Weight training has been shown to have so many benefits – not only for health and weight-loss, but also to improve other sports. So, if you’re a runner looking to improve performance and reduce injury, try these weight training exercises at your next gym session.
What exactly is weight training? Weight training or strength training – also sometimes called resistance training – is a form of physical exercise that involves using resistance to stimulate muscle growth, strength and endurance.
This resistance can come from various sources, including dumbbells and barbells, machines, resistance bands or even your own body weight. The primary goal of weight training is to progressively overload the muscles, challenging them to adapt and become stronger over time.
As runners know, strength and endurance both improve running performance. But which exercises specifically can help runners?
Here we provide the top exercises to support runners with both a beginner and advanced level (or how to build up over time).
1. Squats
Squats are a fundamental lower-body exercise that targets your quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Stronger leg muscles can improve your running speed and endurance while reducing your risk of injury.
Beginner: 3 x 10 bodyweight squats
Advanced: 3 x 10 bodyweight squats with weights (barbells or dumbbells)
Advanced: 3 x 10 squat jumps (this makes the exercise higher in intensity)
2. Deadlifts
Deadlifts are another essential compound exercise that engages your hamstrings (primarily), glutes, lower back and core. Strengthening these muscles can enhance your running posture, stability and power output.
Beginner: Start with light weights and focus on your form.
Advanced: Add heavier weights over time, ensuring you track your progress and maintain correct form.
3. Lunges
Lunges target your quads, hamstrings and glutes, while improving balance and coordination, which can help prevent muscle imbalances common among runners.
Beginner: 3 x 10 forward lunges, reverse lunges or lateral lunges using only bodyweight (alternating each side).Advanced: Increase difficulty by holding dumbbells or incorporating walking lunges into your routine.
4. Hip Thrusts
Hip thrusts target your glutes, which play a crucial role in running mechanics, including stride length and propulsion.
Beginner: Start with bodyweight hip thrusts and focus on proper form.
Advanced: Gradually add resistance using a barbell or resistance bands to increase intensity.
5. Calf Raises
Calf raises strengthen the calf muscles, which are essential for shock absorption and preventing injuries like shin splints.
Beginner: 3 x 10 calf raises on a flat surface using only bodyweight.
Advanced: Increase intensity by performing calf raises on an elevated surface or adding weights for resistance.
6. Planks
Planks engage the entire core, including your abs, obliques and lower back, supporting proper running form and stability.
Beginner: Hold a plank position for 30 seconds, focusing on maintaining a neutral spine and engaging your core muscles. Repeat 3 times with rests in between.
Advanced: Increase duration – work towards 3 x 60-second planks – or incorporate variations such as side planks or plank leg lifts for added challenge.
7. Single-Leg Exercises
Single-leg exercises like single-leg squats and Bulgarian split squats improve balance, stability, and proprioception, addressing potential weaknesses or imbalances between the left and right sides of the body.
Beginner: Focus on mastering proper form and balance with bodyweight exercises. Start with 5 x single leg squats on each side and do 3 sets. Build this up to 10 on each side.
Advanced: Increase difficulty by adding weights or performing exercises on unstable surfaces like a Bosu ball.
If you are recovering from an injury or are unsure about how to perform any of the above exercises correctly, we recommend speaking to your medical professional and to reach out to a coach or professional trainer to help you get your form right in the beginning. Watching videos and using a mirror can also help you to check your form.