If you aren’t adding strength training to supplement your running routine, you’re missing out. Strength training can directly help you run better by:

• Improving running economy
• Increasing muscle force production
• Strengthening muscles and tendons for injury prevention

But what is the BEST way to strength train and still prioritize running? Let’s dive in.

You Don’t Need a Bodybuilder’s Gym Plan

You don’t need to spend hours in the gym, and you don’t need to build big muscles. Traditional body builder style training or hour long bootcamps aren’t necessary to gain strength benefits for runners.

Instead, you will want to stick to basic exercises that focus on the major muscle groups, and train about 2 to 3 times a week. Hips, hamstrings, and quads are important to keep strong for runners, plus core and upper body help with better posture while running.

Train for Strength, Not Muscle Size

Focus your strength training to emphasize improving strength, rather than lifting for hypertrophy (increased muscle size). For runners, the goal isn’t to add muscle mass, but to increase how much force your body can produce efficiently.

This means lifting loads that are heavy, but with lower repetitions. Stick with rep ranges of 3 to 5, and repeat for 3 to 4 sets. If you are just starting out, or don’t have access to heavy weights yet, it is best to get the muscles used to the movements before going heavy. A good suggestion is using bodyweight only to start (No equipment? Check out our free bodyweight strength plan below).

How to Progress Without Overdoing It

As your body increases in strength, you will want to progress your exercises to keep seeing improvement. You can either do this by increasing the weight or increasing the repetitions. We like to use a combination of both:

• Week 1 you squat 100lbs at 3 reps for 4 sets
• Week 2 you squat 100lbs at 4 reps for 4 sets
• Week 3 you squat 100lbs at 5 reps for 4 sets
• Week 4 increase the squat to 105-110lbs, at 3 reps for 4 sets

This gradual progression allows your muscles, tendons, and nervous system to adapt safely.

The Best Strength Exercises for Runners

When it comes to exercise selection, simplicity works best. For our athletes, we recommend basic, compound movements that focus on the hamstrings, glutes, quads, hips, and calves, plus upper body and core exercises for a strong and balanced trunk. Here are our 6 favorite strength moves for runners:

1. Squats. These develop great overall leg strength
2. Deadlift. Works the hamstrings and glutes
3. Lunges. Great for unilateral strength and ankle mobility
4. Push Ups. Develops strong core and posture
5. Bent Over Row. Keeps the upper body balanced and helps posture
6. Plank. Core strength and posture

No Gym? No Problem

Consistency matters more than equipment. If you can get to a gym, or have weights at home, these are a great set of strength exercises you can start doing this week. No access to a gym or weights? No problem. We created a bodyweight-only strength training plan for runners that takes just 15 minutes and requires zero equipment.

Download for FREE here: Bodyweight Strength Training for Runners

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