If you love running but frequently suffer from injuries and have to take frustrating long breaks from running, there’s a good chance you’re missing out on an important part of your training. No matter how experienced a runner you are, one of the most beneficial ways to prevent injuries while running is strength training.
I’m currently training for a marathon and I know how much time the running portion takes compared to other forms of training. So I’ve put together a list of his five exercises that I rely on to prevent injuries and improve running economy.With the help of a running coach Helen GauntIn , you’ll find a list of useful strength exercises for runners, including how to perform them and where to target them.
You don’t need to gain weight, but it can help build muscle strength. I try to incorporate a combination of body weight, barbells, and free weights into my overall workouts, but I especially like using kettlebells, and you’ll see that in the exercises below. This is because kettlebell exercises for runners often include multi-joint movements that mimic the natural movements used in running, such as hip hinges, lunges, and squats.
5 strength exercises for runners to improve performance and prevent injury
As a rough guide, aim for 8 to 12 reps of each exercise, and about 2 to 3 sets should be enough. Perform the total number of reps on each leg of the single leg exercise.
And remember, you’re not training to be Mr. Muscle, you’re training to build stronger, more resilient muscles for running. If you focus on the weight of your workouts rather than the form or quality of your workouts, you’ll be battling painful delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) when you try to complete your run.
1. Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift
- Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and hold a kettlebell in your right hand. Shift your weight to your left foot and slightly bend your knee.
- Slowly bend your hips forward and extend your right leg straight out behind you. Lower the kettlebell toward the ground, keeping your back flat and chest lifted.
- Lower the kettlebell until your torso is parallel to the ground or until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
- Use your left glute and hamstrings to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Perform the desired number of reps on one leg, then switch to the other side.
According to Gaunt, this type of exercise can help improve single-leg stability and streamline your running motion to increase running efficiency. Single-leg deadlifts are great for building muscle for strength and power, which can help you improve your speed work and hill running. “Using kettlebell weights also helps strengthen your core and upper body, all of which contribute to running efficiency,” she added.
2. Kettlebell Hip March
- First, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Next, wrap the kettlebell handle around one leg and secure it in place.
- Wrap the kettlebell around your legs and lift your legs, keeping your torso upright and bringing your knees toward your chest.
- From here, lower the lifted leg towards the ground in a controlled manner, tapping the ground with your toes, then lift it towards your chest. Repeat this movement as many times as necessary.
- Once you have completed the set number of repetitions on one side, switch the kettlebell to the opposite leg and repeat the marching motion with the other leg.
“Kettlebell hip marches strengthen your glutes. Putting your weight on your hips strengthens the load on your legs (glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves). Marching with your heels and legs “You can improve your movement by wrapping a resistance band around your body,” says Gaunt. Separate your glutes further above your knees. ”
I did kettlebell hip marches every day for a week last year, and I also found this exercise to be a great exercise for strengthening the hip flexors, a very important muscle group for runners.
3. Dumbbell reverse lunge
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand tall next to your body. Relax your shoulders and strengthen your core.
- Step back with your right foot and lower your right knee toward the ground, making sure to land on the ball of your foot. Your left knee should be bent at 90 degrees and your thigh should be parallel to the ground.
- Press through the heel of your left foot to return to the starting position. Use your left leg and glute muscles to lift your body up.
- Repeat as many times as needed on one side, then switch to the other side.
According to Gaunt, reverse lunges are especially effective for people with knee pain. “This movement also lends itself to eccentric loading, targeting the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.”
“The lunge is a useful movement to imitate running, where you drive your knee forward and through it while moving your opposite arm in a running motion. This movement improves balance and improves strength and stability in one leg. It also increases your sexuality.”
5. Step up
- First, stand in front of a sturdy bench or stand. When performing this exercise with weights, he holds two dumbbells or kettlebells in each hand, with his arms hanging at his sides.
- Place your right foot firmly in the center of the bench. Push through your right heel and engage your right glute to lift your body onto the bench.
- At the top of the movement, extend your right leg and straighten your knee without locking it. Your left foot should remain lifted off the ground.
- Lower your body back to the starting position and tap the ground next to the bench with your left foot.
- Do the required number of reps on one leg, then switch to the other leg.
Gaunt says step-ups are a great movement for runners to incorporate into their strength and conditioning routines. She recommends forward variations like the one above to increase the effect of raising your knees and increase the strength and power needed for speed and hill work.
She also suggests incorporating step-downs into your training. She says, “When you step back from a step, you’re more likely to take on an eccentric load. This is important preparation for running downhill.”
“Another variation is step to side step, moving up and down one leg at a time. This strengthens your lower back, improves your mobility, and makes your body stronger,” explains Gaunt. . Terrain and direction add challenges to your body. ”
5. Raise the tibialis anterior muscle
- Stand with your back to a wall and place your feet one or two steps away from the wall.
- Make sure you have a good grip on your feet so they don’t slip off.
- Contract and hold the muscles in the front of your thighs by pulling your kneecaps up toward your hips.
- Next, lean forward slightly from your hips and begin to lift your toes as high as possible toward your shins, then lower them back down. repeat.
“The tibialis anterior raise is a simple and powerful knee-strengthening exercise that can help reduce the risk of shin splints,” says Gaunt. Overall, this exercise will help you build muscle and strengthen your calves.
Dr Gaunt added: “Strong calf muscles and knees reduce the risk of pain associated with the kinetic chain, for example the sciatic nerve along the hamstrings, hips, back and shoulders.”
