is, then move on and do some bloody resistance training! Because we know IT WILL improve your running and reduce injury rates. And it’s like anything, the better you get, the more you’ll enjoy it. Which leads me to the next piece of advice:
What exercises do I do?
Top 3 resistance exercises for runners.
Simple. No gym required.
These are great entry points because we hit all the major joints involved in running and all major muscle groups.