Running and Strength Training

Strength Training- A Myth

When you look at a professional runner’s physique, you probably think there is no way they ever step foot into a gym to do any strength training. My blog this week looks at this misconception and highlights the importance of incorporating strength training alongside a running programme.

Many runners are reluctant to do any strength training as they believe it will make them bigger and affect their running. In Paula Radcliffe’s book, ‘How to Run 2011’ she says:

“I talk to many fellow runners who worry that lifting weights will cause them to bulk up and hinder their running action.”

This is not true as firstly, women runners do not have enough of the male hormone testosterone to become bulky. Secondly, you would have to drastically change your diet in order to build muscle bulk.

Paula Radcliffe’s book also states:

“A properly targeted weights programme will help make your muscles stronger and more resilient, but won’t make you heavy and bulky.”

Strength Training – the Benefits

The good news is that strength training will help you burn more calories and you will continue to burn calories throughout the day even after you have stopped exercising. The reason is that this type of training will build muscle and, the more muscle we have, the more fat we burn.

You will also be less prone to injury because strength training improves joint stability. Most importantly, it will make you a more efficient runner and help you recover quicker from longer and harder runs. Owen Barker’s “Running for Fitness” 2002 supports this as he states:

“Weight training can increase the strength and stability of the upper body, which in turn improves running efficiency. It also builds lean muscle, which increases the metabolic rate, reducing fat, and enhances the body’s ability to store glycogen.”

I believe incorporating strength training sessions into your running programme is a must! It will make you feel fitter and stronger and help you through those last few miles when you are finding it tough.

Strength Training - the Programme

Another phrase I hear a lot from fellow runners is, “I do a lot of running so I don’t need to do any strength training for my lower body. I just focus on my upper body when I work out in the gym”. In fact, they need to be doing a whole body work out.

When you are running you are using your entire body, so when you do a strength training programme you need to focus on a whole body work-out. This will include upper body, lower body and core.

When devising a strength training programme for running, it is important to make the programme specific. This involves incorporating exercises that mimic the movement of running. An example would be a one-legged squat.

The focus is on endurance, so the exercises are low weights/high repetitions, with as many as 3 sets of 12-20 repetitions per exercise. Alternatively, time based circuits incorporating as many repetitions in a set time as possible, is another way of building endurance.

The legend!!

As a youngster back in South Africa, I would watch the Comrades Ultra Marathon every year. Bruce Fordyce won the Comrades Marathon an amazing eight times in succession and nine times overall. In my eyes, he is a legend.

In Owen Barker’s, “Running for Fitness”, he states:

“Bruce Fordyce, the legendary winner of the Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa, attributes his success in part to his regular gym workouts.”

In conclusion, if including strength training were good enough for Bruce Fordyce and Paula Radcliffe, two of my role models, then I am definitely going to continue doing my gym sessions alongside my running programme. I already feel it has made a difference to my training, competing and recovery after runs. I recommend you give it a go!