Unlock Your Power: Strength Training for Runners

If you’ve been following along, you understand the importance I place on strength training for triathletes.  Different types of strength training will bring about different results.  Based on your goals, you will want to consider how and when to incorporate each.  For the purpose of this blog, I’m going to focus on strength and power for runners. 

A concern that comes up for endurance athletes is that lifting weights will make you bulky and carrying excess body weight will hinder your performance.  When done correctly, this is not the case. Your increased strength and power will lend itself to a more productive, efficient stride and reduce your risk of injury.  Check out the post with tips to incorporate strength training into your program. I dive a little deeper into the topic.  

In the world of swim, bike, run, you want your body performing its best over three disciplines.  While overlap does exist between the muscle groups being used (mostly between running and cycling), there are different mechanics in place for each.  In this post, I will address the muscles used during running and how to strengthen them. I also provide flexibility and mobility work to avoid injury.

Running is a full-body activity.  Your shoulders, chest, back, and core are also involved in assisting your form, stability, power transfer, and forward propulsion. The workout provided at the end of this post will touch upon these muscles. But the main focus will be on the key players of your lower body and core. 

Breaking this down a little further, running involves several muscle groups during different phases of the stride.  The main phases of your stride are the stance phase, drive (toe-off) phase, and swing phase.  

Running Phases & Muscles Involved

Stance Phase: The stance phase starts from when your foot hits the ground until the leg is directly underneath your hips.

The muscles involved in this phase include the quadriceps, hamstrings, gastrocnemius and soleus (calf muscles), tibialis anterior, gluteus maximus, hip adductors, hip abductors and the muscles of the core. 

Drive phase (toe-off): This is also considered the final part of the stance phase in the running cycle. It occurs as the foot transitions from being flat on the ground to pushing off with the toes to propel the body forward. This phase is critical for generating forward momentum and transitioning into the swing phase of the running cycle.  The drive phase starts when the leg is slightly behind your hips and continues until just before the foot leaves the ground to propel the body forward. Proper technique and adequate strength in the lower leg, calf, and hip muscles are essential for maximizing propulsion and minimizing energy expenditure during running. 

Key players include the glute max, hamstrings, quads, calf muscles, hip flexors, adductor magnus, and core muscles. 

Swing Phase: Also known as the recovery phase, the swing phase occurs immediately after the drive (toe-off) phase and represents the period when the leg is not in contact with the ground and swings forward in preparation for the next stride. The swing phase is controlled primarily by the hip flexors, hamstrings, and quadriceps muscles.

The specific muscles include the iliopsoas, rectus femoris (one of your quad muscles), sartorius (the longest muscle in the human body crossing both the hip and the knee joint), tensor fasciae latae (TFL), hip adductors, tibialis anterior, and peroneus longus and brevis.  

While running is a very natural movement, there actually is a lot involved and proper form is key.  Strength training specific to running can serve as a compliment to addressing mechanical issues that you may be experiencing (of course, consult with a professional if you want your specific gait addressed). Proper biomechanics and muscle strength are essential for efficient and injury-free running. Additionally, factors such as foot strike pattern, cadence, and running surface can influence the mechanics of your run.

Importance of your warm up

Just as you (hopefully) take some time prior to your swim, bike, and run to warm up and perform drills to prepare your body for the work, a proper warm up is equally as important prior to your strength training.  You want to mimic some of the movement patterns you are about to perform with load, work on full range of motion around your joints, and mentally prepare for the training ahead.

Here are a few reasons to include time for your warm up:

• Injury Prevention: Increase the blood flow to your muscles, tendons and ligaments, thus reducing the risk of strains, tears, and other potential injuries.  This allows your joints to work through the range of motion without load, in preparation for weighted movements.
• Injury Rehabilitation: If you are working around injury or post-injury, or if you are addressing existing muscular imbalances, a warmup that is tailored towards your individual needs will allow you to address weaknesses, promoting healing and preventing re-injury.
• Increased Range of Motion: Dynamic movements help improve flexibility and range of motion, allowing for full and safe movement during your strength training session.  
• Mental Preparedness:  A proper warm-up provides an opportunity to mentally prepare for the upcoming workout, focusing attention and concentration on form, technique, and training goals.
• Improved Blood Circulation: Taking the time to prepare your body for the “real” work increases blood flow to muscles and delivers oxygen and nutrients, aiding in muscle function and endurance, while also helping to remove metabolic waste products accumulated during exercise.
• Enhanced Performance: All of the above makes it clear that your performance will be enhanced; but additionally, warming up preps the central nervous system.  This improves muscle activation, coordination and power output. Hello, better performance and lifting efficiency. 

Plyometrics for runners

In the workout below, I include some plyometric movements, which may improve your performance as a runner and triathlete. Plyometric exercises focus on rapid and explosive movements designed to enhance muscular power, speed, and agility. They involve a quick and forceful contraction of muscles, followed by a rapid lengthening or stretching phase.

The primary goal of plyos is to improve the neuromuscular efficiency of the muscles, enhancing their ability to generate maximal force in minimal time. Typical exercises involve jumping, hopping, and bounding movements that require the muscles to rapidly switch from an eccentric (lengthening) contraction to a concentric (shortening) contraction.

Examples of plyometric exercises include:

• Depth jumps: Dropping off a platform or box and immediately jumping vertically or horizontally upon landing.
• Box jumps: Jumping onto and off of a box or platform with both feet.
• Plyometric push-ups: Explosively pushing off the ground during a push-up so that the hands leave the ground.
• Jump squats: Performing a squat and immediately jumping explosively upon reaching the bottom position.
• Lateral bounds: Jumping sideways from one foot to the other, emphasizing explosive lateral movement.
• Medicine ball throws: Explosively throwing a medicine ball against a wall or to a partner, involving both upper and lower body muscles.

Benefits: 

• Enhances explosive power, crucial for sprinting and fast-paced running.
• Targets muscles in a dynamic way, promoting strength gains that benefit overall running performance.
• Can enhance the efficiency of your running stride, leading to better endurance and less energy expenditure.
• By strengthening muscles and improving coordination, plyometric exercises can help reduce the risk of common running injuries.
• Agility drills within plyometric training contribute to improved maneuverability, vital for navigating various terrains during runs.
• The explosive nature of plyometrics translates to increased speed, beneficial for sprinting and achieving faster race times.
• Improve the communication between the nervous system and muscles, optimizing coordination during running.
• Plyometric exercises can be adapted to various fitness levels and easily incorporated into a runner’s training routine.
• Time-effective, allowing runners to achieve substantial benefits in shorter training sessions.
• Incorporating plyometrics into a warm-up routine helps activate muscles and prepares the body for the demands of running.

Now to the fun part! Below is a workout that you can incorporate into your running and triathlon training program. It focuses on moves that incorporate many of the aspects mentioned above. I’ve included a video so that you have a visual of the exercises, as well. Please note the final comments at the end of the video. If you have any questions about the exercises, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Check out the following sequence that is a great way to cool down after your strength training session. 

As a runner and a triathlete, it is so important to have a well-rounded program. So many things can have a positive (or negative) impact on your progress and performance. If your goal is to set a PR, complete your first triathlon, or to feel better in training, make sure you are including strength training as part of your program. You will run stronger, decrease your chances of injury, and ideally be racing for many years to come! Are you ready to take your training to the next level? Let’s work together to crush your goals, redefine your limits, and embrace the pursuit of becoming a stronger triathlete. I can’t wait to celebrate all your wins along the way!