Strength training for runners

Combining strength training with running can be very beneficial for your health. Many claim that the two types of physical activity do not affect each other. However, this is not true, since strength training boosts one's performance in running significantly, due to the fact that his/her muscles will be stronger and his/her health further boosted.

Reasons for Strength Training for Runners

Running requires a person to have strong joints in order to withstand the impact of the activity. Strength training fits perfectly here since it strengthens the joints, making them more resistant to the impact. Therefore, strength training combined with running will lead to less chances of injury.

Next, since running is all about speed and the capability to use your muscles through a strength explosion, the stronger your muscles are, the better your performance in running will be. The connection is obvious and so is the importance of strength training in combination with running.

Strength training betters a person's capability of maintaining constant oxygen levels in his/her body. This, in return, helps you run at a steadier pace, coping with the speed and having increased endurance and stamina.

How to Combine the Two? The best type of strength training for a runner involves using different weights, focusing on various muscles in your body separately.

Basically, you are advised to start with about 3 minutes of rope skipping, being an adequate warm-up for your purposes. Then, do some cat and camel low back movements, limb rotations, curl-ups and squats. This will get you in the right “mood” for the rest of your training. Remember that 10 minutes of warm-up before each training are crucial, preventing many types of injuries from taking place.

As for the main part of your training, focus on performing 3 sets with 8 repetitions of each exercise. If a set lasts for 20 seconds, rest for the same or double amount of time before doing another one. Start with squats, move on to calf raises, trunk twists, horizontal pulls, straight-arm pull-downs, side bends, standing leg curls, hip twisting, dumbbell exercises, tricep extensions and bicep curls. Move through these exercises at your standard pace, with sufficient repetitions. Again, do not forget to warm-up before every session. Alternatively, you can play some sports which involve strength and running such as basketball, cycling, swimming etc. Make sure you eat and live healthy, combining these factors with running and strength training, being amazed by the results.